DHEA for Men Over 50: What It Does, What It Doesn't, and Why Most Testosterone Boosters Leave It Out
Hormones · 10-minute read
By D.J. Kennedy · Founder, Team ANR · Former Editor-in-Chief, Muscle Media
By your 50s, your body makes about a quarter of the DHEA it made in your 20s. DHEA is the raw material your body turns into testosterone and estrogen. It's a prescription-only or controlled drug in Canada, the U.K. and Australia. In the U.S., you can buy it over the counter. Here's what the research actually says it can and can't do for a man over 50.
The short version
- What it is: a hormone precursor made by your adrenal glands. Your tissues convert it into testosterone and estrogen as needed.
- What happens after 50: men's DHEA levels are down about 74% from their peak in their 20s.
- What 100 mg a day did: in men 50 to 65, it restored young-adult DHEA levels, raised knee strength about 15% and trimmed about a kilo of fat over six months.
- What it didn't do: a two-year Mayo Clinic trial in men over 60 found no anti-aging payoff.
- Why you rarely see it in testosterone boosters: it's restricted in Canada, the U.K. and Australia, and banned in drug-tested sports.
- Who should skip it: men with prostate cancer or any hormone-sensitive condition, men on TRT without a doctor's OK, and tested athletes.
01What DHEA Is (and What It Isn't)
DHEA, short for dehydroepiandrosterone, is a steroid hormone made mostly by your adrenal glands, the two small glands that sit on top of your kidneys. DHEA and its storage form, DHEA-S, are the most abundant steroid hormones in your blood.
DHEA isn't testosterone. It's a precursor, a raw material. Your muscle, fat, skin and other tissues convert it into androgens like testosterone and DHT, or into estrogens, depending on what they need.
Here's the part most men have never heard: by your 50s, your testicles aren't doing this job alone. Researchers writing in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism estimated that in men aged 50 to 60, the testes and adrenal DHEA supply roughly equal amounts of the body's androgens.
Where a 50-to-60-year-old man's androgens come from
Source: Labrie et al., J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 1997.
02What Happens to DHEA After 50
Testosterone gets the headlines. DHEA drops faster and harder.
Men's blood DHEA, as a share of the peak in their 20s
Source: Labrie et al., 1997. Serum DHEA fell 74% by age 50–60 and 80% by age 70–80 in men.
Look at where the drop happens. Most of it is already behind you by the time you hit 60. In that same study, the authors noted that the biggest decline in adrenal hormones and the androgens made from them takes place between your 20s and your 50s.
So when a man in his 50s says he doesn't recover the way he used to, testosterone may not be the whole story. A big share of the raw material upstream of it is gone.
03What the Research Says DHEA Does for Men Over 50
Let's do this the honest way: the good studies and the bad ones.
Men and women aged 50 to 65 took 100 mg of DHEA a day for six months and a placebo for six, in random order. In the men, DHEA restored young-adult hormone levels, raised IGF-1 by 16%, cut about 1 kg of fat, and increased knee strength about 15% and lower-back strength about 14%. Small study: nine men.
A meta-analysis of 25 placebo-controlled trials covering 1,353 older men. DHEA produced a small but real drop in fat mass, and the effect tracked rises in testosterone and estradiol. No effect on cholesterol, blood sugar, bone, sexual function or quality of life.
Mayo Clinic, two years, men over 60 (average age 67) on 75 mg a day. No improvement in body composition, strength, endurance, insulin sensitivity or quality of life. Hip bone density rose slightly. No significant side effects.
In men averaging 59, a single 50 mg dose brought DHEA-S up to the young-adult average, and 100 mg pushed it higher. Testosterone didn't budge. Estrogens went up.
My read: DHEA is not a fountain of youth, and anyone who sells it that way is lying to you. It reliably does one thing: it refills the tank. What your body builds with that raw material depends on your age, your starting levels and whether you give it a reason to build, meaning lifting, eating enough protein and sleeping. The trial that used 100 mg in men 50 to 65 is the one that moved the needle on strength. The trial that used 75 mg in men over 60 didn't.
