DHEA Sulphate Test

Much less than for cortisol. DHEA sulphate is stable through the day because it is cleared from the blood slowly, so any time is acceptable, though a morning sample keeps things consistent if you are following it.

Because levels peak in the twenties and fall steadily from then on. The same figure can be normal at 25 and high at 55, which is why the laboratory's range is banded by age and the doctor's note reads it that way.

A mildly raised result is read alongside your other hormones and your symptoms. The reviewing doctor explains what your figure means, and a markedly raised level is a reason for a GP conversation rather than something to act on alone.

Yes, considerably. DHEA supplements raise the level directly, so tell the reviewing doctor if you take one.

The laboratory typically takes 1 to 2 working days from receiving your sample. This does not include kit delivery, sample collection or return postage. A doctor reviews your results before they are released.

Both, it is your choice at checkout. Either collect a finger-prick sample at home with the posted kit and send it back as the instructions explain, or book a clinic appointment and have a trained clinician take the sample for you.

Yes. Every result is reviewed by a GMC-registered doctor who signs it off and explains what it means and what to do next.

Your results are available through your secure patient portal. Our privacy policy explains how your information is handled and when it may be shared to provide your care.

Your sample is analysed at a UKAS-accredited laboratory (ISO 15189). A GMC-registered doctor then reads every result and signs the report before it is released, so nothing reaches you unreviewed. There is no option to receive results without a doctor reading them first. The report arrives in your secure portal in plain English: each result with its unit and the laboratory's own reference range, and the doctor's note on what the set means read together. If a result sits outside its range the report says so and explains what usually happens next, which is most often a conversation with your own GP, who can act on it alongside your history and examination. Most reference ranges are set to cover about 95% of healthy people, so about 1 in 20 healthy people fall just outside any one of them. On a report with many results it is common for one to sit just outside its range, and a single number on its own rarely tells the whole story. If a result needs urgent attention, the reviewing doctor is alerted straight away and we contact you by phone the same working day rather than leaving it in the portal for you to find. If a specific result needs rechecking, the reviewing doctor says so in your report.