PlainPill

DHEA vs Tamoxifen for hormones

Short answer: For hormones, more users report improvement with Tamoxifen — 98% of 49 reports, versus 91% of 44 for DHEA.

DHEA has 215 meta-analyses and 637 randomized trials on PubMed; Tamoxifen has 479 and 1,597.

Based on 306 reports about DHEA and 298 about Tamoxifen. Not medical advice.

DHEA
Supplement
Tamoxifen
Medication
Users say it helped56%helped98 reports · medium confidence64%helped75 reports · medium confidence
Verdict
Mixed
Mostly positive
ResearchAResearch: StrongAResearch: Strong
Meta-analyses / RCTs215 / 637479 / 1,597
Mainly used for
Hormones
% reporting improvement
91% (44)98% (49)
Libido
% reporting improvement
91% (32)57% (7)
Mood
% reporting improvement
87% (30)0% (2)
Energy
% reporting improvement
92% (26)100% (5)
Anxiety
% reporting improvement
86% (7)—
Common side effectsacne, vivid dreams, rage, virilizationfatigue, depression, low libido, headache
Typical dose reported25 mg / 1 hour before bedNot listed
DHEA
Latest review conclusion

Vaginal estrogen, vaginal DHEA, oral ospemifene, and vaginal moisturizers may improve some GSM symptoms in the short term. Few long-term data exist on efficacy, comparative effectiveness, tolerability, and safety of GSM treatments.

Ann Intern Med, 2024 ↗
What a user said
“DHEA, minimum 50 mg was a huge game changer for my wife. More energy, libido, dopamine/happy mood, concentration- everything.”
Full DHEA profile →
Tamoxifen
Latest review conclusion

5 years of adjuvant tamoxifen safely reduces 15-year risks of breast cancer recurrence and death. ER status was the only recorded factor importantly predictive of the proportional reductions. Hence, the absolute risk reductions produced by tamoxifen depend on the absolute breast cancer risks (after any chemotherapy) without tamoxifen.

Lancet, 2011 ↗
What a user said
“This is now 2nd day on nolva and I swaer my balls are about back to normal. Energy is a bit better”
Full Tamoxifen profile →

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Percentages come from first-hand user reports and are not clinical outcomes. Talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or combining anything. How we rate