Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 2

DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) is a hormone naturally produced by the adrenal glands, and its levels decline with age. DHEA serves as a precursor to both estrogen and testosterone, which are hormones that decrease during menopause. The rationale for using DHEA in menopause is to potentially alleviate symptoms related to hormonal decline, such as reduced sexual function, vaginal atrophy, and decreased bone density.

Several clinical studies have investigated the impact of DHEA supplementation in menopausal women. The evidence is mixed and generally modest. Some small-scale randomized controlled trials have found that vaginally administered DHEA can improve symptoms of vaginal dryness and pain during intercourse (dyspareunia) in postmenopausal women. This has led to the approval of a vaginal DHEA product (prasterone) for the treatment of moderate to severe dyspareunia in the United States. However, the evidence for oral DHEA supplementation improving general menopausal symptoms (such as hot flashes, mood disturbances, or bone health) is less convincing, with most studies showing little or no significant benefit compared to placebo.

Overall, while there is some scientific evidence for the use of vaginal DHEA for specific menopausal symptoms, the broader use of DHEA (especially oral forms) for menopause is not strongly supported by high-quality clinical data. The evidence is rated as 2/5, indicating limited but existent scientific support for certain applications.

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