Comparison
DHEA vs TB-500
Side-by-side of DHEA and TB-500. 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.
TB-500
TB-500 peptide, a 17-aa thymosin beta-4 fragment. Preclinical tendon and wound healing via actin sequestration. Typical dosage 2 to 5 mg weekly. No human RCTs.
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
TB-500
- •17-amino-acid fragment of endogenous Thymosin Beta-4, an actin-sequestering peptide
- •Preclinical models show accelerated tendon, ligament, and dermal wound healing
- •Equine veterinary use for soft-tissue injury is the most documented real-world application
- •Anecdotal human protocols use 2 to 5 mg twice weekly subcutaneously for 4 to 6 weeks
- •WADA banned under S2 (peptide hormones, growth factors) since 2018
- •No completed phase II or III human RCTs as of 2026; long-term safety unestablished
Side-by-side
| Attribute | DHEA | TB-500 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | hormone | peptide |
| Also known as | dehydroepiandrosterone, prasterone, Intrarosa | Thymosin Beta-4 fragment, TB4-Frag, Thymosin Beta 4 |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 12 | 2 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 25 | 2.5 |
| Dosing frequency | daily, typically morning | 2x weekly (anecdotal protocols) |
| Routes | oral, vaginal, topical | subcutaneous, intramuscular |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | - |
| Peak (hr) | 1 | - |
| Molecular weight | 288.42 | 4963.4 |
| Molecular formula | C19H28O2 | C212H350N56O78S |
| 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. | Sequesters G-actin monomers, modulates cell migration and angiogenesis, and upregulates VEGF and myosin transcription. Promotes endothelial differentiation and stem-cell migration to injury sites in preclinical models. |
| Legal status | OTC supplement in US (DSHEA 1994); prescription in EU, UK, Canada, Australia | Not FDA approved; research-use-only grey market; banned by WADA |
| WADA status | banned | banned |
| DEA / Rx | OTC supplement in US (not scheduled); Rx in EU, UK, Canada, Australia | Not FDA approved; not scheduled; research-chemical status |
| Pregnancy | Contraindicated in pregnancy | Insufficient data |
| CAS | 53-43-0 | 885340-08-9 |
| PubChem CID | 5881 | 62707662 |
| Wikidata | Q411733 | Q7799921 |
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)
TB-500
Common side effects
- injection-site irritation
- fatigue (anecdotal)
- lethargy in early dosing (anecdotal)
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- active malignancy (theoretical angiogenic concern)
- no established human safety profile
Interactions
- BPC-157: Frequently co-administered in anecdotal healing protocols; no controlled interaction data(minor)
Which Should You Take?
DHEA comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 2 catalogued goals, OTC dietary supplement, oral dosing, with a Tier-A outcome catalogued. TB-500 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 post-training recovery, pick TB-500.
- → If your priority is tendon repair, pick TB-500.
Edge case: If you want to avoid research-only / gray-market sourcing, DHEA is the more accessible choice.
Default choice: DHEA. Lower friction to source, a Tier-A evidence outcome catalogued, and broader goal coverage. Reach for TB-500 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 TB-500?
DHEA and TB-500 differ in category (hormone vs peptide), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, DHEA or TB-500?
DHEA half-life is 12 hours; TB-500 half-life is 2 hours.
Can you stack DHEA with TB-500?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
Go deeper