DHEA-Sulfate Test
A DHEA-sulfate test measures DHEA-S, a hormone produced largely by the adrenal glands. Clinicians use it to help evaluate adrenal activity and its place in the broader hormone picture.
About this test
DHEA-sulfate, often written DHEA-S, is a hormone made mostly by the adrenal glands, which sit atop the kidneys. It serves as a kind of reservoir the body can draw on, and it is a building block the body can use in making other hormones, including certain sex hormones.
The DHEA-sulfate test is performed with a routine blood draw at a patient service center, where a phlebotomist collects a sample from a vein in the arm and sends it to the laboratory. DHEA-S tends to be more stable across the day than some hormones, though it does change with age and other factors, so a clinician reviews a result in context.
Who might consider this test?
- Others consider it as part of a wider hormonal review, or because a clinician suggested a closer look at the adrenal contribution.
Test details
| Quest code | 402 |
|---|---|
| Methodology | Immunoassay |
| Sample type | 1 mL serum |
| Collection | Quest patient service center |
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Additional details
What DHEA-sulfate reflects
DHEA-S comes largely from the adrenal glands, so measuring it gives a clinician a fairly direct look at adrenal hormone output. The body can also use DHEA as a raw material in making other hormones, which is why DHEA-S is sometimes considered when the broader hormone picture is being explored. It describes one important source within a larger system.
Levels of DHEA-S naturally change over a person's lifetime and can be influenced by other factors, so a single result is a snapshot rather than a fixed value. A clinician interprets it in the context of age, symptoms, and any other markers ordered at the same time.
How it fits with other hormone tests
DHEA-S is frequently considered alongside other markers rather than on its own. Because it can point to the adrenal contribution specifically, a clinician may read it next to other sex-hormone or adrenal markers to understand where activity is originating. Interpreted together, these markers give more context about the hormonal picture than DHEA-S measured alone.
Order online and a physician order is included — no doctor's visit and no insurance needed. Your sample is collected at a Quest Diagnostics patient service center.
Laboratory results should always be interpreted by a licensed clinician who knows your health history. This page is information about a test, not medical advice.
Frequently asked questions
What does a DHEA-sulfate test measure?
It measures DHEA-S, a hormone made largely by the adrenal glands. Clinicians use it to help evaluate adrenal hormone activity and its place in the broader hormone picture.
Why is DHEA-S linked to the adrenal glands?
DHEA-S is produced mostly by the adrenal glands, so measuring it gives a clinician a fairly direct look at adrenal hormone output compared with markers that come from several sources.
Does DHEA-S change over time?
Yes. DHEA-S levels naturally change over a person's lifetime and can be influenced by other factors, so a clinician interprets a result in the context of age and other information.
How is the sample collected?
Through a routine blood draw at a patient service center. A phlebotomist takes a small sample from a vein in the arm and sends it to the laboratory.
Is DHEA-S measured with other hormones?
Often. A clinician may read it alongside other sex-hormone or adrenal markers to understand where hormone activity may be originating.
How much does the DHEA Sulfate test cost?
The cash price at Celio Health is $49. That covers the physician's order and sample collection at a Quest patient service center — no insurance is needed and there's no separate doctor's visit to pay for.