Low Estradiol? Here's How DHEA Can Fix Your "Crashed" E2

[Type-IIx]

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Read Now on typeiix.substack.com​

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Summary​

Estradiol (E2) serves essential physiological functions in men beyond its recognized role in female reproductive biology. When circulating E2 concentrations fall below normal ranges—often in the context of anabolic-androgenic steroid use—the resulting syndrome manifests primarily as joint pain (arthralgia), alongside metabolic, cognitive, and sexual dysfunction.
DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) functions as both a direct estrogen receptor ligand and a precursor to estradiol biosynthesis through peripheral conversion. At physiologic replacement doses (50 mg/day orally), DHEA reliably increases circulating estradiol in men while avoiding the adverse effects associated with exogenous estrogen administration.
The optimal implementation protocol includes:

1. Assessment of symptoms using the flowchart of decision-making
2. Initial dosing of 50 mg DHEA to achieve moderate E2 elevation (~25 pg/mL)
3. Dose escalation to 200 mg for higher E2 requirements (~75 pg/mL)
4. Systematic monitoring of subjective symptom resolution and objective biochemical markers

Unlike metandienone (Dianabol), which produces a synthetic estrogen not detected in standard bloodwork and carries significant hepatotoxicity concerns, DHEA offers a legal, accessible alternative with a superior safety profile and reliable dose-response relationship. This makes DHEA an invaluable tool for managing estrogen deficiency states in male physiology.

Not Medical Advice
This is not medical advice. The author is not a medical doctor. No part herein, no statement, act, nor omission made by this author or any agent or affiliate is to be construed to delay necessary medical attention. No patient-doctor relationship is formed.

Key Takeaways

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1. DHEA serves as a safe, legal alternative to metandienone (Dianabol) for increasing estradiol levels in men experiencing "crashed E2."
2. The primary symptom of low estradiol is persistent joint pain (arthralgia), particularly in synovial joints like shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees.
3. Estradiol plays essential roles in male physiology beyond what is commonly recognized, affecting joint health, bone metabolism, cognitive function, and sexual health.
4. DHEA functions as an estrogen in men, with studies showing dose-dependent increases in estradiol levels - 50mg raises E2 to approximately 25 pg/mL while 200mg can raise it to approximately 75 pg/mL.
5. Unlike exogenous estradiol, DHEA supplementation avoids negative side effects such as reproductive pathologies, decreased IGF-1 bioavailability, and dramatically increased SHBG.
6. DHEA is available over-the-counter in most regions, making it an accessible option for addressing low estrogen symptoms when compared to controlled substances.

About the Author​

Type-IIx is an expert on all methods used in enhanced bodybuilding and the author of Bolus: A Practical and Reference Guide for the Use of Human Growth Hormone and GH Secretagogues. His articles can be found on Meso-Rx and his https://ampouletude.com/articles (Team Ampouletude website) along with his other projects like the Gear, Growth, and Gains Podcast on the web [www] – [telegram] – [spotify] – and everywhere podcasts stream!

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[eryximachus]

I haven't taken DHEA for a long, long time. But when I did in the past, I always found the 7-keto version to be much more tolerable. What's the deal with that shit?

 

[Type-IIx]

I haven't taken DHEA for a long, long time. But when I did in the past, I always found the 7-keto version to be much more tolerable. What's the deal with that shit?

Well, 7-keto-DHEA is so different – it doesn't accomplish what we use DHEA here for, supplanting estrogenic effects including by extensive metabolism to T/E2 via aromatase and directly aromatizing and activating ER-α & ER-β.

The addition of a 7-keto group to DHEA blocks its binding to 3β-HSD, which is the critical enzyme required for conversion to androstenedione in the initial step of the pathway toward both testosterone and estradiol synthesis.

It does however increase oral bioavailability, but the effects that manifest are different, basically.

 

[Photon]

DHEA reliably increases circulating estradiol in men while avoiding the adverse effects associated with exogenous estrogen administration.

(1) What is the difference between using DHEA to increase E2 vs simply taking a short of a quick ester Test? DHEA->TEST->E2.

(2) Assuming both end up with the same outcome in a labtest, e.g 25pg/mL, what are the adverse effects that you are talking about that are associated with exogenous E2 vs DHEA?

