Importance of Hormone Testing
Hormonal imbalances have been linked to a broad spectrum of health conditions and clinical symptoms in both men and women. As science has shown, hormones decline and change as we age. Identifying and managing such changes is critical in the prevention of many chronic diseases. Measuring critical hormone levels and interpreting the results can help explain symptoms and accurately recommend proper treatment. This makes hormone testing an essential element of every annual check-up and disease-prevention program. Below you will find two different types of testing we conduct:
Why Salivary Hormone Testing?
Salivary hormone testing measures unbound, or free, hormone levels in the body, unlike serum based hormone testing. Salivary hormone testing accurately reflects the active and unbound hormones which are biologically available to their receptors in target tissues. Since its development, salivary hormone testing has been gaining popularity as a testing methodology in large part due to its simplicity and non-invasive method of collection. Further, the ease of sample collection allows for accurate timing to obtain samples at critical intervals throughout the day, yielding more accurate results than blood or serum testing. Since hormone levels may vary during the day or during the month, multiple saliva specimens can be collected, conveniently offering precise measurement. The inherent stability of salivary hormones also allows latitude in collection and shipment.
Simply put, hormone saliva testing tells us the amount of hormones in our body that are actually usable by our cells; where as blood testing evaluates all circulating hormones regardless of their availability to our cells.
What are some of the common symptoms and Conditions associated with hormonal imbalance?
Depression & irritability
Low sex drive, libido
Weight gain and decreased muscle tone
Memory loss, foggy thinking & Alzheimer’s disease
Insomnia & sleep disturbances
Hair thinning and loss
Osteopenia and Osteoporosis
Who should be tested?
Both men and women experience changes in hormone levels with age. Sometimes those changes result in unpleasant symptoms that demand attention. Often, the changes are more subtle yet there is still an impact on overall health. Hormone testing is applicable for:
- Men and women concerned with changing hormone levels as a result of age.
- Cycling women experiencing PMS symptoms, perhaps related to a hormonal imbalance.
- Peri and post-menopausal women concerned with their estradiol and progesterone levels for replacement considerations.
- Those wishing to monitor their hormone levels following replacement therapy (oral, sublingual or topical), and subsequently regulate their supplement levels.
- Anyone with symptoms involving fatigue, insomnia, stress, immunity problems, blood sugar problems, and overweight should be tested for cortisol levels as well as “sex” hormones.
- Men and women of any age who are having symptoms of hormone imbalances should test for all hormones that may be associated with their symptoms. Men and women over the age of forty may want to do a baseline test. Frequently imbalances will be detectable for a time period before symptoms gain attention.