DHEA has been tested and has shown to benefit 40 year old + individuals doing HIIT (high-intensity interval training) .
Warning: DHEA is for middle age men with low testosterone levels only, do not buy DHEA on the black market. Consult a doctor who will determine if supplementation is required.
Symptoms of low testosterone include:
- Low sex drive
- Difficulty with erection
- Low semen volume
- Hair loss (body and facial hair)
- Fatigue
- Loss of muscle mass
- Increased body fat
- Decreased bone mass
- Mood changes
- Affected memory
- Smaller testicle size
Free testosterone of DHEA-supplemented middle-aged men remained unaffected.
This after it was found that middle-aged participants exhibited significantly lower free testosterone and greater luteinizing hormone (LH) levels than the young control group after HIIT without supplementation.
If you are older than 40, it is working checking with your doctor, do blood tests to check your testosterone levels and see what your doctor recommends.
More information may be found below regarding the research.
Effect of acute DHEA administration on free testosterone in middle-aged and young men following high-intensity interval training.
Liu TC1, Lin CH, Huang CY, Ivy JL, Kuo CH.
Author information
1 Laboratory of Exercise Biochemistry, Taipei Physical Education College, 101 Jhongcheng Rd, Section 2, Shilin District, Taipei 111, Taiwan ROC.
Abstract
With advancing age, plasma testosterone levels decline, with free testosterone levels declining more significantly than total testosterone. This fall is thought to underlie the development of physical and mental weakness that occurs with advancing age. In addition, vigorous exercise can also lower total and free testosterone levels with the decline greatest in physically untrained men. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of oral DHEA supplementation, a testosterone precursor, on free testosterone in sedentary middle-aged men during recovery from a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) bout of exercise. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study was conducted for 8 middle-aged participants (aged 49.3 ± 2.4 years) and an additional 8 young control participants (aged 21.4 ± 0.3 years). Each participant received DHEA (50 mg) and placebo on separate occasions one night (12 h) before a 5-session, 2-min cycling exercise (100% VO₂max). While no significant age difference in total testosterone was found, middle-aged participants exhibited significantly lower free testosterone and greater luteinizing hormone (LH) levels than the young control group. Oral DHEA supplementation increased circulating DHEA-S and free testosterone levels well above baseline in the middle-aged group, with no significant effect on total testosterone levels. Total testosterone and DHEA-S dropped significantly until 24 h after HIIT for both age groups, while free testosterone of DHEA-supplemented middle-aged men remained unaffected. These results demonstrate acute oral DHEA supplementation can elevate free testosterone levels in middle-aged men and prevent it from declining during HIIT. Therefore, DHEA supplementation may have significant benefits related to HIIT adaptation.