What do dhea levels mean

On the day of the test, having your child wear a T-shirt or short-sleeved shirt can make things easier for your child and the technician who will be drawing the blood. A health professional will draw the blood from a vein after cleaning the skin surface with antiseptic and placing an elastic band tourniquet around the upper arm to apply pressure and cause the veins to swell with blood.

A needle is inserted into a vein usually in the arm inside of the elbow or on the back of the hand and blood is withdrawn and collected in a vial or syringe. After the procedure, the elastic band is removed. Once the blood has been collected, the needle is removed and the area is covered with cotton or a bandage to stop the bleeding. Collecting the blood for the test will only take a few minutes.

Collecting a blood sample is only temporarily uncomfortable and can feel like a quick pinprick. Afterward, there may be some mild bruising, which should go away in a day or so. The blood sample will be processed by a machine. The results are commonly available within a few days.

However, as with many medical tests, some problems can occur with having blood drawn, such as:. It is a weak male hormone androgen produced by the adrenal glands in both men and women. No special preparation is necessary. When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain. Others feel only a prick or sting.

Afterward, there may be some throbbing or a slight bruise. This soon goes away. This test is done to check the function of the two adrenal glands. One of these glands sits above each kidney. They are one of the major sources of androgens in women. Although DHEA-sulfate is the most abundant hormone in the body, its exact function is still not known.

The DHEA-sulfate test is often done in women who show signs of having excess male hormones. Some of these signs are male body changes, excess hair growth, oily skin, acne, irregular periods, or problems becoming pregnant. It may also be done in women who are concerned about low libido or decreased sexual satisfaction who have pituitary or adrenal gland disorders. The test is also done in children who are maturing too early precocious puberty.

Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or test different specimens. DHEAS is a male sex hormone that is found in both men and women. DHEAS plays an important role in making the male sex hormone testosterone and the female sex hormone estrogen. DHEAS is mostly made in the adrenal glands, two small glands located above your kidneys. They help control heart rate, blood pressure, and other body functions.

If your DHEAS levels are not normal, it may mean there is a problem with your adrenal glands or sex organs testicles or ovaries. These include testosterone tests for men and estrogen tests for women. Babies may also need testing if they have genitals that are not clearly male or female in appearance ambiguous genitalia. Boys may need this test if they have signs of early puberty.

A health care professional will take a blood sample from a vein in your arm, using a small needle. After the needle is inserted, a small amount of blood will be collected into a test tube or vial. You may feel a little sting when the needle goes in or out. This usually takes less than five minutes. There is very little risk to having a blood test. You may have slight pain or bruising at the spot where the needle was put in, but most symptoms go away quickly.

Learn more about laboratory tests, reference ranges, and understanding results. DHEA sulfate levels normally decline with age in both men and women.