04Does DHEA Raise Testosterone in Men?
Not reliably. In the best-controlled studies of men over 50, DHEA brought DHEA and DHEA-S back to young-adult levels, but testosterone often didn't change. In women it's the opposite: DHEA reliably raises testosterone. In men, a good share of supplemental DHEA becomes estrogen.
That's not a knock on DHEA. It's the reason DHEA on its own shouldn't be sold as a one-ingredient "testosterone booster," and it's why the formula around it matters.
05Why Most Testosterone Boosters Leave DHEA Out
Read the labels on the best-known testosterone boosters. You'll find fenugreek, boron, zinc and tongkat ali. You'll rarely find DHEA. That's not because DHEA failed some test. Look at where it can and can't be sold:
A brand that sells in all of those countries wants one formula, one label and no trouble at customs. DHEA would force a second formula, so it gets cut. And a brand that pays athletes to endorse it can't put a WADA-banned ingredient in the bottle.
We formulated for American men. They formulated for customs clearance.
Built around the ingredient they cut: See what's in Adaptophen.
06How Much DHEA Do Men Over 50 Take?
Research doses run from 25 to 100 mg a day, and 50 mg is the most common. In the Arlt study, 50 mg brought older men's DHEA-S up to the young-adult average, and 100 mg took it above that.
| Daily dose | What the research shows |
|---|---|
| 25–50 mg | The most common dose in studies. 50 mg restored young-adult DHEA-S in men around 59. |
| 75 mg | Two years in men over 60: no significant side effects, but no anti-aging payoff either. |
| 100 mg | Six months in men 50 to 65: knee strength up about 15%, fat down about 1 kg. The top of the studied range. |
Adaptophen has 100 mg, the dose from the Morales study, in one capsule. That's the top of the range, which is exactly why "Contains DHEA" is printed on our label, and why I'd tell any man over 50 to do this:
Do it the smart way
- Get a baseline blood test. Ask for DHEA-S, total and free testosterone, estradiol and PSA.
- Take it in the morning, when your body makes most of its own DHEA.
- Retest in 8 to 12 weeks and let your doctor read the numbers.
- Give it time. The studies that showed changes ran three to six months.
07Who Should Not Take DHEA
Skip DHEA if any of this is you
- You have, or have had, prostate cancer or any hormone-sensitive cancer, or it runs in your family.
- You're on TRT or any other hormone therapy, unless your doctor is managing both.
- You compete in a drug-tested sport. WADA bans DHEA, and so do most sports testing programs.
- You take antidepressants or have high cholesterol. Talk to your doctor first.
- You're under 40 and a doctor hasn't found low DHEA levels.
Possible side effects include acne and oily skin. DHEA can also raise estrogen in men, and some studies show it lowers HDL, the "good" cholesterol. If you notice breast tenderness or anything else that's off, stop and see your doctor.
08Why We Built Adaptophen Around DHEA
I'll be straight with you: I own Team ANR, and we make Adaptophen. Here's how we built it.
DHEA refills the tank. We built the rest of the formula around what most men over 50 are actually fighting: stress, fatigue, and a supplement market where you can't always trust what's in the bottle.
The dose from the Morales study. Not cut to clear customs.
Identity-checked by an outside lab (TLC), every lot, so you know it's the real root.
An adaptogen studied for stress-related fatigue. Verified by HPLC, every lot.
A traditional herb for men's vitality. Verified by HPTLC, every lot.
