# DHEA-S

Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) is the sulfated, long-lasting form of DHEA. Your adrenal cortex (the zona reticularis) secretes it. It is a precursor that your peripheral tissues turn into androgens and estrogens. It has only minor day-night variation, and its blood level is far steadier than DHEA itself. That makes DHEA-S the preferred clinical marker of your adrenal androgen output. It peaks in early adulthood, then falls steeply with age (a process called adrenopause). Lower values are observationally tied to frailty, weaker bones, and poorer immune function. But DHEA supplement trials have largely been null for hard outcomes.

## Sources

- Mazat L, Lafont S, Berr C, Debuire B, Tessier JF, Dartigues JF, Baulieu EE. (2001). Prospective measurements of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate in a cohort of elderly subjects: Relationship to gender, subjective health, smoking habits, and 10-year mortality. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.121177998

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_Canonical: https://longevity-switzerland.com/en/glossary/dhea-s · Part of Longevity Cities · Updated 2026-06-22_