Lab result explainedHormonesLast updated November 8, 2026

DHEA-S blood test: what high and low DHEA sulfate levels mean

DHEA-sulfate (DHEA-S) · Adrenal and androgen panel (often with testosterone, cortisol, 17-hydroxyprogesterone) · reported in µg/dL (mcg/dL); 1 µmol/L = 37 µg/dL

DHEA-sulfate (DHEA-S) is the most abundant steroid hormone in the blood and comes almost entirely from the adrenal glands, the small glands on top of each kidney. It is a weak androgen that tissues convert into testosterone and estrogen as needed, and because nearly all of it is made by the adrenals, a DHEA-S blood test is the standard way to ask whether the adrenal glands are producing too much or too little androgen. It is ordered mainly in women with acne, excess hair or irregular periods to distinguish an adrenal from an ovarian source, in children with early puberty, and when an adrenal tumour or adrenal insufficiency is suspected.

The single most important fact about DHEA-S is that it depends on age. It is low in childhood, rises sharply from about age 6 to 8 (adrenarche, the trigger for body odour and pubic hair), peaks in the early 20s at roughly 100 to 450 µg/dL and then falls by about 2 to 3 percent a year, so that by 70 to 80 most people have 10 to 20 percent of their peak. A DHEA-S of 100 µg/dL is normal at 60 and low at 25. Every result has to be read against the range for your age and sex, and most labs print age-banded ranges for exactly this reason.

Because DHEA-S is stable through the day and from day to day, unlike cortisol or testosterone, a single sample is reliable. Mild elevations are common and usually reflect PCOS, where the adrenals contribute to androgen excess in 20 to 30 percent of women, or non-classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia. A value above about 700 µg/dL in an adult woman, particularly with rapid onset of symptoms, raises the possibility of an adrenal tumour and leads to imaging. Low values are the expected result of ageing and of steroid medication, and are a useful clue to adrenal insufficiency when cortisol is borderline.

DHEA-S at a glance

  • What it is: the sulfated form of DHEA, a weak androgen made almost entirely by the adrenal glands; a direct readout of adrenal androgen production.
  • Normal depends on age: women about 45–330 µg/dL at 18–29, 30–230 at 30–39, 20–240 at 40–49, 15–200 at 50–59, 15–160 at 60–69 and roughly 10–90 over 70; men about 90–460 at 18–29 falling to 25–130 at 60–69. Labs differ; 1 µmol/L = 37 µg/dL.
  • High DHEA-S: PCOS (usually under 600–700), non-classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia, Cushing's disease, DHEA supplements; above 700 µg/dL in an adult woman needs adrenal imaging to exclude a tumour.
  • Low DHEA-S: normal ageing, glucocorticoid medicines (prednisone, inhaled or injected steroids), adrenal insufficiency (Addison's or pituitary), chronic illness, anorexia, oral estrogen.
  • DHEA supplements (25–50 mg a day) reliably raise the blood level to young-adult values but randomised trials in healthy older adults show no meaningful benefit for strength, cognition, mood or well-being.
  • Next step: compare with the age range, read alongside total testosterone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone and cortisol, and image the adrenals only if the value is very high or symptoms are rapid.

Have your whole report? Paste it into the free Lab Explainer

Every marker explained in plain language, in context with the others, with questions to bring to your appointment. No account needed.

What DHEA-S measures

DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) is made in the zona reticularis, the innermost layer of the adrenal cortex, under the control of ACTH from the pituitary, with a small contribution (around 10 to 20 percent) from the ovaries and testes. The adrenal attaches a sulfate group to most of it, producing DHEA-S, which circulates at concentrations roughly 300 times higher than DHEA, bound loosely to albumin, with a half-life of 10 to 20 hours. DHEA itself has a half-life of only 15 to 30 minutes and follows the daily cortisol rhythm, which is why DHEA-S, not DHEA, is the test used in practice. DHEA-S has little hormonal activity of its own; peripheral tissues (skin, fat, bone, brain, prostate) take it up, strip off the sulfate and convert it to testosterone, dihydrotestosterone or estradiol locally.

