7-Keto-DHEA (7-oxo-DHEA)
7-Oxo-dehydroepiandrosterone, 7-Keto-dehydroepiandrosterone, 3-Acetyl-7-oxo-DHEA, 7-Keto DHEA acetate
Forms: Usually sold as the acetate (3-acetyl-7-oxo-DHEA), alone or in 'thermogenic' blends.
A natural DHEA metabolite sold as a 'thermogenic' fat-loss supplement. Unlike DHEA, it is not converted into testosterone or estrogen.
Legal status: Sold as a dietary supplement in some countries (e.g. the US); not an approved medicine; listed by name among WADA anabolic steroids. Varies by country.
What it gives
What people use it for and what the sources report. Strength is a general category from the literature: mild, clear or strong.
Purpose
Taken in the hope of raising metabolic rate and losing fat. It is not an approved medicine, and in 2017 the US FDA proposed not adding it to the substances allowed for pharmacy compounding, citing missing safety and efficacy data.
What people seek and what studies show
A systematic review found four small US trials (131 people, up to 8 weeks), three of them testing multi-ingredient blends. Two showed modest weight loss and two a rise in resting metabolic rate; results were mixed overall. In a volunteer study it did not turn into DHEA, and trials saw no change in testosterone or estradiol.
Effects
Evidence: Limited human data — some human studies, small or short
Sought effects by goal (as reported)
Possible side effects
Possible does not mean certain: whether they appear depends on dose, duration, individual response and monitoring. Below — what to watch for and how to notice it early.
4 possible side effects
level · how often it is reportedWhat the levels mean
Level: general category from the literature, not your personal risk
How often
- common
- reported often
- possible
- reported in some people
- rare
- reported occasionally
How to lower the risks
For 2 of 4 possible side effects there are specific ways to lower the chance: everyday measures, supplements and options a doctor may consider. For the rest — general advice. No measure removes a risk completely.
Products obtained without a prescription are often fake, mislabeled or non-sterile, and there is no way to check at home. For legal supplements, look for third-party testing (Informed Sport, NSF).
Low-level side effects
How each option helps (2)
- Working with a doctor — Assesses persistent vomiting or severe belly pain (possible pancreatitis or gallstones) and adjusts prescribed GLP-1 treatment when nausea persists.
- Pancreatin + dimeticone (Pankreoflat) — May ease heaviness and gas after meals; can cause nausea or diarrhea. Not for pork or cow's milk protein allergy (anaphylaxis reported) or early acute pancreatitis.
How each option helps (1)
- Heart screening: ECG and echocardiogram — An ECG reveals arrhythmias, conduction problems and QT changes — important with stimulants, clenbuterol, thyroid hormone or diuretics.
Check-ups and blood tests
Which tests and check-ups to do and when. This is a guide — agree the exact schedule with your doctor.
Which doctors can help
For women
Most trial participants were women, but pregnant and breastfeeding women were excluded, so there are no data for pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Myth & fact
“7-Keto is not a hormone, so it is allowed in sport.”
WADA names 7-keto-DHEA among anabolic steroids prohibited at all times, even though it does not form testosterone; its fat-loss effect is also unproven.
Combinations
No specific combination notes for this substance yet. The stack check still adds up side effects that several substances share.
Sources
Possible side effects by body system, combinations, how to lower the risks and which tests to do — free.
Open the stack check