Every dose is printed on the label. No proprietary blend. One capsule a day, made in a cGMP, FDA-registered facility in the USA.
| In one capsule | Amount |
|---|---|
| DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) | 100 mg |
| Tribulus terrestris extract, 45% (fruit and seed) | 200 mg |
| Tongkat Ali root powder (Eurycoma longifolia) | 100 mg |
| Deer antler powder | 100 mg |
| Rhodiola rosea root extract, 3% | 85 mg |
| Chrysin | 50 mg |
| Alpha lipoic acid | 25 mg |
| Vitamin B6 (as pyridoxine HCl) | 25 mg |
| Magnesium (as magnesium oxide) | 6.5 mg |
| Zinc (as zinc methionine) | 4.5 mg |
| Octacosanol (from sugar cane wax) | 500 mcg |
Try It the Right Way: Give It 120 Days
The DHEA trial that moved the needle ran six months. Two weeks tells you nothing. That's why most men choose the 120-day protocol.
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DHEA Questions Men Ask
Is DHEA a steroid?
Yes. It's a steroid hormone your own body makes, mostly in the adrenal glands. In the U.S. it's sold as a dietary supplement. WADA lists it as an anabolic agent, and Canada, the U.K. and Australia restrict it to prescription or controlled-drug status.
Does DHEA raise testosterone in men?
Not reliably. In well-controlled studies of men over 50, DHEA brought DHEA and DHEA-S back up to young-adult levels, but testosterone often didn't change, while estrogens went up. In women, DHEA does raise testosterone. Think of DHEA as raw material, not a testosterone shot.
How long does DHEA take to work?
Blood levels of DHEA-S climb within hours of a dose. The studies that measured changes in strength or body composition ran three to six months, so judge it over months, not days.
Can I take DHEA if I'm on TRT?
Not without your doctor managing both. TRT already supplies testosterone directly, and adding a precursor changes your estrogen and lab numbers.
Is DHEA safe to take long term?
The longest controlled trial ran two years at 75 mg a day in men over 60 and reported no significant side effects. Data beyond that is limited, so get a baseline blood test and recheck your levels with your doctor.
What's the best time of day to take DHEA?
Morning. Your body makes most of its own DHEA in the morning, so a morning dose follows your natural rhythm.
Does Adaptophen contain DHEA?
Yes, 100 mg per capsule, alongside Malaysian Tongkat Ali, Rhodiola rosea, Tribulus terrestris and seven other ingredients. Every dose is printed on the label, and it's one capsule a day.
Keep reading
How to Squat Your Way to Bigger BicepsBenefits of Adding Creatine to Your DietYour Guide to Bodybuilding SupplementsSources
- Labrie F, et al. Marked decline in serum concentrations of adrenal C19 sex steroid precursors and conjugated androgen metabolites during aging. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1997. Link
- Morales AJ, et al. The effect of six months treatment with a 100 mg daily dose of DHEA on circulating sex steroids, body composition and muscle strength in age-advanced men and women. Clin Endocrinol. 1998. Link
- Corona G, et al. Dehydroepiandrosterone supplementation in elderly men: a meta-analysis study of placebo-controlled trials. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2013. Link
- Nair KS, et al. DHEA in elderly women and DHEA or testosterone in elderly men. N Engl J Med. 2006 (Mayo Clinic summary). Link
- Arlt W, et al. Biotransformation of oral dehydroepiandrosterone in elderly men: significant increase in circulating estrogens. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1999. Link
- Alberta College of Pharmacy. DHEA is a Schedule 1 (prescription-only) drug and a controlled substance. Link
- The Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 (U.K.), Schedule 4, Part II (prasterone). Link
- Government of Western Australia, Department of Health. Guidance for prescribers: specified drugs (prasterone/DHEA, Schedule 4). Link
- World Anti-Doping Agency. The Prohibited List (S1 anabolic agents: prasterone/DHEA). Link
- Mount Sinai Health Library. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Link
- UCLA Health. Should you take DHEA supplements? Link
- Olsson EM, et al. A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study of the standardised extract SHR-5 of the roots of Rhodiola rosea in the treatment of subjects with stress-related fatigue. Planta Med. 2009. Link
This article is for information only and isn't medical advice. Talk to your doctor before starting any supplement that contains a hormone. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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