DHEA Testing

DHEA-S stands for Dehydroepiandrosterone –sulfate is a steroid hormone produced mainly by the adrenal cortex, the outer part of the adrenal glands that are located just above the kidneys. It is produced by both male and females. DHEA-s serves as building block for making the male sex hormones testosterone and the female sex hormone estrogen, and this test measures the amount of DHEA-S hormones in the blood stream.

Doctors will order DHEA-S test:

• When they want to check the functioning level of the adrenal glands. Overproduction in boys and girls might show an appearance of puberty related characteristics earlier than expected.
• Test to rule out certain diseases of the testes or ovaries, diagnose damage or disease of the pituitary glands because adrenal production of DHEA-S is ultimately controlled by the pituitary hormones.