Types

• Dehydro epiandrosterone (DHEA) is a steroid produced by the adrenal glands and is the most abundant one found in humans. The circulating DHEAS originates almost entirely from the adrenals, though in men some may derive from testes, partly accounting for the sex difference, which emerges at about age 15. The ovaries even under pathological c...

Description

Males:

• 80 -560 mcg/dl

Females:

• Pre menopausal : 35 – 430 mcg/dl
• Post menopausal : 10 -190 mcg/dl

When to get Tested

• To evaluate adrenal gland function
• When a girl or woman has symptoms related to developing masculine physical characteristics ( deeper voice, hirsutism, male pattern baldness, Muscularity, Enlargement of adams apple, Acne)
• Ambiguous genitalia in girls
• s/s such as amenorrhoea and Infertility

Elevated Level

• Congenital adrenal hyperplasia
• Cushing’s syndrome
• Adrenal carcinoma
• Virilizing tumors of the adrenals
• In Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, DHEA-S is usually normal for chronological age and high for bone age
• Polycystic ovary syndrome

Decreased Level

• Hyperthyroidism
• Autoimmune disorders, such as Graves disease
• Autoimmune Tendency
• SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus)
• Myasthenia Gravis
• Ulcerative Colitis
• Chronic Fatigue syndrome
• Addison disease
• Weakened Immune System