The test measures DHEA-S in serum by immunoassay or mass spectrometry, reported in µg/dL in the US and µmol/L elsewhere (multiply µg/dL by 0.0271 to get µmol/L). There is no meaningful daily rhythm and no need to fast or time the sample to the menstrual cycle, which makes it one of the most reproducible hormone tests. Results are compared with age- and sex-specific ranges, since the normal value at 20 is four to five times the normal value at 70.

Adrenal androgens follow a life course of their own. Levels are high at birth from the fetal adrenal, fall to near zero in infancy, rise again at adrenarche around age 6 to 8 independent of puberty, peak at 20 to 25 and then decline steadily, a pattern sometimes called adrenopause. Men run about 20 to 30 percent higher than women at every age. Because of this decline, DHEA-S has been studied for decades as a marker of biological ageing; low levels in older adults are associated with frailty, cardiovascular disease and mortality in observational studies, but the trials of replacement have not shown that raising it changes those outcomes.

Normal range for DHEA-S

Reference ranges vary between labs and by age, sex and pregnancy. Use the range printed on your own report.

GroupTypical range (µg/dL (mcg/dL); 1 µmol/L = 37 µg/dL)Notes
Women, 18 to 29About 45–330 µg/dLPeak lifetime values. Age-banded ranges differ between labs; use the band on your report.
Women, 30 to 39About 30–230 µg/dLDeclining 2 to 3 percent a year from the mid-20s.
Women, 40 to 49About 20–240 µg/dLA value above 350 in this age group is usually PCOS or non-classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia; above 700 prompts imaging.
Women, 50 to 69About 15–200 µg/dL (50s), 15–160 (60s)Falls through menopause for reasons of age, not ovarian failure; the ovary contributes little DHEA-S.
Women and men, 70 and overRoughly 10–90 µg/dL (women), 10–130 (men)Typically 10 to 20 percent of young-adult values. Low is expected and not a deficiency disease.
Men, 18 to 29About 90–460 µg/dLMen run 20 to 30 percent higher than women at every age.
Men, 30 to 49About 65–335 µg/dL (30s), 50–245 (40s)Values over 700 in men are rare and warrant investigation.
Men, 50 to 69About 35–180 µg/dL (50s), 25–130 (60s)
Children before adrenarche (1 to 6)Below about 50 µg/dLA rise before age 8 in girls or 9 in boys with pubic hair or body odour is premature adrenarche; values over 200 to 300 in a young child need urgent adrenal assessment.

High DHEA-S

A high DHEA-S tells you the extra androgen is coming from the adrenal glands rather than the ovaries or testes. How high matters. Mild elevations, up to about 1.5 to 2 times the upper limit for age (typically 350 to 600 µg/dL in a woman of reproductive age), are most often part of PCOS, in which 20 to 30 percent of women have adrenal as well as ovarian androgen excess, or of non-classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia (NCCAH), an inherited partial deficiency of the 21-hydroxylase enzyme that affects around 1 in 100 to 1 in 200 people of European descent and more in some populations. The two are distinguished by a morning 17-hydroxyprogesterone, which is high in NCCAH.

A DHEA-S above about 700 µg/dL in an adult woman, or any level with rapidly progressive symptoms (hair growth over months rather than years, deepening voice, clitoral enlargement, male-pattern balding), raises the concern of an adrenal tumour and leads to CT or MRI of the adrenals. Most such tumours are benign adenomas, but adrenal carcinomas typically produce very high DHEA-S along with cortisol or other steroids. Cushing's disease (a pituitary tumour making ACTH) raises DHEA-S moderately because ACTH drives the whole adrenal cortex, whereas an adrenal adenoma making cortisol suppresses ACTH and lowers DHEA-S, a distinction clinicians use.

