Biomarkers

What DHEAS Levels Say About Aging In Women

DHEAS is a powerful hormone that signals how your body is aging from the inside out.

Published

July 16, 2025

Last updated

October 7, 2026

Read time

7 min read

Medically reviewed by

Rhonda Collins, FNP-C

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Aging isn’t just about fine lines and fatigue. Beneath the surface, your hormones are shifting, and one hormone in particular plays a starring role: DHEAS.

Short for dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, DHEAS is one of the most abundant steroid hormones in the body. It’s a precursor to both estrogen and testosterone, which matters more for women after menopause. What makes DHEAS so interesting? Its steady decline with age. That makes it one of the most widely used hormonal markers of aging in women.

TL;DR

In women, DHEAS peaks in your 20s, then declines and levels off in your 50s and 60s. By your 70s or 80s it can be as low as 10 to 20% of young-adult levels. Normal ranges are age-specific: roughly 45 to 320 µg/dL in your 20s, falling to below 145 µg/dL after 59 on one widely used reference. A result above 700 µg/dL is the level at which an adrenal tumor should be ruled out. Low DHEAS has been associated with changes in bone, muscle, sexual function and heart health, though the evidence is mostly observational. Testing DHEAS alongside cortisol and sex hormones gives the clearest picture.

What Does DHEA Do for Women?

DHEAS is produced mostly by your adrenal glands, with smaller amounts from your ovaries. It circulates in the blood and is converted into sex hormones by your tissues when needed. This process, called intracrinology, is important especially after menopause, when your ovaries stop producing estrogen (Tang et al., 2021).

Researchers have studied DHEAS for its supporting role in:

• Bone strength

• Muscle mass

• Cognitive performance

• Libido and vaginal health

• Mood and resilience to stress

• Immune function

You can think of it as a hormonal reservoir your body draws on across many systems.

How DHEAS Levels Change With Age

DHEAS levels in women rise from about age 7 or 8, peak in the 20s, then decrease and plateau in the 50s and 60s (Sharma and Welt, 2021). By your 70s or 80s, levels can be as low as 10 to 20% of what they were in early adulthood, a change sometimes called adrenopause (Samaras et al., 2013).

Here are normal DHEAS levels by age in women, from the MedlinePlus reference ranges:

Ranges vary by lab and assay. Labcorp, for example, uses narrower age bands, from 110 to 432 µg/dL for women aged 20 to 24 down to 13.9 to 142.8 µg/dL for women 75 and older (Labcorp). Always read your result against the range printed on your own lab report.

What DHEAS Level Is Concerning?

• Low for your age: below your lab’s range for your age group. Low DHEAS can be seen with adrenal insufficiency (including Addison disease), hypopituitarism, or glucocorticoid medicines (MedlinePlus). A gradual fall within the range is expected with age.

• High for your age: above your lab’s upper limit for your age group. Elevated DHEAS is associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), congenital adrenal hyperplasia, and adrenal tumors, so it usually prompts an evaluation for those causes (MedlinePlus).

• Very high: above 700 µg/dL. At this level, an adrenal tumor should be ruled out (Sharma and Welt, 2021).

For causes, symptoms and next steps when a result is elevated, see our guide to high DHEAS levels.

Routine blood tests for women help you track your DHEA sulfate levels and spot if they’re outside the normal range for your age.

What Happens When DHEAS Levels Drop?

As DHEAS declines with age, researchers have looked for links with several age-related changes. Most of this evidence is observational, so it shows associations rather than proof that low DHEAS causes them (Samaras et al., 2013):

1. Bone and Muscle Health: Low DHEA levels have been studied in relation to osteoporosis and sarcopenia, the age-related loss of bone density and muscle mass.

2. Brain and Mood: Low DHEAS has been implicated in age-related cognitive decline, but a clear link during normal human aging has not been convincingly shown (Sorwell and Urbanski, 2010).

3. Cardiovascular Health: Low DHEA levels have been examined as a possible factor in cardiovascular disease (Samaras et al., 2013), though DHEA supplements have not shown a definite effect on it (Tang et al., 2021).

4. Immune Function: DHEAS has been studied in immune aging, also known as immunosenescence. In one study of healthy blood donors, DHEAS fell with age in both women and men, but its link with the inflammatory marker IL-6 appeared only in men (Young et al., 1999).

