Youth hormone necessary for conceiving after 40

DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone), also known as the youth hormone is an adrenal steroid hormone in the body synthesized by the adrenal glands, which are then converted into androgens, estrogen, and other hormones.

These hormones are responsible to regulate fat and mineral metabolism, sexual and reproductive function, and energy levels. The level of DHEA increases until our body is in the late 20s, after which it starts declining with age.

"DHEA supplements help by increasing the androgen levels within the ovarian environments to a normal range, which improves egg quality. The high-quality healthy eggs develop into high-quality embryos, which have a better chance of implantation and lower risks of miscarriage," said Dr. Sowjanya Aggarwal, Gynaecologist, Max Hospital, Vaishali.

"DHEA supplements diminish ovarian reserve (DOR) through the practice of In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF). The pregnancy outcomes have been improved for those who suffer from premature ovarian aging (POA) as well as women over the age of 40 whose ovarian reserve is declining as a part of the natural aging process," she added.

Through various studies, it has been found out that pregnancy chances increase in women with higher androgen levels after DHEA supplementation.

People use DHEA supplements to look younger, to feel better, and to improve their body composition. The DHEA supplement is also used to improve sex drive, build muscles, anti-aging and many more.

"Women with diminished ovarian reserve due to the premature ovarian aging have low androgen levels. Many patients who were told that they would never have a baby without using donor egg discovered after taking DHEA supplements that they have conceived without any issue," said Dr. Nitasha Gupta, IVF Specialist, Indira IVF Hospitals, New Delhi.

However, the doctors added that it is not safe to use DHEA for a long time as it may cause hormonal imbalance. "The body doesn't always need DHEA especially as the age increases. Specialised practitioners in IVF know the right quantity of DHEA to be provided to patients and to guide them about the safe supplementation of the same. Many DHEA supplements have high doses of the substance which can harm the body if used excessively," added Dr. Aggarwal.