Popular Anti-Aging Hormone Supplements

You’ve probably seen ads selling DHEA or human growth hormone as “anti-aging supplements.” Or, you may have heard about treatments for “male menopause.” There are plenty of anti-aging products out there, but can you trust them?

Is DHEA an Anti Aging Supplement?

Woman shopping in the supplement aisle
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DHEA is a hormone made by the body that decreases naturally with age. Anti-aging doctors claim that DHEA supplementation can reduce the effects of aging. The claim includes that DHEA supplements can increase muscle mass and even burn fat.

Human Growth Hormone (HGH) - A Fountain of Youth?

An entire industry has been created to sell human growth hormone (HGH) injections as a “cure” for aging. This stemmed from a small study done in the early 90s. The claim is that HGH can decrease the effects of aging and leave you stronger and feeling younger than ever before. Why all the hype? A year’s supply of HGH can cost as much as $15,000 dollars.

Melatonin and Anti Aging

Melatonin is an important hormone in your body for regulating sleep. There have been some claims that melatonin can reverse the effects of aging. These claims are founded on a false belief that melatonin levels decrease with aging. However, melatonin has been found useful in a variety of conditions, mostly related to sleep disorders.

Estrogen, Menopause, and Aging

Estrogen is one of the most studied and prescribed hormones. For years, women were placed on estrogen replacement therapy to treat the symptoms of menopause. As more data piled up, the risks and benefits of menopausal replacement therapy become more complicated.

Testosterone and Male Aging

As men age, testosterone levels decrease. Because of this, there has been a buzz in treating male aging with testosterone. These advertising campaigns overlook two facts: The drop in male testosterone happens gradually and is in no way similar to menopause in women, and supplementing testosterone does not help men who have normal levels for their age.

2 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Medeiros A, Siegel Watkins E. Live longer better: the historical roots of human growth hormone as anti-aging medicine. J Hist Med Allied Sci. 2018;73(3):333-359. doi:10.1093/jhmas/jry001

  2. Xie Z, Chen F, Li WA, et al. A review of sleep disorders and melatonin. Neurol Res. 2017;39(6):559-565. doi:10.1080/01616412.2017.1315864

By Mark Stibich, PhD
Mark Stibich, PhD, FIDSA, is a behavior change expert with experience helping individuals make lasting lifestyle improvements.