In men a high DHEA-S rarely causes symptoms, because its androgen effect is dwarfed by testicular testosterone, but it has the same list of causes and the same threshold for imaging. In anyone, the simplest explanation for a high DHEA-S is taking DHEA as a supplement; 50 mg a day pushes the level to or above the young-adult range within weeks, and many preparations sold for libido, mood or anti-ageing contain it.

Common causes

  1. Polycystic ovary syndrome

    Adrenal androgen excess accompanies ovarian excess in 20 to 30 percent of women with PCOS, thought to reflect an exaggerated adrenal response to ACTH; DHEA-S is usually mildly raised (under 600 to 700 µg/dL) with a normal 17-hydroxyprogesterone and normal cortisol.

  2. Non-classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia

    A partial 21-hydroxylase deficiency shunts cortisol precursors into androgens. It presents in adolescence or adulthood with acne, excess hair, irregular periods or infertility, mimicking PCOS; a morning follicular-phase 17-hydroxyprogesterone above 200 ng/dL (confirmed by an ACTH stimulation test) makes the diagnosis.

  3. Adrenal tumours

    Androgen-secreting adenomas and adrenal carcinomas can produce DHEA-S of 700 to over 1,000 µg/dL, usually with symptoms developing over months. Carcinomas often also make cortisol, giving a mixed picture, and are more common in children and in adults over 40.

  4. Cushing's disease and ectopic ACTH

    ACTH excess from a pituitary tumour or an ACTH-producing cancer stimulates the whole adrenal cortex, raising cortisol and DHEA-S together; weight gain, easy bruising, thin skin, muscle weakness and high blood pressure accompany it.

  5. DHEA supplements and some other products

    Over-the-counter DHEA (commonly 25 to 100 mg) and some bodybuilding or libido products raise DHEA-S, often to above the reference range. Androstenedione and some prohormones do the same.

  6. Premature adrenarche in children

    Early activation of adrenal androgen production before 8 in girls or 9 in boys causes pubic hair, body odour and acne with a modestly raised DHEA-S for age; it is usually benign but is associated with later PCOS and insulin resistance.

  7. Hyperprolactinemia

    High prolactin modestly increases adrenal androgen output in some women, and DHEA-S normalises when prolactin is treated.

  8. Obesity, insulin resistance and stress

    Hyperinsulinaemia and chronic stress each increase adrenal androgen output slightly; the effect is small but can nudge a value over the upper limit.

  9. Rare genetic enzyme defects

    Other forms of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (11-beta-hydroxylase and 3-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiencies) and certain sulfotransferase variants raise DHEA-S; these are uncommon and usually diagnosed in childhood.

Symptoms that can go with it

  • Acne and oily skin, often along the jaw, chest and back
  • Excess coarse hair on the face, chest, abdomen or back (hirsutism)
  • Thinning scalp hair in a male pattern
  • Irregular, infrequent or absent periods and difficulty conceiving
  • Deepening voice, enlargement of the clitoris, increased muscle bulk or loss of breast tissue, which signal a rapidly progressive, usually tumour-related excess
  • Early pubic hair, body odour or acne in a child under 8 or 9
  • Weight gain in the face and trunk, purple stretch marks, easy bruising and muscle weakness if the cause is Cushing's
  • Often none in men

Low DHEA-S

A low DHEA-S is, far more often than not, a normal consequence of age or medication rather than a disease. Levels fall by about 2 to 3 percent a year from the mid-20s, so a 65-year-old with a DHEA-S of 40 µg/dL is simply average for their age. Glucocorticoid medicines are the next most common cause: prednisone, dexamethasone, hydrocortisone, and to a lesser extent high-dose inhaled, injected or potent topical steroids suppress ACTH, and the adrenal androgen layer is the most sensitive part of the gland to that suppression. DHEA-S can stay low for months after a long steroid course.

