How Do The Tests Work
A person can purchase a home hormone test online from various labs. Most do not accept direct billing from health insurance providers. Before buying a test, it may be a good idea to check whether the insurance provider will reimburse the cost. If so, a person can forward an invoice from the lab to their insurance company with their claim for reimbursement.
Once a person makes a purchase, the lab ships their testing kit.
Androgen Excess And Hormone Imbalance
There are other forms of hormone imbalance too like those that arises from excess androgens in PCOS. Usually you can check these hormones when you check the others. You would not want to check when you are menstruating because the production of these hormones is going to be lowest at this time. These hormone levels may be much higher later on in the cycle. Specifically the hormones that are important to look at and understand how they are funneling through the body are dhea, dhea sulfate, total and free testosterone, sometimes dihydrotestosterone and definitely hydroxy-progesterone.
Keep in mind not all insurances are going to pay for all these lab tests. In this case it may make more sense to do a urine test. These test provide a full hormone profile of all these hormones plus others. By looking at all these you can see which enzymes are up regulated and turned on and which ones are turned off based on the relative levels of the different hormones.
For example, you may do a dhea level and it looks really low but your dhea sulfate is really high. This suggests the enzyme between dhea and dhea sulfate is working relatively good and the the enzyme that breaks dhea sulfate into androstenedione is moving much slower. This is where you get the clues to understand what you need to do to fix the imbalance or create balance.
If you want a customized plan on checking and treating your hormone imbalance, click in the link below to get started.
The Hormone Test All Women Can Do At Home
While lab work like the Female Hormone Panel is super valuable information – especially once you have a personal database of tests that track your bodys progress – there are ways you can check in on your hormones, at home, without the assistance of your OBGYN. If youre experiencing symptoms – like PMS, acne, low sex drive, mood swings – the next time you get your period, look at what color it is! Like really look.
Look at the color of the bleed, the consistency, note how long your period is, how it starts and how it ends…numbers on a page can be hard to connect back to how you feel, but your period is right there in front of you. Its a part of you and its a visual indicator of whats going on with your hormones. You can tell what kind of hormone imbalance you are dealing with by observing:
- The color of your period blood
- The way it starts and the way it ends
- The consistency of the period blood
- The length of time you have your period
- How much you bleed
This easily observable, immediately accessible information is right there for your understanding. Notice it, note it, actually write it down if you like in a period diary and it can give you so much important information.
But, how to know what it all means?
Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this – the science of your body is on your side!
to your FLO,
Good things come in threes:
Don’t Miss: Nugenix Estro-regulator Review
Stimulation And Suppression Hormone Testing
We use tests called stimulation and suppression tests to evaluate a hormone imbalance. We give you hormones and other substances that either start or stop your production of certain hormones. We then evaluate how your body responds.
Common types of stimulation and suppression testing include:
- Growth hormone response to glucagon: We inject a hormone, glucagon, into muscle tissue and measure growth hormone levels over four hours. This test helps us confirm or rule out adult growth hormone deficiency.
- Cortisol response to cosyntropin: We give you cosyntropin, which acts like ACTH . ACTH is a hormone produced in the pituitary gland that stimulates the adrenal glands to produce cortisol. We measure cortisol levels every 30 minutes for one hour. This test helps us confirm adrenal insufficiency.
- Glucose tolerance test: We give you a sweet drink, which should lower levels of growth hormone. We measure levels of growth hormone in the blood every two hours. This test helps us confirm acromegaly.
- Cortisol response to dexamethasone: You take a pill at night that should block cortisol production. The next day we take a blood sample to measure cortisol levels. This test helps us confirm or rule out Cushing’s syndrome.
- Metyrapone suppression test: You take a pill at night that should block cortisol production. The next day we take a blood sample to measure cortisol and ACTH levels. This test helps us confirm or rule out adrenal insufficiency.
How To Test Your Estrogen Levels
Because hormones and their functions can be so varied, there is no one single test to detect hormonal imbalances and estrogen can be tested in one of three ways:
- Blood
- Urine
- Saliva
Each test involves a different level of medical support, and can give different snapshots of information. For instance, a saliva test collected over the course of a month can provide a more accurate picture than a one time blood draw. Other than a small prick at the point of a blood draw, there are no known risks to any of the collection methods, and no special preparations need to be taken before the test.
