Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a steroid hormone secreted primarily by the adrenal glands and to a lesser extent by the brain, skin, testes, and ovaries. It is the most abundant circulating steroid in humans and can be converted into other hormones, including estrogen and testosterone. It has been characterized as a pleiotropic "buffer hormone," with receptor sites in the liver, kidney, and testes, and has a key role in a wide range of physiological responses. Circulating levels of DHEA decline with age and a relationship has been suggested between lower DHEA levels and heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, chronic fatigue syndrome, AIDS, and Alzheimer's disease. Other research suggests that autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis might be associated with declining DHEA levels.
脱氢表雄酮（DHEA）是一种主要由肾上腺分泌的类固醇激素，在大脑、皮肤、睾丸和卵巢中也有少量分泌。它是人体内循环中含量最丰富的类固醇，可转化为其他激素，包括雌激素和睾酮。它被描述为一种具有多效性的“缓冲激素”，在肝脏、肾脏和睾丸中具有受体位点，在广泛的生理反应中起关键作用。DHEA的循环水平会随着年龄的增长而下降，并且已经有人提出较低的DHEA水平与心脏病、癌症、糖尿病、肥胖症、慢性疲劳综合征、艾滋病和阿尔茨海默病之间存在关联。其他研究表明，自身免疫性疾病，如系统性红斑狼疮（SLE）、类风湿性关节炎和多发性硬化症，可能与DHEA水平下降有关。