The situation in which a low DHEA-S carries real diagnostic weight is suspected adrenal insufficiency. In primary adrenal failure (Addison's disease) the whole cortex is destroyed, and in secondary insufficiency from pituitary disease the adrenals wither for lack of ACTH; in both, DHEA-S is low, often undetectable. A clearly normal DHEA-S for age makes adrenal insufficiency unlikely and can spare some people an ACTH stimulation test, while a low value in someone with fatigue, weight loss, low blood pressure, salt craving or darkening skin strengthens the case for formal testing of cortisol.

Low DHEA-S is also seen in chronic illness, anorexia nervosa, hypothyroidism and in women taking oral estrogen, and in observational studies it is associated with frailty, depression, osteoporosis and cardiovascular death in older adults. Those associations drove decades of enthusiasm for DHEA replacement, but randomised trials have not shown that raising DHEA-S improves strength, bone, mood, cognition, sexual function or quality of life in healthy older adults. A low DHEA-S in someone who feels well and is not on steroids is not a condition that needs treatment.

Common causes

  1. Normal ageing

    DHEA-S peaks at 20 to 25 and falls to 10 to 20 percent of that by 70 to 80. This is universal and is the single most common reason for a result that looks low against a young-adult range; always compare with the age band.

  2. Glucocorticoid medicines

    Prednisone, dexamethasone, hydrocortisone, methylprednisolone and repeated steroid injections suppress ACTH; high-dose inhaled steroids (fluticasone in particular) and potent topical steroids over large areas can do the same. DHEA-S falls within days and may take months to recover after long courses.

  3. Primary adrenal insufficiency (Addison's disease)

    Autoimmune destruction, tuberculosis, haemorrhage or infiltration of the adrenals removes cortisol, aldosterone and DHEA-S together; DHEA-S is usually very low or undetectable and remains low on standard hydrocortisone replacement.

  4. Secondary adrenal insufficiency (pituitary or hypothalamic)

    Pituitary tumours, surgery, radiation, Sheehan syndrome, head injury and long-term opioid use reduce ACTH; DHEA-S is low while aldosterone is preserved, and other pituitary hormones are often affected.

  5. Chronic and critical illness

    Prolonged illness, heart failure, advanced kidney disease, HIV and long intensive-care stays shift adrenal output towards cortisol and away from DHEA-S, which can fall by half or more.

  6. Anorexia nervosa and severe under-nutrition

    Adrenal androgen production falls with low energy availability, contributing to the bone loss seen in eating disorders; levels recover with weight restoration.

  7. Oral estrogen and some other medicines

    The combined pill and oral HRT lower DHEA-S by about 20 to 30 percent; opioids, some antipsychotics, ketoconazole and other steroid-synthesis inhibitors also lower it.

  8. Hypothyroidism and hyperprolactinemia-related pituitary disease

    Untreated hypothyroidism modestly lowers DHEA-S, and large prolactinomas can compress the pituitary enough to reduce ACTH.

  9. Cortisol-producing adrenal adenoma

    An adenoma making cortisol switches off ACTH, so the opposite adrenal and the rest of the gland stop making DHEA-S; a low DHEA-S with high cortisol points to an adrenal rather than pituitary cause of Cushing's.

Symptoms that can go with it

  • Usually none; a low DHEA-S for age does not produce symptoms on its own
  • Fatigue, weakness, weight loss, nausea, dizziness on standing, salt craving and darkening of skin creases or gums, which together suggest adrenal insufficiency
  • Low libido, dry skin and reduced body hair in women with adrenal insufficiency, since the adrenals are their main androgen source
  • Low mood and reduced sense of well-being reported in some women with Addison's disease
  • Bone loss and fractures over time in long-term adrenal insufficiency or anorexia
  • Symptoms of the underlying illness or steroid treatment rather than of the DHEA-S itself

