DHEA Sulfate Test Price in Pakistan: Rs 1,820 at Marham Lab
Also called
DHEASDHEA-SDHEA-SO4Dehydroepiandrosterone SulfateDHEAA DHEA sulfate test costs Rs 1,820 at Marham Lab, down from Rs 2,600. MedlinePlus explains DHEAS is a steroid hormone made mostly in the adrenal glands, is a type of androgen found in both men and women, and plays a role in making testosterone and estrogen. It is used to check adrenal gland function and to investigate excess hair growth, acne and irregular periods in women.
Labs offering the DHEA SO4 test
| Lab | Price | Book |
|---|---|---|
Marham LabOur lab Home sample · Lahore | Rs. 1,820 Rs. 2,600 | |
Serum DHEA-SO4 Home sampleNext day | Rs. 2,360 Rs. 2,950 |
How booking works
1. Tap Book
DHEA SO4 is added to your booking for you.
2. Pick a time
Give your address in Lahore and choose a collection day and time.
3. Sample at home
A phlebotomist comes to your address and takes the sample.
4. Get your report
Your report is ready in the time shown above, and you can see it in your Marham account.
What is the DHEA SO4 test?
DHEAS stands for dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate. MedlinePlus explains that it is a steroid hormone made mostly in the adrenal glands, two small glands above your kidneys, with smaller amounts made in the testicles and ovaries. It is a type of androgen, a male sex hormone, though it is found in both men and women. At Marham Lab a DHEA sulfate test costs Rs 1,820, reduced from Rs 2,600.
What DHEAS Actually Does
MedlinePlus explains that DHEAS plays an important role in making the male sex hormone testosterone and the female sex hormone estrogen. It helps with the development of male sexual characteristics at puberty and with reproduction in both sexes.
It adds a detail that matters when you read your result: DHEAS levels peak around puberty and then get lower as you age. A falling level over the years is the expected pattern rather than a disease.
MedlinePlus states that if your DHEAS levels are not normal, it may mean there is a problem with your adrenal glands or with your sex hormones.
Why Women Are Tested
This is the commonest route to the test in Pakistan, and it is usually about symptoms that are visible rather than symptoms that are felt.
MedlinePlus lists the symptoms of high DHEAS in women and girls.
- Excess body and facial hair growth
- Deepening of voice
- Menstrual irregularities
- Acne
- Becoming very muscular
- Hair loss at the top of the head
It also notes that MedlinePlus lists looking for the cause of the development of masculine features in women and girls, including excess body and facial hair growth and deepening of voice, among the main uses of the test.
MedlinePlus states that men may not have any symptoms of high levels of DHEAS, which is why the test is ordered far more often in women.
What a High Result Can Mean
MedlinePlus lists the causes of high DHEAS.
| Cause | What it is |
|---|---|
| Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) | MedlinePlus describes it as a common hormone disorder affecting childbearing women and one of the leading causes of female infertility |
| Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) | An inherited disorder in which the adrenal glands produce too many male sex hormones |
| A tumour of the adrenal gland | MedlinePlus notes it may be benign or cancerous |
| An ovarian tumour | MedlinePlus notes this is a rare cause |
PCOS is the one most women reading this page will be investigating. It is worth knowing that DHEAS is not the only androgen looked at. CAH is assessed with [17-OH progesterone](/labs/tests/17-oh-progesterone-test-price), and the ovarian androgens with [total](/labs/tests/testosterone-test-price) and [free testosterone](/labs/tests/free-testosterone-test-price). MedlinePlus states that a DHEAS test is often done along with other sex hormone tests, naming testosterone tests for men and estrogen tests for women.
The practical value of DHEAS is that it points at the adrenal glands specifically, because that is where most of it is made. That helps a doctor separate an adrenal cause from an ovarian one.
What a Low Result Can Mean
MedlinePlus gives two conditions: Addison disease, a disorder in which the adrenal glands cannot make enough of certain hormones, and hypopituitarism, where the pituitary gland does not make enough of one or more of its hormones.
It also separates the symptoms by cause, which is useful.
If low DHEAS is due to an adrenal gland disorder, MedlinePlus lists unexplained weight loss, nausea and vomiting, dizziness, dehydration, and a craving for salt. The salt craving is an unusual and genuinely useful clue worth mentioning to your doctor if you have it.
If low DHEAS is related to ageing, MedlinePlus lists decreased sex drive, erectile dysfunction in men, and thinning of vaginal tissues in women.
About DHEA Supplements
Read this before buying anything off a shelf, because these are sold widely and cheaply here.
MedlinePlus states that over the counter DHEA sulfate supplements are available and are sometimes promoted as an anti ageing therapy. It then says plainly that there is no reliable evidence to support these anti ageing claims, and that in fact these supplements may cause serious side effects.
It advises talking to your provider if you have questions about DHEA supplements. If you are already taking one, tell the doctor who ordered this test, because it will affect the result.
Who Else Gets Tested
MedlinePlus lists the other uses of the test.
- Finding out whether your adrenal glands are working well
- Diagnosing tumours of the adrenal glands
- Diagnosing disorders of the testicles or ovaries
- Finding the cause of early or late puberty in boys
It adds that baby girls may need testing if they have external genitals that do not look clearly male or female, and that boys may need the test if they have signs of early puberty.
Reading Your Result
How to Prepare
What Happens During the Test
Final Thoughts
Common questions
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