Understanding Your Blood Test: What This Laboratory Test Measures and Why It Is Important

This test is a laboratory analysis of a small sample of your blood. It measures various components, such as red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, hormones, or chemicals circulating in your blood. The results give your doctor valuable information about your overall health and can help detect infections, anemia, organ problems, and other conditions, often before you notice any symptoms.

The 16-Beta,18-dihydroxydehydroepiandrosterone test measures the amount of a specific metabolite (breakdown product) of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in your urine. DHEA is a hormone produced by your adrenal glands, which sit on top of your kidneys. This test uses a 24-hour urine collection because hormone levels can vary throughout the day, and a longer collection provides a more accurate picture of your body's hormone production.

The test is performed by drawing a small amount of blood, usually from a vein on the inside of your elbow or the back of your hand. A healthcare professional will clean the skin, wrap a band around your upper arm, and insert a thin, sterile needle to collect the sample into a tube. The procedure usually takes only a few minutes, and afterward a bandage is placed over the site. The sample is then sent to a laboratory, where a technologist analyzes it and reports the results to your doctor.

You will receive a special container from your healthcare provider. For 24 hours, you will collect all your urine in the container. This includes the first urine when you wake up on day one, but you exclude the first urine on day two. The container should be kept refrigerated during the collection period. After 24 hours, you return the complete container to the lab for analysis.

Your doctor may order this test as part of a routine checkup, to help diagnose the cause of symptoms you are having, or to monitor an ongoing condition and how well your treatment is working. The results can reveal signs of infection, anemia, clotting problems, kidney or liver issues, or nutritional deficiencies, and they help guide decisions about further testing, medications, or lifestyle changes needed to protect your health.

Your doctor may order this test if you have symptoms suggesting a hormonal imbalance, such as unusual hair growth, menstrual irregularities, infertility, or adrenal gland disorders. It helps doctors understand how well your adrenal glands are functioning and whether your body is processing DHEA properly.