Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA; more specifically 5,6-didehydroepiandrosterone, also known as androstenolone or androst-5-en-3β-ol-17-one, as well as prasterone) is a weak male sex hormone (steroid hormone) produced in the adrenal cortex (zona reticularis).
The formation of DHEA is stimulated here by adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which is secreted by the pituitary gland. In women, DHEA is additionally synthesized (20-30%) in the ovaries and about 10% is formed by peripheral conversion.
Furthermore, DHEA is produced in smaller amounts in glial cells (supporting tissue of the nervous system) in the brain and testes. Like the other sex hormones, it is synthesized from cholesterol. Analogous to cortisol, DHEA is subject to circadian rhythms.
For women, DHEA is an essential component of androgen synthesis (testosterone).
It should be determined for diagnostic purposes DHEA-S, because it is equally informative, but at the same time is subject to smaller fluctuations.
The procedure
Material needed
- Blood serum
Preparation of the patient
- No preparation necessary
Disruptive factors
- None known
Standard values
| Age | Normal values in ng/ml |
| 1-5 years of age (LY) | 0,2-0,7 |
| 6TH-8TH LJ | 0,14-1,58 |
| 8-10 LY | 0,08-2,2 |
| 10TH-12TH LY | 0,22-2,54 |
| 12-14 LJ | 0,46-5,44 |
| 14-16 LJ | 0,42-9,31 |
| Adult women | 1,0-8,0 |
| Adult men | 1,5-9,0 |
Indications
- Adrenal insufficiency (including adrenopause).
- Adrenogenital syndrome (AGS) – autosomal recessive inherited metabolic disease characterized by disorders of hormone synthesis in the adrenal cortex. These disorders lead to a deficiency of aldosterone and cortisol.
- Hirsutism – male hair type.
- Virilization of women – masculinization associated with, among other things, beard growth, hair loss and deepening of the voice.
- Suspicion of androgen-related ovarian failure.
- Adrenocortical tumors
Interpretation
Interpretation of elevated values in women
- Adrenogenital syndrome (AGS).
- Genetic defects in steroid biosynthesis.
- Hirsutism
- Adrenocortical hyperplasia – enlargement of the adrenal cortex.
- Adrenocortical tumors
- Virilization
Interpretation of increased values in men
- Adrenogenital syndrome (AGS) – disease caused by a disturbance in the synthesis of steroids.
- Genetic defects in steroid biosynthesis.
- Adrenocortical hyperplasias
- Adrenocortical tumors
Interpretation of decreased values
- Adrenal insufficiency (including adrenopause).
Other notes
- In individuals with adrenocortical insufficiency, therapy with DHEA may show positive effects on quality of life
