Comparison
DHEA vs Nicotinamide Riboside
Side-by-side of DHEA and Nicotinamide Riboside. 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.
Nicotinamide Riboside
Nicotinamide riboside (NR) is the most-studied NAD+ precursor in humans. Sold as Niagen by Chromadex; raises plasma NAD+ 30-60% at 250-1,000 mg/day.
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
Nicotinamide Riboside
- •Most-studied NAD+ precursor in human trials; the original Niagen formulation by Chromadex
- •Plasma NAD+ rises 30-60% at 250-1,000 mg/day across multiple human PK trials
- •Martens 2018 reported reduced BP and arterial stiffness at 500 mg/day for 6 weeks
- •Dollerup 2018 found no insulin sensitivity change despite plasma NAD+ rise
- •Tissue NAD+ rise inconsistent; hard clinical endpoints not yet measured
- •Larger human safety database than NMN; comparable mechanistic effects
Side-by-side
| Attribute | DHEA | Nicotinamide Riboside |
|---|---|---|
| Category | hormone | supplement |
| Also known as | dehydroepiandrosterone, prasterone, Intrarosa | NR, Niagen, nicotinamide riboside chloride |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 12 | 8 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 25 | 500 |
| Dosing frequency | daily, typically morning | daily, typically morning |
| Routes | oral, vaginal, topical | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 1 |
| Peak (hr) | 1 | 4 |
| Molecular weight | 288.42 | 255.25 |
| Molecular formula | C19H28O2 | C11H15N2O5 |
| 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. | NAD+ precursor via salvage pathway. Phosphorylated to NMN by nicotinamide riboside kinase (NRK), then converted to NAD+. Substrate for sirtuins, PARPs, and CD38. |
| Legal status | OTC supplement in US (DSHEA 1994); prescription in EU, UK, Canada, Australia | OTC 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 | Insufficient data at supplement doses |
| CAS | 53-43-0 | 1341-23-7 |
| PubChem CID | 5881 | 439924 |
| Wikidata | Q411733 | Q3343054 |
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)
Nicotinamide Riboside
Common side effects
- mild GI upset (rare)
- headache (rare)
Contraindications
- pregnancy / lactation (insufficient data)
- active cancer (theoretical, no contraindicating data)
Interactions
- pterostilbene: complementary sirtuin pathway (Basis combination)(minor)
- TMG (trimethylglycine): methylation support during high NAD+ precursor dosing(minor)
Which Should You Take?
Nicotinamide Riboside 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 energy and stamina, pick Nicotinamide Riboside.
- → If your priority is metabolic health and glucose control, pick Nicotinamide Riboside.
Edge case: DHEA is contraindicated in pregnancy; Nicotinamide Riboside is the safer pick if that applies.
Default choice: Nicotinamide Riboside. 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 Nicotinamide Riboside?
DHEA and Nicotinamide Riboside 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 Nicotinamide Riboside?
DHEA half-life is 12 hours; Nicotinamide Riboside half-life is 8 hours.
Can you stack DHEA with Nicotinamide Riboside?
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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