Sky-high DHEA and low cortisol

Law

Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2021
Messages
16
Location
USA
DHEA is sky-high, presumably several standard deviations beyond the reference range. Cortisol is below reference range:

AnalyteResultUnitReference Range
Cortisol AM30
19​
nmol/L7.0–30.0
Cortisol Noon
1.3
nmol/L2.1–14.0
Cortisol Evening
0.52
nmol/L1.5–8.0
Cortisol Night
<0.33
nmol/L0.33–7.0
DHEA
>1000
pg/mL137–336
Estrone (E1)
17.5​
pg/mL<35
Estradiol (E2)
1.8​
pg/mL<2.5
Estriol (E3)
37​
pg/mL<66
Progesterone
78​
pg/mL<130
Testosterone
146​
pg/mL30–155

What is the meaning of high DHEA, low cortisol? Other markers (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone) look normal.

Curious to hear others’ experiences.

My preliminary research suggests this hormonal profile is consistent with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
 
Last edited:
OP
Law

Law

Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2021
Messages
16
Location
USA
How are you feeling?
I feel better than one may expect based on the absurd DHEA level. I sometimes feel fatigued at my desk job and frequently rely on nicotine to get work done. Other than that, no complaints really.

What spurred me to do the saliva test was to evaluate my hormones before and after starting PanSterone (DHEA/pregnenolone). I bought PanSterone in the hopes of experiencing anabolic effects.

Now that I have received my results - and my testosterone is near the 95% range upper limit and my DHEA is through the roof - I have quit PanSterone. (Note: I collected the test samples before starting PanSterone, but did not receive the results until after.)
 
Last edited:

xeliex

Member
Forum Supporter
Joined
Feb 10, 2016
Messages
960
Oh, well that would make a difference in the results for sure.
Try to do the test after a washout period without any exogenous hormones if you want to learn more about your natural state.
Idealabs product can be powerful and will alter your test results.
It's great that you are feeling well and don't know that you should be concerned, except perhaps stopping the supplementation for now.
 
OP
Law

Law

Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2021
Messages
16
Location
USA
Oh, well that would make a difference in the results for sure.
Try to do the test after a washout period without any exogenous hormones if you want to learn more about your natural state.
Idealabs product can be powerful and will alter your test results.
It's great that you are feeling well and don't know that you should be concerned, except perhaps stopping the supplementation for now.
The test was collected before I started PanSterone. I quit PanSterone upon receiving the results.

In other words, the test represents my “natural state” free of exogenous hormones.
 
Last edited:

Brandin

Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2020
Messages
486
Oh, well that would make a difference in the results for sure.
Try to do the test after a washout period without any exogenous hormones if you want to learn more about your natural state.
Idealabs product can be powerful and will alter your test results.
It's great that you are feeling well and don't know that you should be concerned, except perhaps stopping the supplementation for now.
He did the test before the pansterone use.
 
OP
Law

Law

Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2021
Messages
16
Location
USA
Thank you to those who have responded. For anyone who may be watching this thread, I've done some more research. I don't think it's PTSD because I haven't been traumatized and I don't think it's "adrenal insufficiency" because that is characterized by low cortisol and low DHEA. Instead the hormonal profile might be caused by congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH).

According to lab centers, patients with CAH may show very high levels of DHEA, often 5-fold to 10-fold elevations. However, other steroid analytes offer better diagnostic accuracy. Discovery of very high DHEA levels in an adult with signs of possible CAH should prompt additional testing (and adrenal tumors need to be excluded).

In CAH the production of cortisol, aldosterone, or both is impaired because of an autosomal recessive genetic defect in one of the adrenal enzymes involved in synthesizing adrenal steroid hormones from cholesterol. The enzyme may be absent or deficient, completely or partially disabling synthesis of cortisol, aldosterone, or both. See the attached steroid pathways chart.

In the forms in which cortisol synthesis is absent or decreased, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) release, normally suppressed by cortisol, is excessive. The increase in ACTH levels stimulates the adrenal cortex, causing accumulation of cortisol precursors and excessive production of the adrenal androgens DHEA and androstenedione.

I will be visiting a doctor soon and will report back. In the meantime I am interested to hear anyone's thoughts.
 

Attachments

  • Steroid Pathways (Mayo Clinic).pdf
    602 KB · Views: 22
OP
Law

Law

Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2021
Messages
16
Location
USA
After the salivary test results I mentioned in the original post, I went to an endocrinologist and took a proper blood test. The blood test showed:
• DHEA was out of range, albeit not as extreme as the salivary test suggested: 720 ng/dL (reference range: 31-701)
• Morning cortisol was within range: 16.4 ug/dL (reference range: 6.2-19.4)

Four months later the endocrinologist ordered another blood test, and it showed DHEA still relatively high but within range (565 ng/dL). So the endocrinologist said there was no cause for concern.

The endocrinologist also said that saliva tests are not accurate.
 

Similar threads

Back
Top Bottom