DHEA sulfate test

This test measures the levels of DHEA Sulfate (DHEAS) in your blood. DHEAS stands for dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate. DHEAS is primarily produced in the adrenal glands, two small glands located above your kidneys. Your adrenal glands help control your heart rate, blood pressure, and other body functions. They produce different types of hormones that you need to stay healthy. This includes cortisol, a hormone that helps your immune system, and DHEAS, a steroid hormone.

DHEAS is a type of androgen (male sex hormone), but it is found in both men and women. Smaller amounts of DHEAS are produced in the testicles and ovaries.

DHEAS plays an important role in the production of the male sex hormone testosterone and the female sex hormone estrogen. DHEAS helps in the development of male sexual characteristics at puberty and in reproduction for both genders. Your DHEAS levels peak around puberty and then decrease with age.

If your DHEAS levels aren't normal, it could mean there's a problem with your adrenal glands or sex hormones (estrogen or testosterone).

Other names: DHEAS, DHEA-S, DHEA, DHEA-SO4, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate

A DHEA Sulfate Test (DHEAS) is most often used to:

• Determining if your adrenal glands are working well
• Diagnosing adrenal gland tumors
• Diagnosing testicular or ovarian disorders
• Determining the cause of early or late puberty in boys
• Research the cause of the development of masculine characteristics in women and girls, including excessive body and facial hair growth and a deepening of the voice

A DHEAS test is often done at the same time as other sex hormone tests. These include testosterone tests for men and estrogen tests for women.

You may need this test if you have symptoms of high or low levels of DHEA Sulfate (DHEAS). Men may not have symptoms of high levels of DHEAS.

The symptoms of high levels of DHEAS for women and girls may include:

• Excessive body and facial hair growth
• A deepening of the voice
• Menstrual irregularities
• Acne
• Becoming very muscular
• Hair loss on the top of the head

Baby girls may also need testing if they have external genitals that don't seem clearly male or female (ambiguous genitals). Boys may need this test if they show signs of precocious puberty.

Low DHEAS levels can have a variety of causes. If the cause of low DHEAS levels is an adrenal gland disorder, symptoms may include:

• Unexplained weight loss
• Nausea and vomiting
• Vertigo
• Dehydration
• Craving salt

If the cause of low DHEAS levels is related to aging, symptoms may include:

• Decreased libido
• Erectile dysfunction in men
• Thinning of vaginal tissue in women

You don't need any special preparations for a DHEA sulfate test.

There are very few risks in taking a blood test. You may feel a slight pain or bruise where the needle was inserted, but most symptoms go away quickly.

If your results show high levels of DHEAS, this may be a sign of the following conditions:

• Congenital adrenal hyperplasia, an inherited adrenal gland disorder in which the adrenal glands produce too many male sex hormones.
• An adrenal gland tumor. It can be benign (non-cancerous) or cancerous.
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is a common hormonal disorder that affects women of reproductive age. It is one of the main causes of female infertility.
• In rare cases, a high level of DHEAS could be a sign of an ovarian tumor.

If your results show low DHEAS levels, this may be a sign of the following conditions:

• Addison's disease. Addison's disease is a condition in which the adrenal glands cannot produce enough of certain hormones.
• Hypopituitarism, a condition in which the pituitary gland does not produce enough of one or more of the pituitary hormones. Possible symptoms will vary, depending on which hormones are missing.

If you have questions about your results, talk to your provider. To understand the results of a DHEA sulfate test, your provider will consider your symptoms, age, gender, medical history, and the results of other blood tests.

Learn more about lab tests, reference ranges, and understanding results.

Over-the-counter DHEA sulfate supplements are available and are sometimes promoted as anti-aging therapy. However, there is no reliable evidence to support these anti-aging claims. In fact, these supplements can cause serious side effects. If you have questions about DHEA supplements, talk to your provider.

1. Cleveland Clinic: Health Library: Diagnostics and Tests [Internet]. Cleveland (OH): Cleveland Clinic; c2023. Adrenal disorders; [revised June 07, 2021; cited February 16, 2024]; [approximately 8 screens]. Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16717-adrenal-disorders
2. Cleveland Clinic: Health Library: Diagnostics and Tests [Internet]. Cleveland (OH): Cleveland Clinic; c2023. Blood tests; [revised December 06, 2022; cited December 21, 2023]; [approximately 16 screens]. Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/24508-blood-tests
3. Cleveland Clinic: Health Library: Diagnostics and Tests [Internet]. Cleveland (OH): Cleveland Clinic; c2023. DHEAS test (DHEA sulfate test); [revised November 24, 2021; cited February 15, 2024]; [approximately 16 screens]. Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/22148-dheas-test-dhea-sulfate-test
4. Cleveland Clinic: Health Library: Diagnostics and Tests [Internet]. Cleveland (OH): Cleveland Clinic; c2023. Intersex; [revised July 19, 2022; cited February 21, 2024]; [approximately 5 screens]. Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/16324-intersex
5. Labcorp [Internet]. Burlington (NC): Laboratory Corporation of America (r) Holdings; c2023. Patient testing information: dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA); [cited Feb. 15, 2024]; [approximately 6 screens]. Available at: https://www.labcorp.com/tests/004020/dehydroepiandrosterone-dhea-sulfate
6. Mayo Clinic [Internet]. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; c1998-20234. Ambiguous genitals: symptoms and causes; April 18, 2018 [cited December 21, 2023]; [about 10 screens]. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ambiguous-genitalia/symptoms-causes/syc-20369273
7. Mayo Clinic [Internet]. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; c1998-2023. DHEA; Aug 10, 2023 [cited Dec 21, 2023]; [about 4 screens]. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-dhea/art-20364199
8. Mayo Clinic [Internet]. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; c1998-2023. Hypopituitarism; February 13, 2024 [cited February 16, 2024]; [approximately 6 screens]. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hypopituitarism/symptoms-causes/syc-20351645
9. Nemours KidsHealth [Internet]. Jacksonville (FL): The Nemours Foundation; c1995-2023. Blood test: dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S); [revised May 2023; cited December 21, 2023]; [approximately 3 screens]. Available at: https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/test-dheas.html
10. Testing.com [Internet]. Seattle (WA): OneCare Media; c2023. Adrenal gland; [cited December 21, 2023]; [about 1 screen]. Available at: https://www.testing.com/glossary/#adrenal-gland
11. Testing.com [Internet]. Seattle (WA): OneCare Media; c2023. Benin; [cited December 21, 2023]; [about 1 screen]. Available at: https://www.testing.com/glossary/#benign
12. Testing.com [Internet]. Seattle (WA): OneCare Media; c2023. DHEA-S test; [modified January 5, 2023; cited December 21, 2023]; [approximately 9 screens]. Available at: https://www.testing.com/tests/dheas/