What Is DHEA and How Is It Used?

Dehydroepiandrosterone, more commonly known as DHEA, is a hormone that some lifters take in the form of supplements. Bodybuilders can use DHEA in particular to build and maintain muscle while reducing body fat. After all, hormones are associated with testosterone production, so taking extra DHEA is thought to help improve T production.

But there is a problem here. If your diet and training program aren’t checked, there’s nothing to help you develop your dream physique. Assuming you are in control of these two things, keep reading about whether DHEA can help you reach your physique-related goals.

Editor’s Note: BarBend’s content is essentially intended to provide useful information, but should not be taken as medical advice. The opinions and articles on this site are not intended to diagnose, prevent, and / or treat health problems. It is advisable to consult your doctor before starting a new fitness, nutrition and / or supplement routine.

What is DHEA?

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is the second most abundant circulating steroid in humans and functions as a major precursor of other hormones such as testosterone and estrogen... (2) Most DHEA is made in the adrenal glands, but testes, ovaries, and other organs can also produce small amounts.

DHEA production begins in puberty, peaks around age 20, and begins to decline rapidly at age 25. (6) By the age of 75, the amount of DHEA in the bloodstream will be 80% less than before. When you were 25 years old. As a result, testosterone and estrogen production is also slowed down. All of these changes contribute to age-related loss of muscle mass and bone density, and may also contribute to cognitive decline (such as memory and mood). (1) (6)

DHEA plays many roles in the body, from regulating inflammation to insulin sensitization and muscle growth. The results of animal studies soon began to highlight supplemental DHEA. In fact, supplemental DHEA is neither a panacea nor a complete pseudoscience. It may be useful for some groups (but not for young recreational activists looking for its extra benefits).

What is the effect of DHEA?

Despite its testosterone-enhancing effect DHEA supplements do not improve the performance or muscle mass of healthy and young recreation exercisers.. It may be of some help for older adults.

More circulating DHEA, testosterone, estrogen, and IGF-1

DHEA supplementation increases circulating DHEA levels in almost all studies, and many also produce elevated testosterone. However, changes in estrogen and testosterone are unreliable, and most notable effects are seen in specific populations.

Higher testosterone has been reported in men and women of all ages, but the most important effect is seen in healthy premenopausal women under the age of 60. (2) (3) (6) (7) DHEA also raises testosterone levels in older women. Men of all ages are less likely to see a significant increase in testosterone levels due to DHEA supplements..

DHEA has also resulted in elevated estrogen in young men and women, but most studies have been conducted in postmenopausal women to whom DHEA has the same effect (although less reliable). (3) (7) (9)

Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) is an anabolic hormone that has been shown to increase with DHEA supplementation, but is used for a long time only in healthy women over the age of 60. (12)

Changes in body composition

DHEA supplementation often leads to higher testosterone levels, There is no substantial effect on body composition. Lean body mass gain is minimal and does not occur at all in young, healthy and active participants.

According to one meta-analysis, DHEA supplementation reduced body weight (about 0.5 kilograms) and increased lean body mass (about 0.7 kilograms), but all participants were older women. (6)

In another analysis with a more diverse population, DHEA supplements were equally effective in improving lean body mass, but did not affect body weight. The analysis also found that the fat mass was reduced by an average of 1%, but keep in mind that this is probably not a meaningful change. (Ten)

With the exception of one study, which noted a decrease in body fat percentage without change in body weight, DHEA supplements did not affect the body composition of young trained men or co-educated recreational athletes. (4) Some authors point out that ineffectiveness in adolescents may be due to a short study period, which generally lasts 4 to 6 weeks. Four months of DHEA supplementation increased the effectiveness of weight training for the elderly. (6)

Higher bone density

Small amounts of evidence indicate that long-term DHEA supplementation is associated with slightly higher bone mineral density (BMD) in the hip joints of older men and women. Still, more research is needed to confirm these findings. (8)

Less cortisol

A recent meta-analysis reported that DHEA reduced cortisol levels sufficient to be clinically relevant (a meaningful application in the real world). However, the effects of DHEA on cortisol tended to be more pronounced in females, with most of the participants in this analysis being females (many of whom were postmenopausal). Therefore, these results do not apply to large numbers of people. (1)

Lowers fasting blood sugar

Long-term, low-dose DHEA supplements lowered fasting blood glucose levels, according to an analysis involving participants with underlying illness. However, the changes were minimal and other markers of insulin resistance were unaffected. (11)

What are the risks of DHEA?

Although DHEA has not been shown to improve the body composition and performance of young people and athletes, Banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).. (3) (4) (5) (10) Therefore, do not use supplements containing DHEA when participating in drug-tested sports.

Recent meta-analyses have shown that HDL cholesterol (the “good” type) is frequently reduced after long-term supplementation with DHEA, but this was only seen in females. In most cases, the average reduction was minimal, but the authors pointed to “clinical concerns” in women with lupus, where loss of HDL is much more important. (9)

Who should use DHEA?

DHEA may be most effective for postmenopausal women and people over the age of 60. This is because this group experiences clinically related changes in body composition and BMD with supplements. The relatively large increases in testosterone experienced by young women do not translate into meaningful performance results or body composition.

