DHEA may be the best-known hormone most people have never heard of. It comes from your adrenal glands and serves as a raw material for hormones like testosterone and oestrogen. The value peaks around your twenties and declines steadily after that, which makes DHEA a regular topic in conversations about ageing.
This article explains what DHEA is, why it declines over the years, and what a high or low value can mean. And above all: where to stay level-headed.
What is DHEA?
DHEA stands for dehydroepiandrosterone, a hormone your adrenal glands produce. It's a precursor hormone, which means your body uses it as a building block to make other hormones, including testosterone and oestrogen.
In blood, DHEA sulphate is usually measured, abbreviated DHEA-S. That form is more stable and gives a more reliable picture than DHEA itself.
Both men and women have DHEA. It's part of the normal hormonal household and is nothing special on its own.
Why does DHEA decline with age?
DHEA reaches a peak around your twenties on average and then declines gradually, year after year. By seventy the value is often only a fraction of what it was at twenty. That's a normal part of getting older.
That very decline makes DHEA popular in the longevity corner. The idea that supplementing turns back the clock sounds appealing.
Stay critical of that. A lower DHEA is partly just part of your age and is not a disease on its own.
What can a DHEA value mean?
A DHEA value only gains meaning in the right context: your age, your symptoms and your other hormones. A single number says little without that picture.
| DHEA value | What it may relate to |
|---|---|
| Lower than expected for your age | Often age-related; sometimes adrenal function is looked at further |
| Higher than expected | May be a reason to look at the adrenal gland or other hormones |
| Within the expected range | Usually a reassuring sign, in combination with the rest |
Note: this is not an interpretation of your personal result. What a value means for you is something you decide together with your GP.
The NHG, the Dutch college of general practitioners, stresses that single hormone values rarely stand alone. They belong to a bigger whole.
DHEA supplements: sensible or not?
DHEA is sold as a supplement in some countries, and big promises about energy and rejuvenation circulate online. The evidence for those is mixed and nowhere near as strong as the marketing suggests.
Besides, DHEA is a hormone, not an innocent little vitamin. Supplementing can affect other hormones, and what suits one person doesn't automatically apply to another.
Considering something like this? Then discuss it with your GP first, especially if you already take medication.
How does DHEA fit the bigger picture?
DHEA is one of several hormones that together form your hormonal balance. For men you often look at it alongside testosterone, free testosterone and SHBG.
The broader overview is in the pillar men's hormones. How SHBG affects your testosterone is in SHBG explained.
If you want these values measured, a men's hormone test brings a set of relevant hormones into view.
Frequently asked questions about DHEA
Is a low DHEA dangerous? Usually not on its own. A lower value often fits your age. Discuss complaints with your GP.
Should I have DHEA tested? That depends on your situation and symptoms. We don't give testing advice; your GP can help decide whether it's useful.
Does DHEA raise your testosterone? DHEA is a building block for testosterone, but supplementing doesn't lead to a higher or healthier testosterone value in everyone.
Is DHEA the same as testosterone? No. DHEA is a precursor your body can make testosterone from, among others, but it's a separate hormone.
Does every hormone test measure DHEA? Not always. Whether DHEA is included depends on the chosen test and your situation.
What you can do with this
DHEA is an interesting hormone, but no miracle and no age meter. See a value as a puzzle piece, not a final verdict. Doubt a result or have complaints? Discuss it with your GP.
Every blood test result at Vitalcheck includes a professional assessment by a BIG-registered doctor. A blood value is not a diagnosis: always discuss symptoms and treatment decisions with your GP.
References
- NHG. Dutch College of General Practitioners: hormonal diagnostics and adrenal gland. Accessed 2026.
- RIVM. Public health and care: health and age. Accessed 2026.
- Vermeulen A, Verdonck L, Kaufman JM. A critical evaluation of simple methods for the estimation of free testosterone in serum. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1999. PMID: 10523012.
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