How to Lower DHEA

Keeping your hormone levels in check can boost your quality of life in every way. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is one of the most important hormones in your body as it regulates the production of androgens and estrogens. However, having too much DHEA in your system may be associated hyperandrogenic effects. To lower your DHEA levels, start by eating a healthy diet, exercising, and getting the right amount of sleep. Talk with your doctor and ask them to monitor your levels over time. Be careful about any medications that you take and over time you should start to see and feel the positive results.[1]

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Working with Your Doctor

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    Talk with your doctor. Make an appointment to see your general practitioner or an endocrinologist, a specialist who treats hormonal disorders. They will ask you about your medical history and run a blood test for DHEA levels. Bring a list of questions with you to get the most out of your appointment.[2]
    • A blood test may also be used to rule out any larger issues with your adrenal glands, such as Addison disease. The test is actually looking at DHEA-S because this is the form of DHEA your adrenal gland secretes.[3]
    • Your doctor will likely tell you that it is important to lower your DHEA as high levels can cause aggression and irregular blood pressure, among other health issues. Luckily, a benefit of reducing your DHEA levels is that most of these health concerns will disappear as your numbers drop.[4]
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    Eat foods that are high in zinc or take a zinc supplement. Certain minerals, such as zinc, may reduce swelling and inflammation throughout your body.[5] If you’ve felt swollen lately and you know that your DHEA levels are high, zinc may be able to help you.[6] Just make sure to talk with your doctor before taking any supplements. Eat more foods that are high in zinc:[7]
    • Meat, especially beef, pork, lamb, and the dark meat on chicken
    • Nuts
    • Beans
    • Whole grains
    • Yeast
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    Monitor any pre-existing conditions. Your DHEA levels can have a direct impact on others areas of your health, including any prior diseases that you may be fighting. Along with your doctor, you may want to agree to additional monitoring for any diabetes, liver disease, or cancers while trying to lower your DHEA levels. This is a proactive approach that can keep you healthy in the long term.[8]
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    Watch for any potential drug interactions. Certain drugs have a side effect of boosting your DHEA levels. If you are trying to keep your levels lower, then talk with your doctor before starting any new medications. And, go through with them and evaluate all of the current medications that you are taking.[9]
    • For example, diabetes drugs, such as metformin, are often associated with DHEA boosts.
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    Stop any synthetic DHEA supplements. Talk with your doctor about gradually weaning off, or stopping cold turkey, any prescribed or over-the-counter hormonal medications that you are currently taking. It’s almost impossible to lower your DHEA while taking boosting medications.[10]
    • Be aware that the weaning off process can take months. Just stay patient and you will see positive results over time.[11]
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    Agree to surgical treatment. If your excess DHEA is caused by a sizeable tumor,[12] then your doctor may suggest a removal procedure. Talk over the risks and rewards of any surgeries with your doctor before agreeing to anything. The benefit of surgery is that it will make it possible to lower your levels quickly.[13]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Making Lifestyle Changes

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    Consult with your doctor before making any changes. If you’d like to try to control your DHEA levels using diet and exercise, then make an appointment to talk over your ideas with your primary care physician. They may be able to give you some extra tips or advice as to what works and what doesn’t. They can also start to track your DHEA levels right away, so you’ll know how to modify your lifestyle changes.
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    Eat the right diet. Just to be clear, foods do not contain DHEA directly. But, eating particular foods can encourage your body to produce more or less DHEA and other hormones. If you are trying to lower your levels, avoid foods that will elevate your DHEA, such as wild yams, sugars, wheat, and dairy products. Instead, follow a diet that emphasizes foods with anti-inflammatory properties, like tomatoes, olive oil, and salmon.[14]
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    Exercise, but avoid over exercising. Going to work out at least three times a week is a great way to keep your DHEA levels under control. Include cardio and weight sessions to see the most benefits. Working out will help you to build muscle and shed fat.[15]
    • Keep in mind that exercising too much may raise your DHEA levels, so it is important to avoid overdoing it.
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    Maintain a healthy body weight. Look at the Body Mass Index (BMI) for a general guide as to where your weight should be as related to your height and age. When your body carries extra weight the fat cells store DHEA. Your body also produces excess estrogen, DHEA, and other hormones.
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    Get the right amount of sleep. To better control your hormones, aim to get eight hours of sleep per night. Come up with a sleep schedule that works for you and stick with it.[16]
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    Reduce your stress. Your body is very sensitive to stress and may respond by producing excess hormones, such as DHEA. To keep your DHEA under control, find some ways to unwind in your daily life. Take up yoga, which you can do both at work and at home. Practice deep breathing techniques. Eat at least one meal outside each day to enjoy the fresh air. Go see a movie or a take a painting class with friends.[17]
    • You can also ask your doctor to monitor your blood pressure levels alongside your DHEA results. If you engage in stress-relieving activities, you might see improvements across the board.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Making Safe Changes

