Jul 16, 2025
What DHEAS Levels Say About Aging In Women
DHEAS is a powerful hormone that signals how your body is aging from the inside out.
Written by
Mito Team
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 crucial precursor to both estrogen and testosterone, especially for women after menopause. What makes DHEAS so interesting? It's steady decline with age. That makes it one of the most reliable biomarkers of aging in women.
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.
In women, DHEAS plays a 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 the hormonal foundation that helps maintain balance across many systems.
How DHEAS Levels Change With Age
DHEAS levels rise in childhood, peak between the ages of 20 and 30, and decline steadily after that. By the time you reach your 70s or 80s, you’ll experience adrenopause, where your DHEAS levels can drop by 10 to 20% of what they were in your early adulthood.
Here’s a quick look at normal DHEA levels by age in women:
Ages 20 to 30: 65 to 380 mcg/dL
Ages 40 to 50: 32 to 200 mcg/dL
Ages 60 and up: 10 to 100 mcg/dL
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, you might notice subtle or not-so-subtle changes in your body. Here are some of the areas most affected by low DHEA sulfate in females:
1. Bone and Muscle Health: Low DHEAS levels have been linked to decreased bone density and muscle mass. This raises the risk for osteopenia, osteoporosis, and sarcopenia.
2. Brain and Mood: While studies are still developing, low DHEAS in women may have something to do with cognitive decline and depressive symptoms. Some studies suggest DHEA has neuroprotective and mood-balancing properties.
3. Cardiovascular Health: Lower DHEAS levels are associated with a higher risk of heart disease and atherosclerosis.
4. Immune Function: DHEAS also supports immune health. As levels fall, your immune system could weaken—a process also known as immunosenescence.
5. Sexual Health: Low DHEA Sulfate leads to low libido in women and vaginal dryness. In some cases, intravaginal DHEA is used to treat genitourinary symptoms of menopause.
6. Metabolic Changes: Women with low DHEA sulfate may experience blood sugar instability and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
DHEAS As a Reliable Biomarker of Aging
Because of its predictable age-related decline and long half-life in the bloodstream, DHEAS is considered a strong biomarker of aging. A DHEAS test for females is easy to run through routine bloodwork and gives useful insight into adrenal function and overall hormone health.
When tracking your biological age, a low DHEAS level is one of the signs your body may be aging faster on the inside, even if you still feel young on the outside.
When DHEAS Is Too High
While most aging women are concerned about low levels, elevated DHEA in females can happen, too. This may point to adrenal imbalances, PCOS, or certain tumors. Signs include acne, unwanted hair growth, and irregular periods. It’s important to identify the root cause.
There are ways to support the body if DHEAS is too high. Lifestyle strategies and foods to lower DHEA levels, such as anti-inflammatory, plant-based diets, may help. If needed, work with a healthcare provider on how to lower DHEA naturally.
Should You Take a DHEA Supplement?
Some women consider supplements as a way to restore normal DHEA levels in females. While there is some promising research, it’s not a cure-all. DHEA is a hormone, and supplementing it affects your body in powerful ways.
That’s why it’s important to understand how to treat low DHEA levels in females naturally before taking pills and supplements.
Here are some research-backed ways to support healthy levels of DHEAS:
Get enough sleep
Manage chronic stress because high cortisol can suppress DHEA
Do strength training or resistance workouts
Eat nutrient-dense foods with healthy fats
Address adrenal fatigue if present
If supplementation is needed, it should be done under the medical guidance of your doctor because of its potential side effects, including androgen excess or hormone-sensitive conditions.
Track Your Hormones, Know Your Health
The only way to know your DHEAS levels is through testing. If you suspect low DHEA in women or want a clearer picture of how your body is aging, start with lab work. Mito Health’s comprehensive blood testing includes DHEAS so you can monitor your progress over time.
Pair that with lifestyle changes and regular check-ins to support hormonal health, naturally.
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. Testing your normal DHEA sulfate levels in females is a smart step toward aging with awareness.
