Prasterone (DHEA)
Dehydroepiandrosterone, Prasterone DHEA dehydroepiandrosterone, Intrarosa, Androstenolone, Prestara, GL701
Forms: Oral capsules sold as a dietary supplement in some countries; a prescription vaginal insert (Intrarosa) for menopausal symptoms. Not the same as 7-keto-DHEA, a separate compound.
The body's own adrenal steroid precursor, which tissues convert into androgens and estrogens. Marketed as a 'testosterone booster' and anti-aging supplement — it is a hormone, not a vitamin.
Legal status: Sold as a supplement in the US, where steroid law excludes it; a controlled substance in some countries, such as Canada; prohibited in sport at all times; 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 by gym-goers and older athletes for testosterone, muscle, libido and well-being. As a medicine it is approved as a vaginal insert for painful intercourse after menopause (US, EU); in the US oral DHEA is sold as a supplement.
What people seek and what studies show
In young men doing weight training, DHEA raised androstenedione but not testosterone, and strength and lean mass grew as on placebo. A 2-year trial in older men and women found no effect on body composition, strength or quality of life. In women with adrenal insufficiency it improved well-being and sexuality; in menopausal women any sexual benefit was slight.
Effects
Evidence: Approved medicine — studied in people for its medical use
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.
5 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 3 of 5 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).
No check-up or blood test lowers this risk; avoid with any personal or family history of cancer.
Stop at the first voice change and see a doctor — early stopping matters.
How each option helps (1)
- Working with a doctor — Steroid labels say to stop at the first mild signs (hoarse voice, facial hair, clitoral growth) to prevent permanent change; checks catch them early but do not make use safe.
Gentle skin care, cleansing after training, a dermatologist if it spreads.
How each option helps (3)
- Adapalene — Reduces spots in many users. Redness, scaling, dryness and stinging are common early and usually ease; acne may look worse at first. Rarely, allergic swelling.
- Benzoyl peroxide — A first-line acne option. Dryness, redness and peeling are common at first; it bleaches hair and fabric; rarely, serious allergic reactions. Severe steroid acne needs a dermatologist.
- Zinc — Trials show a modest drop in inflamed spots, weaker than antibiotics; steroid acne is driven by androgens.
Avoid combining several oral steroids; regular cardio, soluble fiber (psyllium), less saturated fat and alcohol; if LDL/ApoB stay high, a doctor may consider a statin. Omega-3 only lowers triglycerides.
How each option helps (8)
- Regular blood tests — A lipid panel with ApoB shows how far HDL has dropped and LDL risen — changes you cannot feel.
- Working with a doctor — Interprets lipids and ApoB and decides whether a statin or other therapy is warranted.
- Avoiding alcohol and other liver stressors — Alcohol raises triglycerides; its small HDL bump does not lower heart risk.
- Regular cardio training — Raises HDL a little and lowers triglycerides; it cannot offset a steroid-driven fall in HDL on its own.
- Berberine — Placebo-controlled meta-analysis: LDL about 0.5 and triglycerides about 0.4 mmol/L lower; HDL unchanged. Trials are mostly small; no statin substitute.
- Citrus bergamot — Pooled small trials show lower LDL and triglycerides, but certainty is low to very low; it is no replacement for statins.
- Omega-3 (fish oil, EPA/DHA) — Clearly lowers triglycerides but does not fix the steroid HDL drop, the main lipid harm; DHA-containing oils may even raise LDL slightly.
- Psyllium husk fiber — Lowers LDL by about 0.2–0.3 mmol/L (roughly 5–10%), also on top of doctor-prescribed statins; no effect on HDL.
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
Get medical help at once if
- A new lump (including in the neck), trouble swallowing or persistent hoarseness, unexplained weight loss, or blood in stool or urine — see a doctor promptly.
- Deepening voice, new facial hair, clitoral enlargement — stop and see a doctor: changes can become permanent. (women)
In an emergency, call your local emergency number.
For women
Women are more sensitive to its androgenic effects: androgenic side effects, mainly acne, were clearly more frequent than on placebo, and HDL fell in women but not men. There are no data in pregnancy or breastfeeding, and the US label of the vaginal form warns against use after breast cancer.
Myth & fact
“DHEA is a natural testosterone booster that helps build muscle.”
In young men lifting weights it did not raise testosterone, and gains matched placebo; a 2-year trial in older adults showed no effect on muscle or strength. It is also a banned steroid in sport.
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