DHEA - Dehydroepiandrosterone Test

DHEA is produced mostly by the Adrenal glands and a very small quantity from either the Ovaries in women or Testes in men. The precise quantity and balance of this hormone is essential for energy, immunity, controlling sugar, fat metabolism, stress, mood and longevity. Declining DHEA leads to disease, dysfunction, and aging Graph showing how DHEA Declines with Age in both men and women Overview Like all other hormones made by the body, DHEA is synthesized from the precursor Cholesterol. DHEA is referred to as a precursor hormone because it is the starting hormone from which other hormones are produced, including estrogen and testosterone. It has been found to decline progressively with age. The production of DHEA by the body peaks at about age 25 and then steadily declines to about 50% of peak levels at age 40, and less than 10% at age 65. This age-related decline does not occur with any of the other adrenal steroid hormones. In animal studies, supplementing DHEA extended the life sp