5. Sexual Health: Low DHEA has been studied in relation to sexual disorders with aging (Samaras et al., 2013). Intravaginal DHEA has shown significant benefit for women with severe vulvovaginal symptoms of menopause (Tang et al., 2021).

DHEAS As a Reliable Biomarker of Aging

Because its concentration is high in young adulthood and then declines markedly, DHEAS is generally regarded as a reliable endocrine marker of aging (Urbanski et al., 2013). A DHEAS test for females is easy to run through routine bloodwork and gives useful insight into adrenal function and overall hormone health.

A DHEAS level that is low for your age is one piece of information about how your body is aging, best read alongside your other results rather than on its own.

When DHEAS Is Too High

While most aging women are concerned about low levels, high DHEAS can happen, too. It can come from PCOS, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, an adrenal tumor, or DHEA supplements, and may show up as acne, unwanted hair growth, or irregular periods (MedlinePlus; Sharma and Welt, 2021). Our guide to elevated DHEA in females covers the causes, the follow-up tests, and how a high result is treated.

Should You Take a DHEA Supplement?

Some women consider supplements as a way to restore normal DHEA levels. DHEA is a hormone, not a cure-all. Studies have reported benefits for some menopausal symptoms, bone and muscle, but no definite effect on cardiovascular disease, insulin sensitivity, or cognition, and the trials are mostly small and short (Tang et al., 2021). Over-the-counter products are widely used, yet data on the safety of long-term use are still lacking (Samaras et al., 2013), and MedlinePlus notes there is no reliable evidence for DHEA’s anti-aging claims (MedlinePlus).

That’s why it’s worth understanding how to support DHEA levels naturally, including the role of cortisol and chronic stress, before considering pills and supplements.

If you are considering DHEA, talk with a clinician first, because it can raise androgen levels and affect hormone-sensitive conditions.

Track Your Hormones, Know Your Health

The only way to know your DHEAS levels is through testing. A DHEA-sulfate blood test measures the hormone and helps check how your adrenal glands are working (MedlinePlus). If you suspect low DHEA or want a clearer picture of how your body is aging, start with lab work. Mito Health offers a DHEA-Sulfate (DHEA-S) blood test so you can see your level and monitor it over time.

Pair that with lifestyle changes and regular check-ins to support hormonal health.

Your Hormones Are Talking: Listen Closely

DHEAS quietly reflects what’s happening in your body as you age. Whether your levels are low, normal, or elevated, this hormone offers valuable insight into your inner health timeline. Knowing your DHEA sulfate level, and how it compares with normal levels for women your age, is a smart step toward aging with awareness.

References

1. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. DHEA-sulfate test. U.S. National Library of Medicine; reviewed 2026. medlineplus.gov

2. MedlinePlus. DHEA Sulfate Test. U.S. National Library of Medicine. medlineplus.gov

3. Labcorp. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) Sulfate, test 004020. labcorp.com

4. Sharma A, Welt CK. Practical Approach to Hyperandrogenism in Women. Med Clin North Am. 2021;105(6):1099-1116. PMID: 34688417

5. Samaras N, et al. A Review of Age-Related Dehydroepiandrosterone Decline and Its Association with Well-Known Geriatric Syndromes: Is Treatment Beneficial? Rejuvenation Res. 2013;16(4):285-294. PMID: 23647054

6. Tang J, Chen LR, Chen KH. The Utilization of Dehydroepiandrosterone as a Sexual Hormone Precursor in Premenopausal and Postmenopausal Women: An Overview. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2021;15(1):46. PMID: 35056103

7. Sorwell KG, Urbanski HF. Dehydroepiandrosterone and Age-Related Cognitive Decline. Age (Dordr). 2010;32(1):61-67. PMID: 19711196

8. Urbanski HF, et al. Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate (DHEAS) as an Endocrine Marker of Aging in Calorie Restriction Studies. Exp Gerontol. 2013;48(10):1136-1139. PMID: 23318475

9. Young DG, et al. The Influence of Age and Gender on Serum Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulphate (DHEA-S), IL-6, IL-6 Soluble Receptor (IL-6 sR) and Transforming Growth Factor Beta 1 (TGF-β1) Levels in Normal Healthy Blood Donors. Clin Exp Immunol. 1999;117(3):476-481. PMID: 10469050