DHEA

Dehydroepiandrosterone or DHEA is a hormone naturally produced in the adrenal gland and helps produce other hormones like testosterone and estrogen. DHEA levels peak in early adulthood and then slowly fall as people age. Synthetic versions of DHEA are available and can be taken orally as a tablet, or applied to the skin as a topical cream. Although it is effective in treating some symptoms of mild to moderate lupus, such as hair loss (alopecia), joint pain, fatigue, and cognitive dysfunction (difficulty in thinking, memory loss) and can also be effective against osteoporosis, it also has side effects.

Side effects of using this supplement include possible increased levels of androgen and have a steroid effect, and increased risk of hormone-sensitive cancers like prostate, breast and ovarian.