How is DHEAS different from DHEA?
When DHEA is metabolized, a chemical called sulfate is added. Sulfate consists of the mineral sulfur combined with oxygen (SO4). Thus DHEAS stands for DHEA-sulfate. DHEA is mostly made in the morning hours. Its levels decline fairly rapidly during the day because it is quickly cleared by the kidneys. However, DHEAS is cleared much more slowly and blood levels remain much more stable throughout the day (Longcope, 1995). About 90% of this hormone in the blood is in the DHEAS form; the rest circulates as DHEA. That is why, when researchers want to assess blood levels for DHEA, they often measure DHEAS levels. When you take DHEA supplements, some will circulate in your bloodstream as DHEA, but most of it will be sulfated by your liver to circulate as DHEAS. Will taking DHEA supplements suppress my adrenal gland’s natural DHEA production? The production of most hormones is controlled by a “feedback loop,” which means that when hormone levels get too high, the body is told to make less, and
