DHEA-S, short for dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, is a hormone made mostly by your adrenal glands, and your body uses it as a building block for testosterone and oestrogen. It stays steady through the day, peaks in early adulthood and drifts down with age. A high result can come with PCOS, while a low one may reflect lower adrenal output, and since normal changes so much with age, we look for a result in the top 45% of the lab's range for your age. DHEA-S is in the Male Hormone Health Test ($199) and the Perimenopause Hormone Test, both private with no Medicare rebate.
Vively's health team can help you test Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate (DHEA-S). You start with the Baseline Health Check, then add this test.
Every marker in range? Get your $99 back. T&Cs apply.Want to save 25%? Try our 4-Month Reset insteadDHEA-S is the sulfated (more stable) form of the adrenal hormone DHEA. It is mostly produced in the adrenal cortex and circulates at much higher concentrations than active DHEA. It serves as a “pool” hormone that can convert into androgens or estrogens in peripheral tissues and also modulates neural function.
Because DHEA-S links adrenal output with hormonal balance, it provides insight into how your body handles stress, maintains metabolic flexibility, and supports sex hormone reserves. Over years, maintaining a robust (but not excessive) DHEA-S level may help preserve energy, lean mass, mood stability, and hormonal adaptability as you age, especially in the absence of overt disease. Monitoring it helps you catch drift before functional decline becomes entrenched.
There is no single lab range for DHEA-S. Levels fall with age and differ between men and women, and each lab sets its own age bands, so check the range printed on your report.
Vively’s optimal is the top 45% of the lab range on your report. It starts at the low end plus 55% of the range and runs up to the high end.
For example, if your report shows 0.4 to 6.5 µmol/L, the range is 6.1 wide. 55% of 6.1 is about 3.4, so the optimal runs from about 3.8 to 6.5 µmol/L.
Key modulators include:
A result outside the optimal range is not a diagnosis. Below optimal is a prompt to look at sleep, stress, recovery and nutrition. Above the lab range is a reason to see your GP.
This information is provided for general health and wellness purposes only and does not replace medical advice.
Among 1,825 Vively members tested in 2024 to 2026, women aged 40 to 49 had a median DHEA-S of 2.7 µmol/L (middle half 2.0 to 3.9). Men the same age: 4.0 µmol/L. The lab range for women aged 40 to 49 is 0.7 to 6.5 µmol/L. A member median is not a target.
The line is the median member at each age. The shaded bands show where most members sit. Lab ranges for this marker change with age, so they are in the table.
| Group (µmol/L) | Members | Median | Middle 50% | 5th to 95th percentile | Lab range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women 18 to 29 | 66 | 4.5 | 3.5 to 6.2 | 2.2 to 10.0 | 1.2 to 10.3 |
| Women 30 to 39 | 294 | 3.7 | 2.7 to 4.9 | 1.2 to 7.1 | 1.2 to 10.3 |
| Women 40 to 49 | 381 | 2.7 | 2.0 to 3.9 | 1.0 to 6.3 | 0.7 to 6.5 |
| Women 50 to 59 | 273 | 2.0 | 1.2 to 3.0 | 0.8 to 5.0 | 0.7 to 6.5 |
| Women 60 and over | 124 | 1.3 | 0.8 to 2.1 | 0.3 to 3.8 | 0.5 to 5.0 |
| Men 18 to 29 | 73 | 6.6 | 5.0 to 9.0 | 3.2 to 12.0 | 3.3 to 17.4 |
| Men 30 to 39 | 195 | 5.4 | 4.0 to 7.2 | 2.6 to 10.0 | 3.3 to 17.4 |
| Men 40 to 49 | 236 | 4.0 | 2.8 to 5.2 | 1.5 to 8.1 | 1.9 to 4.4 |
| Men 50 to 59 | 122 | 2.9 | 2.0 to 4.0 | 1.0 to 6.6 | 1.9 to 4.4 |
| Men 60 and over | 61 | 1.6 | 1.0 to 2.6 | 0.7 to 5.4 | 0.8 to 7.9 |
Pick your sex and age, then type your result.
What is a normal DHEA-S level for my age?
Among 1,825 Vively members (first blood test, January 2024 to October 2026), the median DHEA-S for women was 4.5 µmol/L at 18 to 29, 3.7 at 30 to 39, 2.7 at 40 to 49, 2.0 at 50 to 59 and 1.3 at 60 and over. For men it was 6.6 µmol/L at 18 to 29, 5.4 at 30 to 39, 4.0 at 40 to 49, 2.9 at 50 to 59 and 1.6 at 60 and over.
Lab ranges for DHEA-S change with age, so check the range printed on your own report. A member median is not a target or a diagnosis. If your result is outside the range on your report, talk to your GP.
How to get it: Available as one of our specialty add-on tests. Your test referral is issued straight away when you order. See how a blood test without a referral works.
Add-on test: DHEA-S Test
Related tests: DHEA, Free Androgen Index (FAI), Cortisol/DHEA-S Ratio, Bioavailable testosterone
Learn more: What your DHEA-S results can mean; What your hormone results can mean
The Baseline Health Check reads 70+ markers, then your dietitian turns your results into a plan. $99 a month, first test included.
Every marker in range? Get your $99 back. T&Cs apply.