A fertility visit can raise questions about hormone health, test results and past treatment. DHEA is one hormone discussed in fertility research.

DHEA is a hormone made mainly by the adrenal glands. The body uses it to make other hormones, including estrogen and testosterone. Levels often fall with age. A change in a hormone level does not, by itself, show the cause of a fertility concern or whether taking that hormone would help.

If you have fertility concerns, our clinic’s nurse practitioner or naturopathic doctor can review your health history and questions. Read on for an introduction to DHEA, ovarian reserve and what research can — and cannot — tell us.

Functional Medicine Approach: What is DHEA and How Does it Work?

DHEA is produced mainly by the adrenal glands, which sit near the kidneys. It helps the body make other hormones. Its role in normal hormone biology is different from the question of whether a DHEA product improves fertility outcomes.

Fertility depends on many factors. Hormone test results need to be read alongside a person’s age, health history and other findings. The body’s use of DHEA does not establish that taking DHEA will improve egg quality or the chance of pregnancy.

Diminished Ovarian Reserve in Toronto Functional Medicine Patients

DHEA has been studied in women with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR), but a proven benefit cannot be assumed. DOR, also commonly called age-related infertility by fertility specialists, refers to small-sized follicles and a reduced ovarian follicular pool size at a given age. 

Women with DOR produce a low optimal number of oocytes; the quality of their embryos is low, too. Both of these factors reduce the rates of implantation and pregnancy. To know if you have low ovarian reserve, a blood test called an Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) blood test must be conducted. (FYI: please speak to our functional healthcare providers )

What Does Fertility Research Say About DHEA?

Researchers have studied whether DHEA changes the results of fertility treatment. Findings from an early study or a proposed biological effect need to be weighed against later trials and reviews.

Some earlier studies reported possible benefits. A 2024 Cochrane review of randomized trials found that DHEA probably makes little or no difference to live birth or ongoing pregnancy rates in women with a low response to IVF. The review found limited information about unwanted effects. This evidence does not establish DHEA as a way to improve an individual’s pregnancy chances.

Diminished ovarian reserve is a diagnosis that many Toronto women receive when they have difficulty getting pregnant. Our integrative approach to wellness consists of compassionate, functional care for patients struggling with infertility. If you’ve been diagnosed with DOR, your visit can include a review of your fertility records, concerns and questions for your care team. 

Questions About Fertility? Visit the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre

At the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre (TFMC), our goal is to help increase your chances of getting pregnant and help you reach optimal wellness. 

Our Toronto private practice provides an integrative approach to functional medicine programs. A wide range of our functional medicine treatments emphasizes naturopathic medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Western medicine/allopathic medicine , herbal medicine, hormone health assessments, and acupuncture. 

According to functional medicine wisdom, each patient is a unique entity. Our functional medicine providers address fertility by customizing treatment plans for your biology only. Functional medicine testing may be recommended, as well as fertility-specific treatments pertaining to lifestyle modifications, hormone imbalances, nutritional deficiencies, chronic diseases, disease prevention, and more.

Bring your fertility questions to the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre. Speak to our nurse practitioner or naturopathic doctor about your health history, test results and possible next steps — call (416) 968-6961.

Disclaimer: The information in this article is designed for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. This information should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting a doctor. Consult with a health care practitioner before relying on any information in this article or on this website.

References: The older studies below are kept as part of the article’s research history. The updated overview also draws on Naik and colleagues, “Androgens (dehydroepiandrosterone or testosterone) for women undergoing assisted reproduction,” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2024, CD009749, DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD009749.pub3.

A.Wiser, O. Gonen, Y. Ghetler, T. Shavit, A. Berkovitz, A. Shulman, Addition of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) for poor-responder patients before and during IVF treatment improves the pregnancy rate: A randomized prospective study, Human Reproduction, Volume 25, Issue 10, October 2010, Pages 2496–2500, https://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/deq220

Elisabetta Baldi, Michaela Luconi, Monica Muratori, Sara Marchiani, Lara Tamburrino, Gianni Forti, Nongenomic activation of spermatozoa by steroid hormones: Facts and fictions, Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, Volume 308, Issues 1–2, 2009, Pages 39-46, ISSN 0303-7207, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mce.2009.02.006.

Fouany, M.R., Sharara, F.I. Is there a role for DHEA supplementation in women with diminished ovarian reserve?. J Assist Reprod Genet 30, 1239–1244 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-013-0018-x

Narkwichean, A., Maalouf, W., Campbell, B.K. et al. Efficacy of dehydroepiandrosterone to improve ovarian response in women with diminished ovarian reserve: a meta-analysis. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 11, 44 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7827-11-44

Xu L, Hu C, Liu Q, Li Y. The Effect of Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) Supplementation on IVF or ICSI: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkd. 2019;79(7):705-712. doi:10.1055/a-0882-3791