DHEA-S DHEA Sulphate
A hormone from your adrenal glands that the body turns into others.
Also printed asDHEA-Sulfate · DHEAS · DHEA Sulfate · DHEA-SO4
What it measures
An adrenal hormone the body uses as raw material for sex hormones.
Falls steadily with age and with long-running stress; it is read as a marker of adrenal reserve rather than treated directly.
Why it matters for how long you stay well
It peaks in your twenties and falls steadily every decade after, more predictably than almost any other hormone, which makes it a rough marker of how your adrenal reserve is ageing.
How it shows up in daily life
You will not feel this one directly; it works through the hormones your body makes out of it.
High and low readings
When it reads high
Usually unremarkable; a large excess prompts an adrenal review.
When it reads low
Falls with age and with chronic stress.
What moves it
Daily life
- age
- long-running stress
- sleep
- weight
Medicines known to shift it
- steroids (lower it)
Listed so a result can be read in context. It is not advice to start, stop or change any medicine; that decision belongs with your physician.
Common questions
What does DHEA Sulphate measure?
An adrenal hormone the body uses as raw material for sex hormones. Falls steadily with age and with long-running stress; it is read as a marker of adrenal reserve rather than treated directly.
What does a high DHEA-S result usually mean?
Usually unremarkable; a large excess prompts an adrenal review.
What does a low DHEA-S result usually mean?
Falls with age and with chronic stress.
What is the usual reference range for DHEA-S?
A broad adult reference band is 80–560 µg/dL. Labs differ, so read your result against the band printed on your own report.
Educational only, not a diagnosis. A single number means little without your history and the rest of your panel, so discuss your own results with your physician.
Typical adult reference band
- Adults
- 80–560 µg/dL
Labs differ. The band printed on your own report is the one that applies to your result.
Reported in µg/dL
Ageing relevance
4/5
A strong independent predictor of illness and mortality in large cohorts.
Worth knowing
It falls more predictably with age than almost any other hormone in the body.
Have a report with this marker on it? Read it in context.
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