DHEAS
An androgen made by the adrenal glands. Elevated in a subset of PMOS, marking a second, parallel androgen source alongside the ovary.
DHEAS (dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate) is an androgen produced almost entirely by the adrenal glands, the small glands that sit on top of the kidneys. Measuring it is the standard way to tell whether the adrenal glands are contributing to the androgen picture.
In PMOS, most of the extra androgen comes from the ovary. But in roughly 20 to 30 percent of presentations, the adrenal glands add a meaningful share, shown by an elevated DHEAS. This adrenal pattern is often seen with regular cycles and a leaner build, and it appears to be heritable rather than stress-driven.
This matters because the popular framing of "adrenal PCOS" as a cortisol or stress condition is not supported by the evidence. The adrenal contribution in PMOS is an androgen story, confirmed by DHEAS lab work, not a cortisol one.