ReviewDiabetology & metabolic syndrome2025
Impact of DHEA supplementation on testosterone and estradiol levels in postmenopausal women: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials assessing dose and duration effects.
Review in Diabetology & metabolic syndrome, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Understanding the Secular Decline in Testosterone: Mechanisms, Consequences, and Clinical Perspectives.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- Effects of Shatavari (International journal of women's health · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
aimThe effects of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplementation on testosterone and estradiol concentrations in postmenopausal women have produced conflicting results. This meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials aimed to evaluate the impact of DHEA supplementation on serum testosterone and estradiol levels and to provide evidence regarding the optimal dosage and duration of supplementation.
methodsA comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed/Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus to identify relevant studies published before June 11, 2024. Data were analyzed using a random-effects model and presented as weighted mean differences (WMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
resultsThe analysis included 21 studies, comprising 17 trial arms assessing estradiol and 20 assessing testosterone. DHEA supplementation significantly increased estradiol (WMD: 7.86 pg/mL; 95% CI 6.33-9.40; P ≤ 0.001) and testosterone levels (WMD: 24.31 ng/dL; 95% CI 15.22-33.40; P ≤ 0.001). Subgroup analyses showed greater increases in estradiol levels among studies using DHEA dosages ≥ 50 mg/day (WMD: 8.65 pg/mL) and those with participants aged ≥ 60 years (WMD: 8.92 pg/mL), although the differences were modest and 95% CIs overlapped. For testosterone, higher levels were observed with DHEA dosages ≥ 50 mg/day (WMD: 29.65 ng/dL).
conclusionDHEA supplementation at doses ≥ 50 mg/day significantly increases testosterone levels in postmenopausal women. Moreover, in women aged ≥ 60 years, supplementation at the same dosage significantly elevates estradiol levels.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.