 

[Stealth500]

how about DHEA increasing prolactin.

 

[Type-IIx]

(1) What is the difference between using DHEA to increase E2 vs simply taking a short of a quick ester Test? DHEA->TEST->E2.

(2) Assuming both end up with the same outcome in a labtest, e.g 25pg/mL, what are the adverse effects that you are talking about that are associated with exogenous E2 vs DHEA?

DHEA has estrogen effects itself, is OTC, more rapid and more potent than even test suspension without increasing anabolics dose and all it entails, DHT, etc; the exogenous estrogen maladies are all references in the article, best place to ask these questions in the comments there to refer back

 

[BamaCrazy]

Supplementing 50mg of DHEA for 90 days didn’t increase my E2 at all. I took pre and post labs and that experiment was a waste of time.

 

[Type-IIx]

Supplementing 50mg of DHEA for 90 days didn’t increase my E2 at all. I took pre and post labs and that experiment was a waste of time.

Oh you have to know how rapidly it increases E2, it's not continuous like testosterone even suspension

 

[ganciodestro]

Oh you have to know how rapidly it increases E2, it's not continuous like testosterone even suspension

do you mean that it increase e2 just for a bit of time? What is its utility if dhea can increase e2 just for a few time ?

 

[Type-IIx]

do you mean that it increase e2 just for a bit of time? What is its utility if dhea can increase e2 just for a few time ?

To get out of joint pain/hot flashes so you can train and increase test dose for example. Stopgap

Ever heard of popping Dbol when your E2 is crashed? Same concept with all that Dbol entails

 

[Type-IIx]

Thread's here https://typeiix.substack.com/p/dhea-fix-crashed-low-estradiol-bodybuilders-protocol/comments

 

[NotHuman]

I have been using DHEA for years in order to optimize DHEA-S blood levels, even though the evidence for DHEA preventing all cause mortality (which low DHEA-S is strongly associated with) is pretty weak. Even though I take it for that, I wouldn’t even recommend it for that reason. Like another poster said, I have not seen it raise estradiol that I can really tell. Maybe it does a little but hard to say (I use 50mg divided in two daily doses).

I could see how taking a very large dose can possibly raise estradiol and could have a use case short term when using Primo/EQ that can crash E2 levels. It’s an interesting idea.

 

[Stealth500]

Supplementing 50mg of DHEA for 90 days didn’t increase my E2 at all. I took pre and post labs and that experiment was a waste of time.

but you felt it in your nips right? I think there's some mechanism increasing prolactin that isn't understood.

 

[BamaCrazy]

but you felt it in your nips right? I think there's some mechanism increasing prolactin that isn't understood.

No. I didn’t see a rise in E2 nor prolactin, and progesterone increased from .2 to .5. I was taking 50mg DHEA SR and 50mg Pregnenolone SR from Nutrascriptives.

I am beginning to wonder whether this brand is any good.

 

[Stealth500]

No. I didn’t see a rise in E2 nor prolactin, and progesterone increased from .2 to .5. I was taking 50mg DHEA SR and 50mg Pregnenolone SR from Nutrascriptives.

I am beginning to wonder whether this brand is any good.

caused gyno like sensitivity for me without an increase in E2.

 

[Photon]

Thread's here https://typeiix.substack.com/p/dhea-fix-crashed-low-estradiol-bodybuilders-protocol/comments

I'm not sure, is this how this works?
Creating a thread and then constantly linking people out of the forum to discuss about things.

 

[BamaCrazy]

I'm not sure, is this how this works?
Creating a thread and then constantly linking people out of the forum to discuss about things.

Self promotion. He should have a vendor tag. lol

 

[AlwaysHungry]

I’ve took it in the past but didn’t actually felt good e2 increase just like when you take a dbol or do a fat injection of testosterone.
I’ve felt like it increased my estrogen but it was like “muted” estrogen if that makes sense.

 

[Stealth500]

I’ve took it in the past but didn’t actually felt good e2 increase

 

[AlwaysHungry]

View attachment 349936

Didn’t actually worked to revive my tube steak from the burden of crashed e2.
But also didn’t feel like death while i was taking it that I would otherwise felt from crashed estro.