Read it alongside

  • Total testosterone — an ovarian or testicular source raises testosterone with a normal DHEA-S; an adrenal source raises DHEA-S, often with testosterone too.
  • 17-hydroxyprogesterone — a morning follicular-phase value above 200 ng/dL points to non-classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia as the cause of a high DHEA-S.
  • Morning cortisol and ACTH — low DHEA-S with a low cortisol suggests adrenal insufficiency; high DHEA-S with high cortisol suggests ACTH-driven Cushing's.
  • Androstenedione — rises alongside DHEA-S in adrenal causes and in PCOS; helps when DHEA-S is borderline.
  • SHBG and free androgen index — show how much of the androgen load is actually active in women with acne or hirsutism.
  • LH and FSH — an LH:FSH ratio above 2 supports PCOS as the overall picture when DHEA-S is mildly raised.
  • Prolactin — a treatable contributor to both mildly raised DHEA-S and irregular periods.
  • Sodium and potassium — low sodium with high potassium alongside a low DHEA-S strengthens the suspicion of Addison's disease.

What usually happens next

  1. Check which age band your lab used; a result flagged high or low against an all-adult range may be normal for your age, and vice versa.
  2. For a mildly raised DHEA-S in a woman with acne, hair growth or irregular periods, expect a morning (day 3 to 5) 17-hydroxyprogesterone to exclude non-classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia, plus testosterone, SHBG, prolactin and TSH as part of a PCOS assessment.
  3. A DHEA-S above about 700 µg/dL, or any level with rapid virilisation, leads to adrenal CT or MRI and usually a cortisol assessment; this should not wait months.
  4. If DHEA-S is low and you have fatigue, weight loss, low blood pressure, nausea or darkening skin, ask about a morning cortisol and, if borderline, an ACTH stimulation test; if you take steroid medicines, that is the likely explanation and the question is whether a taper is needed.
  5. If you take a DHEA supplement, stop it for at least 4 weeks before retesting and tell the clinician, since it is the commonest cause of an unexplained high value.
  6. A low DHEA-S in a healthy older adult does not need treatment or repeat testing; the evidence does not support replacement to prevent ageing-related decline.

Diet, lifestyle and natural levers with evidence

What can move DHEA-S once the cause is known. Nothing here replaces finding the cause.

DHEA supplementation (for raising a low level)

Moderate evidence

Oral DHEA at 25 to 50 mg a day raises DHEA-S into the young-adult range within two to four weeks in almost everyone; that part of the evidence is strong. What it does for health is a different question. In the two-year DHEAge trial (280 people aged 60 to 79) and a two-year Mayo Clinic trial (144 older adults), DHEA produced no meaningful improvement in strength, body composition, insulin sensitivity, quality of life or cognition, with only a small rise in bone density in older women. A Cochrane review in peri- and postmenopausal women found no benefit for well-being or cognition and only a small, uncertain effect on sexual function. A meta-analysis in women with adrenal insufficiency found a small improvement in depression and anxiety scores but not in sexual function or quality of life. Vaginal DHEA (prasterone) is an approved prescription treatment for painful intercourse after menopause and works locally without raising blood androgens much.

Acne, oily skin, facial hair and scalp hair loss in women; lowers HDL cholesterol; may affect hormone-sensitive cancers (breast, prostate) and is avoided with them; banned in competitive sport; interacts with tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors. Quality of over-the-counter products varies.

Weight loss and insulin-sensitising lifestyle change in PCOS

Moderate evidence

In women with PCOS and excess weight, lifestyle programmes producing 5 to 10 percent weight loss lower total and free testosterone and the free androgen index in meta-analysis, and in several trials DHEA-S fell by 10 to 20 percent as insulin improved. Metformin trials show a similar modest fall in adrenal androgens, supporting insulin as a driver of the adrenal component in PCOS.

