This test measures the levels of DHEA sulfate (DHEAS) in your blood. DHEAS stands for dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate. DHEAS is a male sex hormone that is found in both men and women. DHEAS plays an important role in making the male sex hormone testosterone and the female sex hormone estrogen. It’s also involved in the development of male sexual characteristics at puberty.
DHEAS is mostly made in the adrenal glands, two small glands located above your kidneys. They help control heart rate, blood pressure, and other body functions. Smaller amounts of DHEAS are made in a man’s testicles and in a woman’s ovaries. If your DHEAS levels are not normal, it may mean there is a problem with your adrenal glands or sex organs (testicles or ovaries.)
Other names: DHEAS, DHEA-S, DHEA, DHEA-SO4, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate
A DHEA sulfate (DHEAS) test is most often used to:
Find out if your adrenal glands are working right
Diagnose tumors of the adrenal glands
Diagnose disorders of the testicles or ovaries
Find out the cause of early puberty in boys
Find out the cause of excess body hair growth and development of masculine features in women and girls
A DHEAS test is often done along with 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 levels or low levels of DHEA sulfate (DHEAS). Men may not have any symptoms of high levels of DHEAS. Symptoms of high levels of DHEAS in women and girls may include:
Excess body and facial hair growth
Deepening of voice
Menstrual irregularities
Acne
Increased muscularity
Hair loss at the top of the head
Babies may also need testing if they have genitals that are not clearly male or female in appearance (ambiguous genitalia). Boys may need this test if they have signs of early puberty.
Symptoms of low levels of DHEAS may include the following signs of an adrenal gland disorder:
Unexplained weight loss
Nausea and vomiting
Dizziness
Dehydration
Craving for salt
Other symptoms of low DHEAS are related to aging and may include:
Decreased sex drive
Erectile dysfunction in men
Thinning of vaginal tissues in women
A health care professional will take a blood sample from a vein in your arm, using a small needle. After the needle is inserted, a small amount of blood will be collected into a test tube or vial. You may feel a little sting when the needle goes in or out. This usually takes less than five minutes.
You don’t need any special preparations for a DHEA sulfate test.
There is very little risk to having a blood test. You may have slight pain or bruising at the spot where the needle was put in, but most symptoms go away quickly.
If your results show high levels of DHEA sulfate (DHEAS), it may mean you have one of the following conditions:
Congenital adrenal hyperplasia, an inherited disorder of the adrenal glands
A tumor of the adrenal gland. It may be benign (noncancerous) or cancerous.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is a common hormone disorder affecting childbearing women. It is one of the leading causes of female infertility.
If your results show low levels of DHEAS, it may mean you have one of the following conditions:
Addison disease. Addison disease is a disorder in which the adrenal glands are not able to make enough of certain hormones.
Hypopituitarism, a condition in which the pituitary gland does not make enough pituitary hormones
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