Other reported side effects include acne, heart rhythm problems, liver problems, hair loss (from the scalp), and oily skin. It may also alter the bodys regulation of blood sugar.Prasterone may promote tamoxifen resistance in breast cancer. It may also increase the risk of uterine and prostate cancers due to metabolism into estrogens and androgens, respectively. Patients on hormone replacement therapy may have more estrogen-related side effects when taking prasterone. This supplement may also interfere with other medicines, and potential interactions between it and drugs and herbs are possible.Prasterone is possibly unsafe for individuals experiencing pregnancy, breastfeeding, hormone sensitive conditions, liver problems, diabetes, depression or mood disorders, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), or cholesterol problems.Prasterone has been reported to possess few or no side effects even at very high dosages (e.g., 50 times the recommended over-the-counter supplement dosage). However, it may cause masculinization and other androgenic side effects in women and gynecomastia and other estrogenic side effects in men. Pharmacokinetics
Oral uptake of prasterone is excellent. Its volume of distribution is 17.0-38.5L (whereas it is 8.5-9.3L for its active metabolite DHEA-S). Prasterone (DHEA) has a biological half-life of 15-38 min (whereas it is 7-22h for DHEA-S). 51-73% of DHEA-S and its metabolites are excreted via the renal route. Prasterone is metabolized into androgens and estrogens in the body, including androstenedione, testosterone, estrone, estradiol, and estriol. The transformation of prasterone into androgens and estrogens is tissue-specific, for instance occurring in the liver, fat, vagina, prostate gland, skin, and hair follicles (as well as other tissues).
Prasterone, also known as dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and sold under the brand names Intrarosa, Diandrone, and Gynodian Depot among others, is a medication as well as over-the-counter dietary supplement which is used to correct DHEA deficiency due to adrenal insufficiency or old age, as a component of menopausal hormone therapy, to treat painful sexual intercourse due to vaginal atrophy, and to prepare the cervix for childbirth, among other uses. It is taken by mouth, by application to the skin, in through the vagina, or by injection into muscle.Side effects of prasterone in women include symptoms of masculinization like oily skin, acne, increased hair growth, voice changes, and increased sexual desire, headaches, insomnia, and others. The compound is a naturally occurring prohormone of androgens and estrogens and hence is an agonist of the androgen and estrogen receptors, the respective biological targets of androgens like testosterone and estrogens like estradiol. Prasterone also has a variety of activities of its own, including neurosteroid and other activities.DHEA, the active ingredient of prasterone, was discovered in 1934. An association between DHEA levels and aging was first reported in 1965. The compound started being used as a medication in the late 1970s and as a supplement in the early 1980s. The marketing of prasterone over-the-counter as a supplement is allowed in the United States but is banned in many other countries. Medical uses
Deficiency
DHEA and DHEA sulfate (DHEA-S) are produced by the adrenal glands. In people with adrenal insufficiency such as in Addisons disease, there may be deficiency of DHEA and DHEA-S.