Which tests measure Salivary DHEA (adrenal androgen)?

Salivary DHEA (adrenal androgen) is measured in 4 tests on BiomarkersLabs.com, including Adrenal Function Profile (Salivary Diurnal Cortisol & DHEA), Adrenocortex Stress Profile with Cortisol Awakening Response (ASP with CAR), Saliva Adrenal Stress Profile (Diurnal Cortisol & DHEA).

Biomarker Reference · DHEA

What does the Salivary DHEA (adrenal androgen) test measure?

Q: What is the reference range for Salivary DHEA (adrenal androgen)?

The standard reference range for Salivary DHEA (adrenal androgen) is Reported against age- and sex-specific reference intervals # REVIEWER FLAG: Confirm ZRT salivary DHEA/DHEA-S analyte, units, and age/sex bands; salivary DHEA is less standardised than serum DHEA-S.. Reference ranges vary by laboratory and assay platform — interpret in context of the issuing laboratory's stated range.

Salivary DHEA (adrenal androgen) (DHEA) is a clinical biomarker used in adrenal-stress assessment. DHEA is the principal adrenal androgen precursor; the salivary measurement is taken to reflect its free, diffusible fraction. It is measured in 4 laboratory tests on BiomarkersLabs.com.

Reference Range: Reported against age- and sex-specific reference intervals # REVIEWER FLAG: Confirm ZRT salivary DHEA/DHEA-S analyte, units, and age/sex bands; salivary DHEA is less standardised than serum DHEA-S.
Units: pg/mL, ng/mL, nmol/L
Measured In: 4 tests
Category: Adrenal

Functional medicine optimalAge-adjusted midpoints are often used as targets, with younger adults showing higher values. Functional-medicine protocols sometimes aim for the upper half of the reference range, but evidence for this approach is limited and the marker should be interpreted in the context of symptoms and other adrenal measures.

What is Salivary DHEA (adrenal androgen)?

DHEA is the principal adrenal androgen precursor; the salivary measurement is taken to reflect its free, diffusible fraction. In adrenal profiling it is measured as a counterpoint to cortisol — both are cortical steroids, and their relative output is used in functional practice to characterise overall adrenocortical activity. Salivary DHEA shows its own age-related decline and some diurnal variation, so the collection time is recorded.

Why is Salivary DHEA (adrenal androgen) measured?

Salivary DHEA is included to characterise adrenal androgen output alongside cortisol, and the cortisol-to-DHEA ratio is used in functional practice as an index of 'adrenal reserve'. This application is not clinically validated: salivary DHEA is weakly standardised, correlates imperfectly with serum DHEA-sulfate, and the ratio has no established diagnostic meaning or outcome data. Where adrenal androgen output is the clinical question, serum DHEA-sulfate is the appropriate and better-standardised measure.

Reference ranges

Standard reference: Reported against age- and sex-specific reference intervals # REVIEWER FLAG: Confirm ZRT salivary DHEA/DHEA-S analyte, units, and age/sex bands; salivary DHEA is less standardised than serum DHEA-S.
Functional medicine optimal: Age-adjusted midpoints are often used as targets, with younger adults showing higher values. Functional-medicine protocols sometimes aim for the upper half of the reference range, but evidence for this approach is limited and the marker should be interpreted in the context of symptoms and other adrenal measures.
Units: pg/mL, ng/mL, nmol/L

Reference ranges vary by laboratory and assay platform. Interpret in context of the issuing laboratory's stated range.

Tests that measure Salivary DHEA (adrenal androgen)

4 tests on BiomarkersLabs.com include this biomarker.

BML-ADR-017Comprehensive

Adrenal Function Profile (Salivary Diurnal Cortisol & DHEA)

Salivary DHEA (adrenal androgen) reference range in this test: Reported against age- and sex-specific salivary intervals; an illustrative adult range is on the order of tens to a few hundred pg/mL.

BML-ADR-002Comprehensive

Adrenocortex Stress Profile with Cortisol Awakening Response (ASP with CAR)

Salivary DHEA (adrenal androgen) reference range in this test: Reported against the laboratory's age- and sex-matched reference population; salivary DHEA intervals are less well established than serum DHEA-sulfate intervals

BML-ADR-012Comprehensive

Saliva Adrenal Stress Profile (Diurnal Cortisol & DHEA)

Salivary DHEA (adrenal androgen) reference range in this test: Reported against age- and sex-specific reference intervals # REVIEWER FLAG: Confirm ZRT salivary DHEA/DHEA-S analyte, units, and age/sex bands; salivary DHEA is less standardised than serum DHEA-S.

BML-ADR-005Comprehensive

Saliva LC-MS Hormones 5 Panel

Salivary DHEA (adrenal androgen) reference range in this test: Adult reference ranges approximately 60–400 pg/mL, age- and sex-dependent; DHEA declines with age.

Related clinical conditions

Related Biomarkers

Frequently measured alongside

Salivary Cortisol, Diurnal Profile (multiple timed collections across the day)Diurnal Cortisol2 tests Salivary Cortisol — Morning (on waking)AM Cortisol1 test Salivary Cortisol — MiddayNoon Cortisol2 tests Salivary Cortisol — EveningPM Cortisol1 test Salivary Cortisol — Night (bedtime)Night Cortisol2 tests Cortisol-to-DHEA Ratio (derived)Cortisol:DHEA3 tests Cortisol Awakening ResponseCAR6 tests Oestradiol (Saliva)E22 tests

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