Active Ingredient Dhea

a major c19 steroid produced by the adrenal cortex. it is also produced in small quantities in the testis and the ovary. dehydroepiandrosterone (dhea) can be converted to testosterone; androstenedione; estradiol; and estrone. most of dhea is sulfated (dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate) before secretion.

Source:

medlineplus herbs and supplements: dhea

Medical Condition	Uses based on scientific evidence	Grade*
alzheimer's disease	initial research reports that dhea does not significantly improve cognitive performance or change symptom severity in patients with alzheimer's disease, but some experts disagree. additional study is warranted in this area.	c
cardiovascular disease unspecified	initial studies report possible benefits of dhea supplementation in patients with cholesterol plaques ("hardening") in their arteries. there is conflicting scientific evidence regarding the use of dhea supplements in patients with heart failure or diminished ejection fraction. other therapies are more proven in this area, and patients with heart failure or other types of heart disease should discuss treatment options with a cardiologist.	c
chronic fatigue syndrome	the scientific evidence remains unclear regarding the effects of dhea supplementation in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. better research is necessary before a clear conclusion can be drawn.	c
critical illness myopathy	unclear scientific evidence exists surrounding the safety or effectiveness of dhea supplementation in critically ill patients. at this time, it is recommended that severe illness in the intensive care unit be treated with more proven therapies.	c
dementias	early evidence gives conflicting results as to whether dhea offers benefit to individuals with dementia.	c
depressive disorder not elsewhere classified	the majority of clinical trials investigating the effect of dhea on depression support its use for this purpose under the guidance of a specialist. further research is needed to confirm these results.	b
disorders involving the immune mechanism	it is suggested by some textbooks and review articles that dhea can stimulate the immune system. however, current scientific evidence does not support this claim.	d
disorders of muscle ligament and fascia	many study results in this area conflict but overall the current available evidence in this area is negative. further research is needed before firm conclusions can be drawn	d
failed medical or unspecified induction of labor	preliminary evidence suggests that dhea may help to induce labor. further research is needed and people who are pregnant should not self-treat.	c
glucocorticoid deficiency	several studies suggest that dhea may improve well-being, quality of life, exercise capacity, sex drive, and hormone levels in people with insufficient adrenal function (addison's disease). though promising, additional study is needed to make a strong recommendation. adrenal insufficiency is a serious medical condition and should be treated under the supervision of a qualified healthcare professional, including a pharmacist.	b
heart failure	there is conflicting scientific evidence regarding the use of dhea supplements in patients with heart failure. other therapies are proven in this area, and patients with heart failure or other types of heart disease should discuss treatment options with a cardiologist.	c
human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) disease	although some studies suggest that dhea supplementation may be beneficial in patents with hiv, results from different studies do not agree with each other. there is currently not enough scientific evidence to recommend dhea for this condition, and other therapies are more proven in this area.	c
infertility female associated with anovulation	low-quality studies suggest that dhea supplements may benefit women with ovulation disorders. however, results of research in this area are conflicting, and safety is not established.	c
latent schizophrenia	initial research reports benefits of dhea supplementation in the management of negative, depressive, and anxiety symptoms of schizophrenia. some of the side effects from prescription drugs used for schizophrenia may also be relieved. further study is needed to confirm these results before a firm conclusion can be drawn.	c
male infertility	dhea supplementation may be beneficial in women with ovulation disorders. there is currently not enough scientific evidence to form a clear conclusion about the use of dhea for this condition.	c
malignant neoplasm of other specified sites of cervix	initial research reports that the use of intravaginal dhea may be safe and may promote regression of low-grade cervical lesions. however, further study is necessary in this area before a firm conclusion can be drawn. patients should not substitute the use of dhea for more established therapies, and they should discuss management options and follow-up with a primary healthcare professional or gynecologist.	c
memory loss	studies of the effects of dehydroepiandrosterone (dhea) on cognition have produced complex and inconsistent results. additional study is warranted in this area.	d
myalgia and myositis unspecified	dhea does not seem to improve quality of life, pain, fatigue, cognitive function, mood, or functional impairment in fibromyalgia.	d
myotonic muscular dystrophy	there is conflicting scientific evidence regarding the use of dhea supplements for myotonic dystrophy. better research is necessary before a clear conclusion can be drawn.	c
obesity unspecified	the majority of clinical trials investigating the effect of dhea on weight or fat loss support its use for this purpose. further research is needed to confirm these results.	b
other disorders of bone and cartilage	the ability of dhea to increase bone density is under investigation. effects are not clear at this time.	c
other specified hypertrophic and atrophic conditions of skin	preliminary study suggests the possibility of using dhea topically as an anti-skin aging agent. further research is needed to confirm these results.	c
partial androgen insensitivity	restoring dhea levels to young adult values seems to benefit the age-related decline in physiological functions. however, additional study is required to confirm these preliminary results.	c
psoriasis and similar disorders	study results suggest that dhea offers no benefit to individuals with psoriasis, but some disagree. additional study is needed before a firm recommendation can be made.	c
regional enteritis of unspecified site	initial research reports that dhea supplements are safe for short-term use in patients with crohn's disease. preliminary research suggests possible beneficial effects, although further research is necessary before a clear conclusion can be drawn.	c
rheumatoid arthritis	preliminary evidence from a case series suggests that dhea likely offers no benefit to individuals with rheumatoid arthritis. well-designed clinical trials with appropriate endpoints are required before a strong recommendation can be made.	c
septicemia	unclear scientific evidence exists surrounding the safety or effectiveness of dhea supplementation in septic patients. at this time, more proven therapies are recommended.	c
sicca syndrome	dhea showed no evidence of efficacy in sjogren's syndrome in preliminary study. without evidence for efficacy, patients with sjogren's syndrome should avoid using unregulated dhea supplements, since long-term adverse consequences of exposure to this hormone are unknown. further research is needed in this area.	c
systemic lupus erythematosus	the majority of clinical trials investigating the effect of dhea for systemic lupus erythematosus support its use as an adjunct treatment. additional study is needed to confirm these results.	b
unspecified menopausal and postmenopausal disorder	many different aspects of menopause have been studied using dhea as a treatment, such as vaginal pain, osteoporosis, hot flashes, emotional disturbances such as fatigue, irritability, anxiety, depression, insomnia, difficulties with concentration and memory, or decreased sex drive (which may occur near the time of menopause). study results disagree and additional study is needed in this area.	c
unspecified psychosexual disorder	the results of studies vary on the use of dhea in erectile dysfunction and sexual function, in both men and women. better research is necessary before a clear conclusion can be drawn.	c

*Key to grades
A: Strong scientific evidence for this use;
B: Good scientific evidence for this use;
C: Unclear scientific evidence for this use;
D: Fair scientific evidence against this use;
F: Strong scientific evidence against this use.