What is DHEA and why do some patients supplement with it?

Dehydroepiandrosterone, or DHEA, has been a key focus in hormone health and compounding pharmacy for many years. As a naturally occurring hormone, DHEA plays a fundamental role in the body’s endocrine system. This article explores the nature of DHEA, its function, and why healthcare practitioners, particularly those practicing integrative medicine, might recommend it as a supplement.

Table of Contents:

• What Exactly is DHEA?
• The Role of DHEA in the Body
• Why DHEA Levels Change
• DHEA Supplementation: Prescribed and Compounded
• Potential Benefits of DHEA Supplementation

What Exactly is DHEA?

DHEA is the acronym for dehydroepiandrosterone. It is one of the most abundant circulating steroid hormones in the human body. It is primarily produced by the adrenal glands, which are small glands located above the kidneys.

Chemically, DHEA is a prohormone, meaning it is a precursor that the body can convert into other, more potent hormones.

The Role of DHEA in the Body

DHEA sits high on the body’s hormone production pathway. Once produced, it acts as a building block that can be metabolised and converted into a range of other essential steroid hormones, including:

• Estrogens (such as estradiol)
• Androgens (such as testosterone)
• Progesterones

Because it is a precursor, changes in DHEA levels can have a widespread impact on the overall hormonal balance, or homeostasis, of the body.

Why DHEA Levels Change

DHEA levels naturally fluctuate throughout life, peaking in young adulthood and then gradually declining with age. However, other factors can also cause a decline in DHEA production:

• Chronic Stress: Prolonged psychological or physical stress can impact the adrenal glands, which are also responsible for producing cortisol. Over time, the body’s ability to maintain optimal DHEA levels can be diminished.
• Adrenal Fatigue/Dysfunction: Conditions affecting the adrenal glands can directly impact DHEA output.
• Certain Medications: Some long-term medications can interfere with hormone production.

When DHEA levels drop below the optimal range, a patient may find they are less resilient and may not adapt as quickly to external stressors or health challenges.

DHEA Supplementation: Prescribed and Compounde

To address a decline in DHEA levels, some integrative and functional medicine practitioners may prescribe DHEA supplementation. It is crucial to note that DHEA is a prescription-only product and requires a consultation with a doctor.

DHEA is typically not available as a commercially manufactured medication but is instead made by compounding pharmacies. This gives patients and prescribers the flexibility to tailor the dose specifically to the individual’s needs, often based on blood tests (pathology) that measure existing hormone levels.

The DHEA is most commonly compounded into a capsule and is taken daily, with the dose being highly specific to the patient and their prescriber’s treatment plan.

Potential Benefits of DHEA Supplementation

While research is ongoing, DHEA supplementation is often utilised by prescribers for various reasons related to hormonal balance and overall wellness:

• Hormone Balance: Helping the body maintain a balanced level of its steroid hormones.
• “Anti-Aging”: Due to its natural decline with age, some believe supplementation may support vitality and general well-being in older adults.
• Fertility: Some fertility specialists may recommend DHEA, with studies exploring its potential role in improving ovarian response and reproductive outcomes in certain patients. For more information, see the National Library of Medicine.
• Bone Density and Mood: Other research investigates links between DHEA levels and bone health, as well as mood regulation.

If you are considering DHEA supplementation, it is important to first consult with a healthcare professional who can conduct the necessary testing to determine if it is appropriate for your specific health needs.

Video Transcript

Hi there. The question that I’m going to chat to you today about is what is DHEA and why do some patients supplement with it? DHEA has certainly been a supplement in compounding pharmacy world for a long, long time. Please excuse me if I don’t pronounce it correctly, but DHEA stands for dehydroepiandrosterone. It’s basically a hormone that’s produced by the body naturally in the adrenal glands, which sit above your kidneys. And it’s a building block. So if you look at the hormone pathway in the body, DHEA is one of those upper hormones that then is metabolised and converted into a range of other hormones in the body, including estrogens, progesterones, testosterones, and that type of thing. So when the levels in your body of DHEA change, you do find that your response to certain external stimulants, and health conditions might be different and you might not adapt so quickly. Basically, the levels could change with age, that’s one of them. And if you put yourself under a lot of long term stress, like a lot of us are in work or other commitments that we have, your body eventually stops producing the levels that it requires to maintain what would have been a homeostasis in the past, and that’s sort of a balance of the body. So to fix that decline over time, what you find is that integrative doctors will supplement with it. It’s a prescription only product. You do need to see a doctor to get a script for it, but it’s not commercially made. It is made by compounding pharmacies. So we fit in to that great opportunity to help patients that need it. So when you find someone is supplemented with it, it will act like a hormone balance. Some say it helps an anti-aging process. And sometimes things like low fertility are one of those conditions that we find specialists, fertility specialists may use DHEA and may find that the fertility cycle is improved. So there’s lots of important research starting to come out about it. I’d encourage you to to have a look online at some valid resources on those. But the main thing is that it’s compounded into a capsule. It needs to be taken daily, and the dose will be very specific to the particular prescriber and patient based on pathology and what the tests show are needed in terms of supplementation. So like always, it’s a great time to talk to a compounding pharmacist like ours at National Custom Compounding. And if you’ve got any more questions about DHEA or any other supplements that you’re interested in having compounded, feel free to reach out and we’ll see you soon. Thanks so much.