Regular moderate exercise

Preliminary evidence

Acute exercise raises DHEA-S transiently, and small training studies in older adults (for example 12 weeks of resistance or aerobic training) have reported rises of 10 to 20 percent in resting DHEA-S, but other trials found no change and none has shown that the rise matters clinically. Exercise has clear benefits for the outcomes DHEA was hoped to improve (strength, bone, mood, insulin sensitivity), independent of any hormone change.

Stress reduction and sleep

Preliminary evidence

Chronic stress shifts adrenal output towards cortisol and away from DHEA, and several small trials of meditation or mindfulness programmes (8 to 12 weeks) reported higher DHEA-S or a higher DHEA-S to cortisol ratio afterwards, while sleep deprivation studies show acute falls. The studies are small, use mixed methods and have not been linked to health outcomes.

Adequate energy intake in restrictive eating

Moderate evidence

In anorexia nervosa, DHEA-S is low and rises with weight restoration; in a randomised trial in young women with anorexia, DHEA combined with low-dose estrogen over 18 months prevented bone loss compared with placebo, though DHEA alone did not. Restoring intake and weight is the lever with consistent evidence; the hormone changes follow it.

When to see a clinician promptly

  • Low DHEA-S with severe weakness, vomiting, confusion, a blood pressure that drops on standing or collapse: possible adrenal crisis, which is an emergency needing immediate hydrocortisone.
  • A DHEA-S above about 700 µg/dL in an adult, or any raised value with symptoms progressing over weeks to months (deepening voice, rapid hair growth, clitoral enlargement, balding): adrenal tumour must be excluded promptly.
  • Pubic hair, body odour, acne or growth spurt in a child under 8 (girls) or 9 (boys), especially if DHEA-S is over 200 to 300 µg/dL.
  • Unexplained fatigue, weight loss, salt craving, nausea and darkening skin with a low DHEA-S, to be tested for adrenal insufficiency.
  • Long-term steroid medicine (more than 3 to 4 weeks) that you want to stop, since abrupt withdrawal can precipitate adrenal insufficiency; tapering needs supervision.
  • New acne, hair growth or irregular periods with a mildly raised DHEA-S, for a structured PCOS and congenital adrenal hyperplasia assessment rather than self-treatment.

Frequently asked questions

What is a normal DHEA-S level by age?

Roughly: women 45 to 330 µg/dL at 18 to 29, 30 to 230 at 30 to 39, 20 to 240 at 40 to 49, 15 to 200 in the 50s, 15 to 160 in the 60s and about 10 to 90 over 70. Men run about 20 to 30 percent higher: around 90 to 460 at 18 to 29, falling to 25 to 130 in the 60s. These bands vary between labs, so use the age range printed on your report. If your result is in µmol/L, multiply by 37 to get µg/dL.

What does a high DHEA-S mean in a woman?

That extra androgen is coming from the adrenal glands. Mild elevations, up to about 1.5 to 2 times the upper limit for age, usually reflect PCOS (where 20 to 30 percent of women have an adrenal contribution) or non-classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia, which is tested for with 17-hydroxyprogesterone. A value above about 700 µg/dL, or symptoms that are progressing quickly, raises the question of an adrenal tumour and leads to imaging. Taking a DHEA supplement is the commonest innocent cause.

Is DHEA-S high in PCOS?

In a minority. Around 20 to 30 percent of women with PCOS have a raised DHEA-S, usually mild (under 600 to 700 µg/dL), alongside raised ovarian androgens; the remainder have a normal value. A high DHEA-S does not confirm PCOS and a normal one does not exclude it. Its main job in the PCOS work-up is to flag the adrenal component and to make sure congenital adrenal hyperplasia and adrenal tumours are not being missed.

What causes low DHEA-S?

Most often age: levels fall 2 to 3 percent a year from the mid-20s, so low values are normal in older adults. Steroid medicines such as prednisone, and high-dose inhaled or injected steroids, suppress it within days. Genuinely important causes are adrenal insufficiency (Addison's disease or pituitary failure), where DHEA-S is usually very low along with cortisol, and chronic illness, anorexia and oral estrogen lower it more modestly.