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    Watch for natural reductions with age. DHEA levels usually peak right around the age of 20 when a person becomes fully hormonally and physically mature. Then, they start to naturally decline until almost no DHEA is left by the time you reach your 90s. Talk with your doctor about how to manage the age-based decline of your DHEA levels while also taking outside action, such as dietary changes.[18]
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    Be careful not to go too low. In your efforts to lower your DHEA levels, make sure that you go in for regular blood tests with your doctor. Changing up your body’s production of DHEA too much has been linked to some dangerous illnesses, such as certain cancers and type 2 diabetes.[19]
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    Minimize any cortisol intake. Cortisol shots have been linked to boosted DHEA levels. If you decide to take any medications with cortisol, which is a hormone itself, talk with your doctor about your concerns. Your doctor may also recommend cortisol as a partial replacement for a dip in DHEA levels. This is a strategy often used with athletes undergoing heavy training.[20]
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    Choose a non-hormonal birth control. The chemicals found in many birth control pills and shots can cause a boost in DHEA levels. To determine if you are taking a pill with testosterone-like effects, read your medication’s label and talk with your doctor. If you are considering a birth control shot, discuss the hormonal effects with your OB-GYN before moving forward.
    • Non-hormonal methods, such as a copper IUD, have the same birth control benefits without the progestin risk. Many people experiencing migraines or hair loss with hormonal methods also find these to be a good alternative.[21]
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    Make no changes at all. If your high levels of DHEA are asymptomatic, or showing no outward symptoms,[22] then you may safely choose to leave it generally untreated. Perhaps make some of the suggested lifestyle changes and see how those go. In some cases, even DHEA secreting tumors are left alone because the surgery can be more problematic than the excess hormones.
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Warnings

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References

  1. ↑ https://www.endocrineweb.com/news/adrenal-disorders/57286-vitamin-d-dhea-help-men-avoid-frailty-study
  2. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/22148-dheas-test-dhea-sulfate-test
  3. ↑ https://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/dheas/tab/test/
  4. ↑ https://www.mhanational.org/dhea
  5. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4429650/
  6. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7468694/
  7. ↑ https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002416.htm
  8. ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12943737/
  9. ↑ https://www.stlukes-stl.com/health-content/medicine/33/000954.htm
  1. ↑ https://ssl.adam.com/content.aspx?productid=107&pid=33&gid=000299&site=makatimed.adam.com&login=MAKA1603
  2. ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/#:~:text=When%20you%20decide%20to%20stop,back%20in%20the%20short%20term.
  3. ↑ https://www.hindawi.com/journals/crigm/2019/8128376/
  4. ↑ https://www.uclahealth.org/endocrine-center/hypopituitarism
  5. ↑ https://healthfully.com/foods-high-in-dhea-12683288.html
  6. ↑ https://academic.oup.com/biomedgerontology/article/57/4/B158/600124?login=false
  7. ↑ https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/what-happens-when-you-sleep
  8. ↑ https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/08/040803094422.htm
  9. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3746247/
  10. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6518366/
  11. ↑ https://www.afpafitness.com/research-articles/dhea-dehydroepiandrosterone
  12. ↑ https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/contraception-intrauterine-devices-iud
  13. ↑ https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=167&contentid=dhea
  14. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3052908/

About This Article

Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS
Medically reviewed by:
Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS
Registered Nurse
This article was medically reviewed by Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS. Sarah Gehrke is a Registered Nurse and Licensed Massage Therapist in Texas. Sarah has over 10 years of experience teaching and practicing phlebotomy and intravenous (IV) therapy using physical, psychological, and emotional support. She received her Massage Therapist License from the Amarillo Massage Therapy Institute in 2008 and a M.S. in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2013. This article has been viewed 98,209 times.
62 votes - 77%
Co-authors: 8
Updated: February 26, 2022
Views: 98,209
Categories: Featured Articles | Hormones

Medical Disclaimer

The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment.

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