DHEA Side Effects

What is DHEA?

DHEA is a human hormone, that naturally occurs in the human body. Although DHEA is naturally produced by the human body, it can also be produced artificially in laboratories; chemicals found in both wild yam and soy can be used to do this.

DHEA is sold and taken as a supplement by all sorts of people with different goals in mind. Some users consume this particular product in order to improve their general health and well-being, whereas others might use DHEA in order to try and increase their muscle size and strength.

The product has many potential benefits and work very effectively in some people; some users swear by the supplement and use it regularly.

What Are the Benefits of Using DHEA?

DHEA is primarily used to counter and prevent the undesirable effects of aging. In fact, it is also taken by some users to supposedly reverse aging. DHEA is also commonly used to improve one’s cognitive ability and thinking skills (especially in older people). It is also taken by some, in order to slow any progression of Alzheimer’s disease.


DHEA is also used by sportsmen and women. Athletes and bodybuilders alike, take DHEA in the hope of increasing their muscle mass and strength, as well as to increase their overall energy levels. Many users swear by this supplement. The supplement can also help individuals to control their weight more effectively and some people take DHEA in order to speed up their weight loss.

There are other supposed benefits of using DHEA too. Some men use the supplement to improve erectile dysfunction (ED). Both healthy women and men who have low levels of certain hormones, also like to take DHEA and use it in order to to try and increase their overall well-being and sex-life.

There are in fact many, many different supposed benefits that users can experience from taking DHEA regularly. Other benefits include improved immune system functioning, decreased risk of heart disease and decreased risk of cancer. DHEA is also used to lessen depression in some users, as well as to decrease fatigue.

How Does DHEA Work?

In the human body, DHEA is produced by the adrenal glands. These are located in the human liver and near the kidneys. Men also produce DHEA in their testes. The human body actually converts this special hormone into another hormone that is known as “androstenedione”. This hormone is eventually changed too, into the major sex hormones in men and women.

Older people tend to produce less DHEA, which suggests that older people may be able to benefit more from taking this supplement. However, you certainly do not have to be old in order to benefit from taking this special hormone in supplement-form. DHEA tends to lower in people with depression too, interestingly.

Because DHEA is naturally-occurring, the human body knows exactly what to do with it. Once it enters your body, your body deals with the hormone and does the rest of the work naturally.

How To Use DHEA

What Is an Appropriate Dosage of DHEA?

Dosage Of DHEA

It ultimately depends on you as an individual and your own individual situation, how much DHEA you decide to take. Average users tend to consume around 25-50mg per day, of this product. However, some studies in scientific research have suggested that those with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) for example, should consume up to as much as 600mg per day.

Really, it depends on yourself, how much you take. If you consider yourself to be an average user, then you should probably consider taking around 25-50mg daily. Just like with any other kind of supplement, with DHEA it is best that you slowly introduce the supplement into your lifestyle gradually for the best results. This also allows you to slowly experience the effects over time and assess how much you think you really need.

Also, just like with any other type of supplement, it is advised that you consult your doctor before consuming DHEA. Everyone is different and so professional medical advice should be taken before a user starts to take this product.

Does DHEA Have Any Side-Effects?

There are some known side-effects that users can experience when taking this particular supplement. Generally, DHEA side-effects are lesser when users take the supplement for shorter periods of time (perhaps for a few months), but the side-effects are thought to increase when users consume this product over longer periods of time.

There are many different potential side-effects of DHEA, just like there are many potential ones of other products. Some users experience some of the possible DHEA side-effects and others experience none. Also bear in mind that the lower the dosage that you take, the less likely you will experience side-effects (or at least you will experience the same side-effects but to a lesser extent). If you would like to minimize both the chances and the extent of the DHEA side-effects, you should consider taking the supplement in cycles and consuming smaller doses when using the product.

Some possible side-effects that can come with taking DHEA, include: acne, loss of hair and increased blood pressure. There are other side-effects too and the supplement could present more problems to those that are pregnant, that are breast-feeding, who have hormone-sensitive conditions, who have liver problems, who have diabetes, who have mood disorders (such as depression) etc.

Again, it is best to check with your doctor before you decide to introduce this supplement into your daily lifestyle. DHEA can be extremely beneficial and is a very powerful supplement, but it is advised that you should always seek medical advice before introducing new supplements into your life, to ensure your own personal health and safety.