Comparison
DHEA vs Magnesium Glycinate
Side-by-side of DHEA and Magnesium Glycinate. Every row below is pulled from the compound schema and will update as our data grows. For deeper reads, follow through to each compound page.
DHEA
DHEA supplement profile: adrenal androgen precursor, typical 25-50 mg dose, DHEA-S targets, evidence for adrenal insufficiency and vaginal atrophy, side effec.
Magnesium Glycinate
Magnesium glycinate supplement guide: chelated bisglycinate form, 200 to 400 mg dosage, sleep architecture benefits, low GI side effects, glycine co-effect.
Effects at a glance
DHEA
- •Adrenal androgen precursor; serum DHEA-S declines progressively after the third decade of life
- •OTC dietary supplement in US under DSHEA 1994; prescription in EU, UK, Canada, Australia
- •FDA approved as Intrarosa (6.5 mg vaginal insert) for postmenopausal dyspareunia in 2016
- •Acts as tissue-specific prohormone converted intracrinologically to testosterone and estrogens
- •Best evidence: adrenal insufficiency replacement and vaginal atrophy; weaker on cognition and longevity
- •WADA banned in competitive sport; banned in NCAA, MLB, NFL, IOC settings
Magnesium Glycinate
- •Shortens sleep onset latency in older adults and in deficient populations supplementing 200 to 400 mg elemental Mg
- •Improves subjective sleep quality scores (PSQI, ISI) modestly versus placebo over 4 to 8 weeks
- •Reduces nocturnal leg cramps and exercise-induced muscle cramping in some controlled trials
- •Lowers self-reported anxiety in mild-to-moderate cases, with smaller effect than first-line pharmacotherapy
- •Glycinate form delivers fewer GI side effects than oxide or citrate at equivalent elemental doses
- •Insufficient as a stand-alone hypertension treatment; small adjunctive blood-pressure reductions only
Side-by-side
| Attribute | DHEA | Magnesium Glycinate |
|---|---|---|
| Category | hormone | supplement |
| Also known as | dehydroepiandrosterone, prasterone, Intrarosa | magnesium bisglycinate |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 12 | 5 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 25 | 300 |
| Dosing frequency | daily, typically morning | daily (often evening) |
| Routes | oral, vaginal, topical | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 1 |
| Peak (hr) | 1 | - |
| Molecular weight | 288.42 | - |
| Molecular formula | C19H28O2 | - |
| Mechanism | Steroid prohormone converted intracrinologically to testosterone and estrogens in target tissues; also exerts direct effects via sigma-1 receptor, GABA-A modulation, and glucocorticoid receptor interaction. | Magnesium acts as a cofactor for 300+ enzymes and as a voltage-dependent antagonist at NMDA receptors; glycine serves as an inhibitory neurotransmitter and co-agonist at glycine receptors. |
| Legal status | OTC supplement in US (DSHEA 1994); prescription in EU, UK, Canada, Australia | Dietary supplement |
| WADA status | banned | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | OTC supplement in US (not scheduled); Rx in EU, UK, Canada, Australia | OTC supplement |
| Pregnancy | Contraindicated in pregnancy | Generally considered acceptable at RDA doses; consult clinician |
| CAS | 53-43-0 | 14783-68-7 |
| PubChem CID | 5881 | 84645 |
| Wikidata | Q411733 | - |
Safety profile
DHEA
Common side effects
- acne
- oily skin
- hirsutism (women)
- gynecomastia (men, higher doses)
- irritability
- insomnia
Contraindications
- hormone-sensitive cancer (breast, ovarian, prostate)
- active liver disease
- uncontrolled lipid disorder
- pregnancy and lactation
Interactions
- warfarin: case reports of altered INR; monitor(moderate)
- estrogens (HRT): additive estrogenic effect via conversion; monitor(moderate)
- insulin: may improve insulin sensitivity slightly; monitor glucose(minor)
- anastrozole: may reduce DHEA-derived estrogen; clinical relevance unclear(minor)
Magnesium Glycinate
Common side effects
- mild GI upset at high doses
- loose stools (dose-dependent, less than with oxide/citrate forms)
Contraindications
- severe renal impairment
- myasthenia gravis
- heart block
Interactions
- tetracycline and fluoroquinolone antibiotics: magnesium chelates antibiotic, reducing absorption; separate by 2+ hours(moderate)
- bisphosphonates: reduced absorption of bisphosphonate(moderate)
- potassium-sparing diuretics: possible hypermagnesemia in renal impairment(moderate)
Which Should You Take?
Magnesium Glycinate comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, OTC dietary supplement, oral dosing, with a Tier-A outcome catalogued. DHEA is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is hormonal optimization, pick DHEA.
- → If your priority is healthspan extension, pick DHEA.
- → If your priority is sleep onset or sleep quality, pick Magnesium Glycinate.
- → If your priority is post-training recovery, pick Magnesium Glycinate.
Edge case: DHEA is contraindicated in pregnancy; Magnesium Glycinate is the safer pick if that applies.
Default choice: Magnesium Glycinate. Lower friction to source, a Tier-A evidence outcome catalogued, and broader goal coverage. Reach for DHEA only if your priority sits squarely in the goals it owns above.
This verdict is generated from each compound's schema (goals, legal status, evidence outcomes, dosing route). It updates automatically as our compound data evolves; the deeper read sits on each individual compound page.
Common questions
What is the difference between DHEA and Magnesium Glycinate?
DHEA and Magnesium Glycinate differ in category (hormone vs supplement), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, DHEA or Magnesium Glycinate?
DHEA half-life is 12 hours; Magnesium Glycinate half-life is 5 hours.
Can you stack DHEA with Magnesium Glycinate?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
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