DHEA (short for dehydroepiandrosterone) is a hormone produced in the adrenal gland, which is thought to play the role of a so-called buffer hormone which affects other hormones. Furthermore, DHEA is the precursor for both male and female sex hormones. As recent studies suggest, however, it is much more than ‘just’ a prohormone, because it is clearly a natural substance with completely independent, diverse effects in both humans and animals.