Editing Dehydroepiandrosterone (section)

====Estrogen receptors====
In addition to its affinity for the androgen receptor, DHEA has also been found to bind to (and activate) the [[Estrogen receptor alpha|ERα]] and [[Estrogen receptor beta|ERβ]] [[estrogen receptor]]s with K<sub>i</sub> values of 1.1 μM and 0.5 μM, respectively, and [[EC50|EC<sub>50</sub>]] values of >1 μM and 200 nM, respectively. Though it was found to be a partial agonist of the ERα with a maximal efficacy of 30–70%, the concentrations required for this degree of activation make it unlikely that the activity of DHEA at this receptor is physiologically meaningful. Remarkably however, DHEA acts as a full agonist of the ERβ with a maximal response similar to or actually slightly greater than that of [[estradiol]], and its levels in circulation and local tissues in the human body are high enough to activate the receptor to the same degree as that seen with circulating estradiol levels at somewhat higher than their maximal, non-[[ovulation|ovulatory]] concentrations; indeed, when combined with estradiol with both at levels equivalent to those of their physiological concentrations, overall activation of the ERβ was doubled.<ref name="pmid16684650" /><ref name="pmid15994348" />