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Head-to-head evidence comparison — which supplement is right for you?
B-Complex vs DHEA: B-Complex has the stronger overall evidence (6.5 vs 5.5/10); they're alternatives for support mood — the best pick depends on your goals. Take the 60-second quiz for a pick tailored to your goals.
B-Complex wins 2 of 3 categories. Both are solid choices — the best pick depends on your specific goals.
Verdict
Probably helps
3 of 5 studies with measurable effects showed benefit.
Top outcomes
Verdict
Probably helps
3 of 5 studies with measurable effects showed benefit.
Top outcomes
1 capsule daily (per label)
Morning with breakfast
Methylated B-complex (methylcobalamin, methylfolate)
25-50mg for women; 50-100mg for men (start low) (the one cited trial used 50 mg a day in women with adrenal insufficiency, no cited trial studied men, and a cited meta-analysis in postmenopausal women with normal adrenal function found no significant benefit)
Morning (mimics natural rhythm)
Micronized DHEA capsules
2-4 weeks
4-8 weeks
Immediate
4-8 weeks
8-12 weeks
Dosage exploration of combined B-vitamin supplementation in stroke prevention: a meta-analysis and systematic review
The American journal of clinical nutrition (2024) · Meta analysis · n=76664
In areas without and with partial folic acid fortification, combined B-vitamin supplementation significantly reduced the risk of stroke by 34% [RR: 0.66; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.50, 0.86] and 11% (RR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.79, 1.00), respectively.
A Comparative Study Evaluating the Effectiveness of Folate-Based B Vitamin Intervention on Cognitive Function of Older Adults under Mandatory Folic Acid Fortification Policy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Nutrients (2024) · Meta analysis · n=42768
The meta-analysis on the effects of folate-based B vitamin supplementation on cognitive function showed a significant overall impact (Z = 3.84; p = 0.0001; SMD, 0.18; 95% CI, 0.09, 0.28).
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of B Vitamin Supplementation on Depressive Symptoms, Anxiety, and Stress: Effects on Healthy and 'At-Risk' Individuals
Nutrients (2019) · Meta analysis · n=2015
Regarding individual facets of mood, B vitamin supplementation benefited stress (n = 958, SMD = 0.23, 95% CI = 0.02, 0.45, p = 0.03).
Dehydroepiandrosterone for depressive symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Journal of neuroscience research (2020) · Meta analysis · n=742
No hormonal changes that indicated any risk to the participants' health were seen.
Hormonal Treatments and Vaginal Moisturizers for Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause : A Systematic Review
Annals of internal medicine (2024) · Systematic review
Systematic review of 46 RCTs of at least 8 weeks in postmenopausal women with genitourinary syndrome of menopause, too varied to pool.
TEAS, DHEA, CoQ10, and GH for poor ovarian response undergoing IVF-ET: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E (2023) · Meta analysis · n=2323
Compared with the control group, CoQ10 (OR 2.22, 95% CI: 1.05 to 4.71) and DHEA (OR 1.92, 95% CI: 1.16 to 3.16) had obvious advantages in improving the clinical pregnancy rate.
B-Complex has a higher evidence score (6.5/10 vs 5.5/10) and wins in 2 of 3 categories.
For support mood, DHEA has a higher relevance score (85 vs 70).
No documented interaction was found in the data searched. This does not establish that this exact combination is safe.
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When to take what, with or without food, and which supplements compete vs pair well.
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The right pick depends on your goals. Answer a few quick questions for a personalised recommendation — or dig into the full evidence on each.