Dhea Sulfate
A hormone made by the adrenal glands that the body can convert into other sex hormones. Tends to decline with age.
What Dhea Sulfate measures
DHEA-sulfate (DHEA-S) is an androgen precursor produced mainly by the adrenal glands. The body can convert it along pathways toward other sex hormones, so it acts as a kind of raw material rather than a finished hormone.
Because DHEA-S comes so largely from the adrenals, it is commonly used as a marker of adrenal androgen production. It also tends to be fairly stable through the day, which makes it a convenient single measurement.
Levels follow a strong age pattern: they are typically highest in young adulthood and then decline steadily as people get older. For this reason, results are always read against age-appropriate expectations alongside other hormones and the overall clinical picture.
What a high Dhea Sulfate can mean
A high DHEA-S generally points toward increased adrenal androgen production, though the reasons vary and the result is never read in isolation.
- In women, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common cause of mildly raised levels.
- Less commonly, other adrenal conditions can drive higher values, and these are what a clinician looks to rule out when levels are markedly elevated.
Signs sometimes linked to androgen excess include acne and hirsutism (unwanted hair growth), but these features can have many causes on their own.
A single high reading is not a diagnosis. It is interpreted together with other hormones, the age-expected range, symptoms, and the wider clinical context, so any next steps are best discussed with a clinician.
What a low Dhea Sulfate can mean
A low DHEA-S is very often simply a feature of normal aging, since levels decline naturally over the years and lower values are expected later in life.
Beyond age, a low result can sometimes relate to adrenal underactivity or to certain medications such as steroids, which can suppress adrenal output.
- Because DHEA-S reflects adrenal activity, it is usually read alongside other adrenal and hormone tests rather than on its own.
- The meaning depends heavily on age, symptoms, and any treatments a person is taking.
A single low value does not diagnose a condition. If it is unexpected or paired with symptoms, a clinician can interpret it in context and decide whether any further assessment is worthwhile.
Track your Dhea Sulfate over time in Quanome — it reads your lab reports (PDF or photo) on your device, charts each marker against its range, and an AI coach explains what your trends mean alongside your Apple Health and DNA.