There is no evidence that DHEA  improves quality of life but there is some evidence that it is associated with and rogenic side effects .
There is uncertainty whether DHEA decreases menopausal symptoms , but DHEA may slightly improve sexual function compared with placebo
BACKGROUND During menopause a decreasing ovarian follicular response generally causes a fluctuation and eventual decrease in estrogen levels .
This can lead to the development of various perimenopausal and postmenopausal symptoms ( for example hot flushes , night sweats , vaginal dryness ) .
Dehydroepi and rosterone ( DHEA ) is one of the main precursors of and rogens , which in turn are converted to testosterone and estrogens .
It is possible that the administration of DHEA may increase estrogen and testosterone levels in peri- and postmenopausal women to alleviate their symptoms and improve general wellbeing and sexual function ( for example libido , dyspareunia , satisfaction ) .
Treatment with DHEA is controversial as there is uncertainty about its effectiveness and safety .
This review should clearly outline the evidence for DHEA in the treatment of menopausal symptoms and evaluate its effectiveness and safety by combining the results of r and omised controlled trials .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effectiveness and safety of administering DHEA to women with menopausal symptoms in the peri- or postmenopausal phase .
Low serum levels of sex steroids are associated with disease characteristics in primary Sjogren's syndrome; supplementation with dehydroepiandrosterone restores the concentrations.
CONTEXT Serum levels of the sex steroid prohormones dehydroepi and rosterone ( DHEA ) and DHEA sulfate ( DHEA-S ) decline upon aging and are reduced in primary Sjogren 's syndrome . OBJECTIVE Our aim was to investigate : 1 ) effects of 50 mg oral DHEA/day on changes in serum levels of DHEA and 12 of its metabolites ; 2 ) relationships between steroid levels and disease characteristics ; and 3 ) whether these parameters were influenced by DHEA . DESIGN Twenty-three postmenopausal women with primary Sjogren 's syndrome and subnormal levels of DHEA-S were included in a r and omized , 9-month , controlled , double blind crossover study . Liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (MS)/MS and gas chromatography/MS were used to measure the sex steroids . Anti-SS-A/Ro and /or anti-SS-B/La , salivary gl and focus score , salivary flow rates , dry mouth and eye symptoms , and routine laboratory tests were assessed . RESULTS Baseline erythrocyte sedimentation rate was inversely correlated with testosterone ( Testo ) , dihydrotestosterone , and DHEA-S ( rs = -0.42 , -0.45 , and -0.58 , respectively ) . Dry mouth symptoms correlated with low Testo and and rostenedione , whereas dry eyes correlated with low estrogens , most strongly estrone ( rs = -0.63 ) . Presence of anti-SS-A and /or anti-SS-B was independently associated with low estradiol ( area under the receiver operating characteristic curve , 0.82 ) . All metabolites increased during DHEA but not during placebo . The relative increases were less for estrogens and Testo compared to dihydrotestosterone and glucuroni date d and rogen metabolites . Dry mouth symptoms decreased during DHEA therapy . CONCLUSIONS Disease manifestations in primary Sjogren 's syndrome were associated with low sex hormone levels , dry mouth symptoms with low and rogens , and dry eyes with low estrogens . Exogenous DHEA was preferentially transformed into and rogens rather than into estrogens
There is no evidence that DHEA  improves quality of life but there is some evidence that it is associated with and rogenic side effects .
There is uncertainty whether DHEA decreases menopausal symptoms , but DHEA may slightly improve sexual function compared with placebo
BACKGROUND During menopause a decreasing ovarian follicular response generally causes a fluctuation and eventual decrease in estrogen levels .
This can lead to the development of various perimenopausal and postmenopausal symptoms ( for example hot flushes , night sweats , vaginal dryness ) .
Dehydroepi and rosterone ( DHEA ) is one of the main precursors of and rogens , which in turn are converted to testosterone and estrogens .
It is possible that the administration of DHEA may increase estrogen and testosterone levels in peri- and postmenopausal women to alleviate their symptoms and improve general wellbeing and sexual function ( for example libido , dyspareunia , satisfaction ) .
Treatment with DHEA is controversial as there is uncertainty about its effectiveness and safety .
This review should clearly outline the evidence for DHEA in the treatment of menopausal symptoms and evaluate its effectiveness and safety by combining the results of r and omised controlled trials .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effectiveness and safety of administering DHEA to women with menopausal symptoms in the peri- or postmenopausal phase .