It is formed from cholesterol. DHEA secretion from the adrenals shows a dramatic cycle of high and low points over the lifespan of most humans. Secretion is very high in the fetus, drops sharply after birth to very low levels in childhood, rises before puberty, and again reaches high levels in young adulthood. Researchers do not know why these fluctuations occur. Neither do they know if the decline in older humans is due to deprivation of an essential hormone, or if it is a natural and normal consequence of aging.
Individual differences are immense.
Some 80-year old people have very high levels, particularly those with certain illnesses or diseases, while others have only negligible levels. A hormone is a chemical messenger that has specific regulatory effects on physiological processes. It is NOT a dietary nutrient. Attempting to manipulate a hormone in the body is tricky. When a hormone is taken, the gland normally producing it is signaled that there are adequate or excess hormone levels in circulation, and thus no need to produce or secrete the hormone.