What happens when DHEA levels are too high?

A high level of DHEA-S could mean you might have: Adrenal cancer or tumors. Cushing’s disease, which can cause fat on the back of the neck and on the belly, full face, skin bruising, and excess hair growth. Adrenal hyperplasia, a condition that makes your adrenal gland overactive.

What causes DHEA levels to be high?

An increase in DHEA-sulfate may be due to: A common genetic disorder called congenital adrenal hyperplasia. A tumor of the adrenal gland, which can be benign or be a cancer. A common problem in women younger than 50, called polycystic ovary syndrome.

What are normal DHEAS for children?

Premature adrenarche (PA) is defined biochemically by concentrations of DHEAS above the prepubertal level before the age of 8 years in girls and 9 years in boys: 40 µg/dL (1.08 µmol/L) are within normal limits for early puberty but above average for children 6–8 years of age [3].

Does high DHEA mean cancer?

Extremely high levels (>700 or 800 ug/dL) in women are suggestive of a hormone-secreting adrenal tumor. By contrast, DHEA-S04 levels are typically normal in the presence of ovarian tumors.

What are the symptoms of high DHEA?

Symptoms of high levels of DHEAS in women and girls may include:

Excess body and facial hair growth.
Deepening of voice.
Menstrual irregularities.
Acne.
Increased muscularity.
Hair loss at the top of the head.

What is the treatment for high DHEA sulfate levels?

In the case of an adrenal tumor, you may need surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy. If you have congenital adrenal hyperplasia or polycystic ovary syndrome, you may require hormone therapy to stabilize your level of DHEA.

What does it mean to have high DHEA sulfate?

If your level of DHEA-S is high, it means that your body is making too much of the hormones. This excess may be related to adrenal cancer, tumors, or excess growth of adrenal hormone-producing tissue (hyperplasia). If your DHEA level is low, it may mean that your adrenal glands are not making enough hormones.

What is considered a high DHEA-S level?

Mild elevations in adults are usually idiopathic, but levels of 600 mcg/dL or more can suggest the presence of an androgen-secreting adrenal tumor. DHEA-S levels are elevated in more than 90% of patients with such tumors, usually well above 600 mcg/dL.

How do you lower DHEA levels?

Drugs that can decrease or lower the levels of DHEA in the body include:

Antipsychotic medications, including chlorpromazine (Thorazine) and quetiapine (Seroquel)
Budesonide (Pulmicort)
Estrogens.
Oral contraceptives (birth control pills)
Dexamethasone (Decadron)
Metformin (Glucophage)

Can stress cause high DHEA levels?

These data show that DHEAS concentrations increase in response to both acute and chronic (repeated) stress and provide another measure of HPA activity that parallels cortisol during acute responses to stress but diverges in chronic or repeated stress.

What causes high or low levels of DHEA-S?

An excess of DHEA-S may be caused by congenital adrenal hyperplasia (a condition present from birth in which the adrenal glands make too much androgen and not enough of other steroid hormones) or some other adrenal problems. Low levels of DHEA-S may be present if the adrenal glands are damaged or diseased.

How are serum DHEA levels measured in children?

Methods: Serum DHEA-S concentrations were measured in 531 healthy (291 female) Turkish children aged 1 month-18 years by an automated chemiluminescence method. Pubic hair development was evaluated. DHEA-S concentrations >108·4 nmol/l (40 μg/dl) were regarded as adrenarche.

What happens to DHEA levels in premature adrenarche?

In premature adrenarche, only the adrenal androgens, chiefly DHEA-S, will be above prepubertal levels, whereas early puberty will also show a fall in SHBG levels and variable elevations of gonadotropins and gonadal sex-steroids above the prepuberty reference range. Levels of DHEA-S do not show significant diurnal variation.

Where does DHEA-S come from during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, DHEA-S and its 16-hydroxylated metabolites are secreted by the fetal adrenal gland in large quantities. They serve as precursors for placental production of the dominant pregnancy estrogen, estriol. Within weeks after birth, DHEA-S levels fall by 80% or more and remain low until the onset of adrenarche.