Should I take a DHEA supplement if my level is low?

For healthy adults with an age-appropriate low level, the evidence says no. Two-year randomised trials in older adults found DHEA raised blood levels but did not improve strength, body fat, insulin sensitivity, mood, cognition or quality of life, and a Cochrane review in menopausal women found no benefit for well-being. Side effects include acne, facial hair, lower HDL and concern in hormone-sensitive cancers. The exceptions with some supporting evidence are women with adrenal insufficiency (small improvements in mood) and vaginal prasterone for painful intercourse after menopause, both under medical supervision.

Does DHEA help fertility or IVF?

The evidence is weak. Small trials in women with poor ovarian response to IVF, using 75 mg a day for 6 to 12 weeks before a cycle, reported more eggs or higher pregnancy rates in some but not others, and a Cochrane review judged the evidence low quality and the effect on live birth uncertain. It is not recommended routinely, and in women with PCOS, who already have androgen excess, it is likely to be unhelpful.

Does DHEA-S need to be tested fasting or at a particular time?

No. DHEA-S has a long half-life and no daily rhythm or cycle variation, so it can be drawn at any time without fasting, which is one reason it is preferred over DHEA or testosterone for assessing adrenal androgens. Tell the lab about DHEA supplements, steroid medicines (tablets, inhalers, creams, injections) and oral contraceptives or HRT, all of which change the result.

Can stress raise or lower DHEA-S?

Both have been reported but the effects are small. Acute stress raises DHEA alongside cortisol for hours; chronic stress tends to shift adrenal output towards cortisol and lower DHEA-S modestly, and depression and burnout have been associated with lower DHEA-S to cortisol ratios in some studies. Stress does not produce the large elevations seen in congenital adrenal hyperplasia or tumours, nor the very low values of adrenal insufficiency, so it should not be used to explain a markedly abnormal result.

References

  1. DHEA sulfate test. MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine (2023)View source
  2. Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), serum: clinical and interpretive information. Mayo Clinic Laboratories (2024)
  3. DHEA. Mayo Clinic, Drugs and Supplements (2023)View source
  4. Orentreich N, Brind JL, Rizer RL, Vogelman JH. Age changes and sex differences in serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate concentrations throughout adulthood. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (1984)
  5. Nair KS, Rizza RA, O'Brien P, et al.. DHEA in elderly women and DHEA or testosterone in elderly men. New England Journal of Medicine (2006)
  6. Baulieu EE, Thomas G, Legrain S, et al.. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), DHEA sulfate, and aging: contribution of the DHEAge study to a sociobiomedical issue. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2000)
  7. Scheffers CS, Armstrong S, Cantineau AE, Farquhar C, Jordan V. Dehydroepiandrosterone for women in the peri- or postmenopausal phase. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2015)
  8. Alkatib AA, Cosma M, Elamin MB, et al.. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials of DHEA treatment effects on quality of life in women with adrenal insufficiency. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (2009)
  9. Bornstein SR, Allolio B, Arlt W, et al.. Diagnosis and treatment of primary adrenal insufficiency: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (2016)
  10. Speiser PW, Arlt W, Auchus RJ, et al.. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to steroid 21-hydroxylase deficiency: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (2018)
  11. Teede HJ, Tay CT, Laven JJE, et al.. Recommendations from the 2023 international evidence-based guideline for the assessment and management of polycystic ovary syndrome. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (2023)
  12. Overview of adrenal function. Merck Manual Professional Version (2024)

Related markers

Related conditions

Evidence guides

Worried about your number?

Ask AskMN what your DHEA-S result could mean in the context of your other results, symptoms and medications. Free, unlimited, no account needed.

Ask about my DHEA-S

This page is educational and is not medical advice or a diagnosis. Lab results have to be interpreted together with your history, symptoms and other results by a clinician who knows you. Do not start or stop a supplement to change a lab value before the cause is known.