Does DHEA raise muscle and testosterone?

Short answer

Barely. In 19 young men, 8 weeks of DHEA did not change testosterone or muscle gains, and pooled studies showed only 0.45 kg more lean mass. It is also a banned substance in competition.

Does DHEA raise muscle and testosterone?
'DHEA → more testosterone → more muscle' — does this formula hold?
DHEA is a hormone the body uses as raw material to make testosterone and estrogen. So it is sold as a supplement that supposedly raises testosterone and builds muscle. We checked this formula step by step.
Does testosterone go up at all?
A lot in women, less in men
An analysis that pooled 42 papers found testosterone rose by 31 in women and 21 in men. Another analysis of 1,084 people also found a clear rise in women. In 31 women who took it for 12 weeks, testosterone went up 100%. It moved most in women, who start with little testosterone.
Young men who took it while training
No change in testosterone or muscle gains
19 men did strength training for 8 weeks while taking DHEA or a placebo. Testosterone did not rise, and strength and lean mass (muscle and everything except fat) increased about the same in both groups. In 20 men who took a mixed supplement with DHEA for 8 weeks, testosterone also stayed the same and only estrogen went up.
Does muscle grow when studies are pooled?
It did, by 0.45 kg
An analysis that pooled randomized trials found 0.45 kg more lean mass and 0.85 percentage points less body fat with DHEA. Body weight did not differ. In an analysis of 1,353 older men, the drop in body fat disappeared once the amount converted into testosterone and estrogen was accounted for.
Even after 2 years
Body composition and strength did not change
144 people with low DHEA levels took DHEA or a placebo for 2 years. DHEA did not change body composition, strength or fitness. In 31 women who took it alongside 12 weeks of exercise, body composition and fitness did not improve more than with exercise alone.
If you compete
It is on the World Anti-Doping Agency's banned list
DHEA raises testosterone depending on the amount taken, and in women it pushes levels far above the normal range, so it is on the World Anti-Doping Agency's prohibited list. There is almost no evidence that it improves performance, yet it gets flagged in drug tests.
Summary: the formula breaks at the first link
For men, testosterone and muscle barely change
In young men, DHEA did not raise testosterone and did not boost training results. Even with all studies pooled, the lean mass difference was 0.45 kg. If you compete, the fact that it is a banned substance is worth weighing too.