What is Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)?

DHEA is actually not even a supplement; it’s a steroid hormone.

It exerts influences of its own, but can also be converted into testosterone or estrogen depending on the body’s needs.

Is It A Test Booster?

There is a lot of research that has been performed studying the interaction between DHEA and testosterone, but the vast majority of it has been performed on menopausal women. Either way, here are a couple of studies for our interests:

• 20 young male soccer players (19-22) were randomly assigned to receive a daily dose of either 100mg of DHEA or placebo for 28 days. Compared to placebo, the subjects receiving DHEA experienced a 39.5% increase in total testosterone levels (1).
• 24 men (58-67) were randomly assigned to receive a daily dose of either 50mg of DHEA or placebo. After 2 months, the subjects receiving DHEA had 33% higher testosterone levels (2).

• 83 healthy men (nonhospitalized, nondiseased, independently living), aged 70 and over, were randomly assigned to receive a daily dose of one of four interventions: 1) 100mg of atamestane (an aromatase inhibitor), 2) 50mg of DHEA, 3) a combination of 100mg atamestane and 50mg of DHEA, 4) placebo (3). After 36 weeks the results are as follows:

• Group 1: 42.2% increase in total testosterone.
• Group 2: 30.4% increase in total testosterone.
• Group 3: 66.4% increase in total testosterone.
• Group 4: 10.6% increase in total testosterone.

On the basis of these three studies, DHEA has a tremendous positive interaction with testosterone.

But keep in mind that there are other studies that show no such interaction.

That being said, I don’t know how I feel about putting exogenous hormones in my body.

Depending on your location, you may not even be legally allowed to obtain DHEA.

Even though the effects are not as potent, it is considered to be in the same bracket as anabolic steroids.

(source)