Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) is a male sex hormone produced in the adrenal cortex and belongs to the group of androgenic 17-ketosteroids.In women, DHEA is additionally synthesized 20-30% in the ovaries and 10% by peripheral conversion.DHEA, like the other sex hormones, is synthesized from cholesterol and metabolized (metabolized) to DHEA-S in the liver. It is not subject to circadian rhythms like most sex hormones.Since DHEA-S and DHEA are in equilibrium, DHEA-S should always be determined because of less fluctuation and equal significance. For women, DHEA-S is an essential building block of androgen synthesis (testosterone).
The procedure
Material needed
- Blood serum
Preparation of the patient
- No preparation necessary
Disruptive factors
- None known
Normal values in women
| Age | Normal values in µg/dl |
| 1st week of life (LW) | 108-607 |
| 1ST-4TH LW | 31,6-431 |
| 1-12 months of age (LM). | 3,4-124 |
| 1st-4th year of life (LY) | 0,47-19,4 |
| 5-10TH LY | 2,8-85,2 |
| 10-14 LJ | 33,9-280 |
| 15-19 LJ | 65,1-368 |
| 20-24 LY | 148-407 |
| 25-34 LJ | 98,8-340 |
| 35TH-44TH LY | 60,9-337 |
| 45TH-54TH LY | 35,4-256 |
| 55TH-64TH LY | 18,9-205 |
| 65TH-74TH LY. | 9,4-246 |
| > 75TH LY | 12-154 |
Normal values in men
| Age | Normal values in µg/dl |
| 1st week of life (LW) | 108-607 |
| 1ST-4TH LW | 31,6-431 |
| 1-12 months of age (LM). | 3,4-124 |
| 1st-4th year of life (LY) | 0,47-19,4 |
| 5-10TH LY | 2,8-85,2 |
| 10-14 LJ | 24,4-247 |
| 15-19 LY | 70,2-492 |
| 20-24 LJ | 211-492 |
| 25-34 LJ | 160-449 |
| 35TH-44TH LY | 88,9-427 |
| 45TH-54TH LY | 44,3-331 |
| 55TH-64TH LY | 51,7-295 |
| 65TH-74TH LY | 33,6-249 |
| > 75TH LY | 16,2-12 |
Yellow indicates the normal range (therapeutic range) for DHEA substitution therapy.
Indications
- Adrenal insufficiency (e.g., 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 in women (masculinization)
- 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 hyperplasia
- Adrenocortical tumors
Interpretation of decreased values
- Adrenal insufficiency (e.g. adrenopause).
Other indications
- DHEA-S (not DHEA) should be determined for diagnostic purposes, as it is in equilibrium with DHEA-S and is informative, but at the same time is subject to less fluctuation than DHEA.
- In individuals with adrenocortical insufficiency, therapy with DHEA may show positive effects on quality of life (highlighted in yellow above the therapeutic range of DHEA substitution).