WADA bans DHEA and should not be used by athletes who have undergone drug testing.

How Should I Take DHEA?

Most studies use doses of DHEA in the range of 50-100 milligrams per day, and these doses are safe for long-term use in the study population. 50 milligrams per day seems to be the minimum effective amount to support BMD, and a dose of 100 mg results in a reliable increase in hormone levels. These doses also resulted in an improvement in lean body mass in the elderly population.

A daily dose of up to 400 mg has been safely used in men for up to 8 weeks, while a daily dose of 200 mg lowered HDL cholesterol in women with lupus.

Again, do not take DHEA if you are an athlete who has undergone a drug test.

Overview

Circulating DHEA—the form that exists in our body—plays an essential role in muscle, metabolic, and cognitive health throughout our lives. Supplements look like logical interventions, and animal studies have shown promise, but in reality, DHEA is not a fountain of youth or muscle mass.

It does increase DHEA circulation levels, and often testosterone as well, with significant changes to health, is fairly minimal, especially in healthy and young exercisers. Although somewhat effective in slightly improving body composition and bone density in the elderly, Young athletes looking for an advantage need to look elsewhere.. DHEA is banned by WADA, even though there is no evidence to support its performance-enhancing effect.

References

1. Chen, H., Jin, Z., Sun, C., Santos, HO, & kord Varkaneh, H. (2021) Effect of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplementation on cortisol, leptin, adiponectin, and hepatic enzyme levels: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. International Journal of Clinical Practice, 75 (11), e14698. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcp.14698
2. Coelingh Bennink, HJT, Zimmerman, Y., Laan, E., Termeer, HMM, Appels, N., Albert, A., Fauser, BCJM, Thijssen, JHH, & van Lunsen, RHW (2017) Dehydro for combined oral contraceptives Maintaining physiological testosterone levels by adding epiandrosterone: I. Endocrine action. Contraception, 96 (5), 322–329. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.contraception.2016.06.022
3. Collomp, K., Buisson, C., Gravisse, N., Belgherbi, S., Labsy, Z., Do, M.-C., Gagey, O., Dufay, S., Vibarel-Rebot, N. , & Audran, M. (2018). Effect of short-term DHEA intake on recreationally trained young athletes’ hormonal responses: Gender regulation. Endocrine, 59 (3), 538–546. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-017-1514-z
4. Gravisse, N., Vibarel-Rebot, N., Buisson, C., Le Tiec, C., Castanier, C., Do, MC, Gagey, O., Audran, M. , & Collomp, K. (2019). Short-term DHEA administration in recreational athletes: effects on food intake, segmental composition and adipokines. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 59 (5), 808–816. https://doi.org/10.23736/S0022-4707.18.08845-X
5. Gravisse, N., Vibarel-Rebot, N., Labsy, Z., Do, M.-C., Gagey, O., Dubourg, C., Audran, M. , & Collomp, K. (2018) Short-term dehydroepiandrosterone intake and maximal exercise in recreationally trained young women. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 39 (9), 712–719. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-0631-3008
6. Hu, Y., Wan, P., An, X. , & Jiang, G. (2021) Effect of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplementation on testosterone levels and BMI in older women: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 56, 102620. https: //doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102620
7. Li, Y., Ren, J., Li, N., Liu, J., Tan, SC, Low, TY, & Ma, Z. (2020) Dose-response and meta-analysis of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplementation at testosterone levels: perinatal prediction in a randomized clinical trial. Experimental Gerontology, 141. https: //doi.org/10.1016/j.exger.2020.111110
8. Lin, H., Li, L., Wang, Q., Wang, Y., Wang, J. , & Long, X. (2019) A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials of DHEA supplementation of bone mineral density in healthy adults. Gynecological Endocrinology, 35 (11), 924–931. https://doi.org/10.1080/09513590.2019.1616175
9. Qin, Y., O. Santos, H., Khani, V., Tan, SC, & Zhi, Y. (2020) Effect of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplementation on lipid profile: Systematic review of randomized controlled trials and dose-response meta-analysis. Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Disease, 30 (9), 1465–1475. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.numecd.2020.05.015
10. Wang, F., He, Y., O. Santos, H., Sathian, B., C. Price, J. , & Diao, J. (2020) Effect of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplementation on body composition and blood pressure: a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Steroids, 163, 108710. https: //doi.org/10.1016/j.steroids.2020.108710
11. Wang, X., Feng, H., Fan, D., Zou, G., Han, Y. , & Liu, L. (2020) Effect of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on fasting plasma glucose, insulin levels and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials and a dose-response meta-analysis. Complementary Therapy in Medicine, 55, 102583. https: //doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102583
12. Xie, M., Zhong, Y., Xue, Q., Wu, M., Deng, X., O. Santos, H., Tan, SC, Kord-Varkaneh, H. , & Jiao, P. (2020). Effect of Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplementation on serum levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1): Dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Experimental Gerontology, 136, 110949. https: //doi.org/10.1016/j.exger.2020.110949

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