Testosterone and DHEA use in low responders

February 21, 2012

It has long been known that the male hormones have an important influence on the development of the ovaries and on the responsiveness of the ovaries to FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone).

The first work on the use of DHEA comes from Casson et al. from 2000 (Hum Rep 2000). They gave the female subjects 80mg DHEA/day for 2 months and were able to observe a significant improvement in various parameters. Later studies by D. Barad and N. Gleicher (Hum Rep 2006 and Reprod Biol Endoc. 2011), which administered 75mg DHEA daily for 17 weeks, also showed a significant improvement in the responsiveness of the ovaries, expressed by the number of eggs, the fertilization rate, the number of embryos of good quality, and ultimately the pregnancy and birth rate.

A study by Balasch et al. (Hum Rep 2006), in which the female subjects received testosterone gel for 5 days before starting stimulation therapy, also showed a significant improvement in various parameters. Similar results were found in the study by F. Fabregues et al. (Hum Rep 2009).

Unfortunately, such positive results could not be replicated in studies by Massin et al. (Hum Rep 2006) and CS Sipe et al. (Hum Rep 2010).

In explaining the significantly better results of the DHEA studies, it must be taken into account that growing follicles that carry the androgen receptors take several weeks to reach the antral follicle stage.

The results of further studies regarding the use of DHEA in low responders are eagerly awaited.

Source: Fertility Sterility Nov. 2011

In practice, we have been using DHEA for about 1.5 years with good success; side effects are extremely rare. Approximately 2 % of the female patients experienced sleep disturbances during the intake; these disappeared after discontinuing the evening dose. Also, 2 % complained of slightly impure skin, but this did not lead them to discontinue the therapy; only the dose reduction was necessary.