DHEA, the acronym for dehdydroepiandrosterone, and DHEA sulfate, or DHEA-S, are hormones normally produced in the body. Both DHEA and DHEA-S are steroid hormones that the body uses as a starting point in the production of other hormones in both men and women. Although they sound similar, there are several important differences between DHEA and DHEA-S.
Molecular Structure
One difference between DHEA and DHEA-S is the structure of these molecules. DHEA-S and DHEA are identical in molecular structure, but DHEA-S has an attached sulfate molecule. The sulfate molecule contains one sulfur atom and four oxygen atoms and is often written by scientists as SO4.
Origin
The body can alter DHEA to make DHEA-S and can also convert DHEA-S into DHEA. DHEA-S is made naturally from DHEA in the liver by the addition of a sulfate molecule. However, in people who take DHEA supplements, the conversion to DHEA-S occurs in the cells of the intestine. The body produces much more DHEA-S compared to DHEA each day: While the body makes only about 1 to 2 mg of DHEA, it produces between 10 and 15 mg of DHEA-S.
Stability
DHEA-S is much more stable in the body than DHEA. This is because the kidneys remove DHEA and DHEA-S from the blood but clear DHEA-S at a much slower rate that DHEA, leaving more DHEA-S remaining in the body. If your doctor suspects that you may have a deficiency in DHEA or DHEA-S, the level of DHEA-S will likely be tested due to its stability. DHEA levels naturally decline as a person ages. Abnormal DHEA and DHEA-S levels may be due to certain health conditions, such as adrenal cancer or polycystic ovary syndrome.
Hormone Precursors
In comparing DHEA to DHEA-S, another important difference is the type of hormone made from DHEA vs. DHEA-S. DHEA is the precursor to the male sex hormone testosterone. In contrast, DHEA-S is the hormone building block from which estriol, a type of estrogen, is made. Estrogens are a class of female sex hormone. Sex hormones contribute to the distinct characteristics between males and females. For example, testosterone supports growth of facial hair in men, and estrogen promotes breast growth in women.
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