Prasterone

Prasterone, also known as dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and sold under the brand name Intrarosa among others, is a medication as well as over-the-counter dietary supplement which is used to correct DHEA deficiency due to adrenal insufficiency or old age, as a component of menopausal hormone therapy, to treat painful sexual intercourse due to vaginal atrophy, and to prepare the cervix for childbirth, among other uses.^[9][11] It is taken by mouth, by application to the skin, in through the vagina, or by injection into muscle.^[11]

Side effects of prasterone in women include symptoms of masculinization like oily skin, acne, increased hair growth, voice changes, and increased sexual desire, headaches, insomnia, and others.^[9][11] The compound is a naturally occurring prohormone of androgens and estrogens and hence is an agonist of the androgen and estrogen receptors, the respective biological targets of androgens like testosterone and estrogens like estradiol.^[9][12] Prasterone also has a variety of activities of its own, including neurosteroid and other activities.^[12]

DHEA, the active ingredient of prasterone, was discovered in 1934.^[9][11] An association between DHEA levels and aging was first reported in 1965.^[9][11] The compound started being used as a medication in the late 1970s and as a supplement in the early 1980s.^[9][11] The marketing of prasterone over-the-counter as a supplement is allowed in the United States but is banned in many other countries.^[9]