DHEA Supplements Review

Choose the Best DHEA Supplement. Beware of Big Differences in Dose and Price.

Medically reviewed and edited by Tod Cooperman, M.D.

Published July 18, 2015

DHEA Supplements Tested by ConsumerLab.com

Summary

What do DHEA supplements do? There is weak evidence that taking DHEA (a hormone the body uses to create other hormones, including estrogen and testosterone) may help improve mood, and in older men and women, sexual function and the appearance of the skin. (See What It Does)
What did CL's tests of DHEA find? Products reviewed by ConsumerLab.com were found to contain what they claimed and did not exceed contamination limits for heavy metals. However, labeled amounts of DHEA in products tested varied considerably, from 10 mg to 100 mg per pill — so it's important to choose one that provides the right dose for the intended use, at the best price. See the top choices of products "Approved" by ConsumerLab.com.
How much DHEA should I take? A typical dose is about 50 mg of DHEA per day, although for some uses, such as depression, the dose may be higher. (See ConsumerTips™)
DHEA safety and side effects: DHEA may increase testosterone levels in women, and should not be taken by women with hormone-sensitive diseases, such as breast cancer. It may also decrease levels of HDL ("good cholesterol") and increase insulin resistance. See Concerns and Cautions for other potential side effects and drug interactions.

+— 5 sources

In addition the results of its expert testing, ConsumerLab uses only high-quality, evidence based, information sources. These sources include peer-reviewed studies and information from agencies such as the FDA and USDA, and the National Academy of Medicine. On evolving topics, studies from pre-print journals may be sourced. All of our content is reviewed by medical doctors and doctoral-level experts in pharmacology, toxicology, and chemistry. We continually update and medically review our information to keep our content trustworthy, accurate, and reliable. The following sources are referenced in this article:

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DHEA supplement brands compared in this review

AST Sports Science DHEA 100

Country Life DHEA

Douglas Laboratories DHEA

Finest Nutrition [Walgreen] DHEA

GNC DHEA

Life Extension DHEA

Nature's Bounty DHEA 25 mg

NutriCology DHEA 25

Puritan's Pride DHEA 25 mg Dehydroepiandrosterone

Spring Valley (WalMart) DHEA

Vitacost DHEA

Vitamin World DHEA

You must subscribe to get the full test results for DHEA supplements along with ConsumerLab.com recommendations and quality ratings. You will get results for five DHEA supplements selected by ConsumerLab.com and for five others that passed the same tests through our voluntary Quality Certification Program. Also included are two supplements similar to another that passed testing but which are sold under a different brand name. In this comprehensive review, you'll discover:

Which DHEA supplements failed testing and which passed
Which DHEA supplements we rated were most economical and which were most expensive
The evidence for or against DHEA to improve aging skin, sexual function, athletic performance, osteoporosis, lupus, and other conditions
DHEA dosage for specific uses
Side effects, cautions, and potential drug interactions with DHEA

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DHEA Supplements Review

Choose the Best DHEA Supplement. Beware of Big Differences in Dose and Price.

Summary

Make sure you're choosing the best DHEA supplements approved in our tests!