DHEA Q: Isn DHEA only available through prescription?
Prior to October 1994 when the Health and Education Act of 1994 went into effect, DHEA was not available over the counter. This law changed the status of DHEA and it is now considered a natural substance, for which no prescription is required. (There are exceptions to this in a few other countries, such as Canada, Germany, & South Africa.) DHEA-Sulfate (DHEA-S), which is a compound, is still only available through a prescription and a compounding pharmacist who can make it. Q: What is the difference between DHEA-S and free-form DHEA? A: In DHEA-S free-form DHEA is compounded with a sulfate molecule. This sulfate allows the body to metabolize the DHEA at a slower rate (referred to as “half-life” in the body). The half-life of free-form DHEA capsules is from 8 to 13 hours. The half-life of DHEA-S is closer to 20 hours. In the body there really is no difference. They are used interchangeably.
