DHEA-S test at home in Dubai
DHEA-S is a hormone made mainly by the adrenal glands. It is a building block for other sex hormones and is measured for everyone on the screen.
What the test measures
DHEAS. Dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate, a stable form of an adrenal hormone that the body can convert into testosterone and oestrogen. It reflects how much androgen the adrenal glands are making.
Who should test
Most of the body's androgens in women, and a share in men, start life as DHEA from the adrenal glands. Its sulphate form, DHEA-S, circulates in large amounts and stays fairly steady through the day. That makes it a practical single marker of adrenal androgen output, unlike cortisol or testosterone, which swing more from hour to hour.
Levels peak in the twenties and fall gradually with age, so a result is always read against an age-matched range. In women, a raised DHEA-S is often looked at alongside testosterone when there is acne, excess hair growth, thinning scalp hair or irregular periods, as in polycystic ovary syndrome. In anyone, it adds context to tiredness, low libido and the rest of the Hormone Profile.
- Adult acne or oily skin
- Excess facial or body hair
- Thinning hair on the scalp
- Irregular periods or a diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome
- Low energy or libido alongside other hormone changes
How to prepare
- DHEA-S is stable through the day, but a morning draw keeps it comparable with the other hormones on the screen.
- Follow the fasting instructions for the full screen.
- Tell your consultant about any hormone supplements or steroid medicines, including creams and inhalers, as these can change the result.
Reading your results
Units and ranges
Labs report DHEA-S in µmol/L or µg/dL. Ranges depend heavily on age and sex and vary by lab, so a number that is normal at 50 may be low at 25.
If it comes back high
A raised DHEA-S is commonly linked with polycystic ovary syndrome and can go with acne and excess hair growth. A very high level is uncommon and is a reason to speak to your own doctor, as it can rarely point to a problem in the adrenal glands.
If it comes back low
Lower levels are expected with age. A low result for your age can be linked with long-term steroid medicines, chronic illness or, rarely, reduced adrenal or pituitary function. Your consultant reads it alongside cortisol and your other hormones.
Reference ranges differ between labs, and a single result is a snapshot. Your consultant reads every value against your history and the rest of the screen, not in isolation.
How the home test works
This test is part of Baseline’s full blood screen: 122 parameters across ten systems from one draw, for AED 850, with results in 48 hours. It is not sold as a single test, because the result means more next to everything else.
- Nurse comes to you. A licensed phlebotomist visits your home or office, 7 days a week, anywhere in the UAE.
- Accredited lab. Samples are processed by a CAP-accredited laboratory (College of American Pathologists), also accredited to ISO 15189, against clinical reference ranges.
- Reviewed with you. Results land in your account in Baseline format, and your consultant walks you through them on video, never a PDF dumped in your inbox.
Ranges are the lab’s own. Your consultant goes through what they mean with you.
Your results arrive in the Baseline app, every marker against the lab’s own range, checked by your consultant before you see them. The values above are an example.
Questions
- What is the difference between DHEA and DHEA-S?
- DHEA-S is the sulphate form of DHEA. It circulates in much larger amounts and is far more stable through the day, so it is the form usually measured in a blood test.
- Does DHEA-S fall with age?
- Yes. It peaks in early adulthood and declines steadily after that, which is why results are always compared with a range for your age.
- Why is DHEA-S tested in women with acne or excess hair?
- Because it is an androgen source. Read with testosterone, it helps show whether raised androgens are part of the picture and whether they are mainly adrenal or ovarian in origin.
- Can I book a DHEA-S test on its own?
- No. DHEA-S is part of the Hormone Profile in the full home screen, measured from the same single draw as everything else.
Related tests
This page is general information, not a diagnosis. If you feel unwell, or your symptoms are new or getting worse, speak to a doctor.
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