Read Also: Does Kaiser Cover Hormone Replacement Therapy
What If I Am Breastfeeding Can I Still Test My Hormones
It depends on the goal. When a baby is no longer breastfeeding exclusively and menstruation resumes, testing is relatively accurate. I like to check estradiol in my patients who are breastfeeding more than 6-12 months to track estradiol and effects on bone mass. For a baseline, the most accurate would be 6-8 weeks after breastfeeding stops.
Follow me on , or to learn more about how to balance your hormones and reclaim your health.
How To Test Your Hormones At Home
My gold standard is a blood draw for serum testing, but its hard to get a blood draw during a pandemic! There are convenient, reliable alternatives for many biomarkers. In the video, I talk about the blood spot test from ZRT Labs. I also love the dried urine test for hormone metabolism and to follow certain hormones in my patients on bioidentical hormone therapy. Occasionally I will run saliva tests but only for limited indications.
Recommended Reading: Does Blue Cross Blue Shield Cover Testosterone Therapy
Hormonal Imbalance And Women
Female hormones are powerful chemical messengers that regulate the reproductive system and influence many other vital systems. When they are present in the body in the proper amounts and ratios, they work in concert with one another to promote optimal health and well-being. However, when female hormonal imbalance becomes an issue, the consequences can manifest themselves throughout the body, taking a toll on a woman’s health and quality-of-life. When the condition is accurately identified and treated, the balance of female hormones can be corrected, reducing the symptoms and health risks associated with hormonal imbalance.
What’s Considered Too High Or Too Low For Hormone Levels
Hormone levels are typically measured using blood tests or urine tests.
Evaluating the results of hormone blood tests involves what are called “reference ranges.” Reference ranges are the range of values for a physiological measurement for the middle 95% of the healthy population. Each provider of their test will use a specific lab to measure the results, and each lab has its own reference range. Out-of-range results indicate that levels are higher or lower than “average” .
For people with ovaries, some of the most important hormones to reproductive health and fertility include sex hormones and thyroid hormones. Modern Fertility can measure three hormones in those two groups: the estrogen estradiol , thyroid-stimulating hormone , and prolactin.
These are the “normal” reference ranges Modern Fertility uses for sex hormones and thyroid hormones in people during their reproductive years:
- E2: 22.4-115 picograms per milliliter for premenopausal people with ovaries on day 3 of their cycles
- TSH: 0.4-4.5 milli international units per milliliter for all people with ovaries
- Prolactin: 3.4-26.7 nanograms per milliliter for nonpregnant people with ovaries
These are possible reference ranges for the other hormones we talk about in the next few sections :
- Progesterone: < 3 ng/mL for premenopausal people with ovaries mid-cycle
- Total testosterone: > 0.75 ng/dL for people with ovaries
Also Check: Breakthrough Bleeding On Bioidentical Hormones
A Hormone Imbalance Can Cause Chronic Health Issues
When your hormones are in proper balance they help the body thrive, but small problems with hormones can cause serious and life-altering symptoms. Specifically, imbalances of sex hormones, thyroid hormones and adrenal hormones are common problems that can contribute to a host of chronic health issues. Unfortunately, conventional medicine often doesnt understand the significant role hormone imbalances play in many health complaints.
Check Your Hormone Levels From The Convenience Of Home
If youâre concerned about your hormone levels, you can use the information here on how to know if you have a hormonal imbalanceâplus speaking with a healthcare providerâto help inform your next steps.If youâre interested in hormone testing at home, consider the following tests :
- Womenâs Hormone Test – Lets you learn your levels for 10 key hormones, including estrogen, progesterone, cortisol, and thyroid hormones.
- Thyroid Test – Check the 3 main thyroid hormones , plus thyroid antibodies.
- Womenâs Fertility Test – Test your levels for 5 hormones that help support ovarian function and pregnancy.
- Men’s Health Test – Check your cortisol, DHEA-S, estradiol, and testosterone.
Also Check: Can Getting Your Tubes Tied Cause Early Menopause
What Happens During An Estrogen Test
Estrogens can be tested in blood, urine, or saliva. Blood or urine is usually tested in doctor’s office or lab. Saliva tests can be done at home.
For a blood test:
A health care professional will take a blood sample from a vein in your arm, using a small needle.
After the needle is inserted, a small amount of blood will be collected into a test tube or vial. You may feel a little sting when the needle goes in or out. This usually takes less than five minutes.
For a urine test:
Your health care provider may ask you to collect all urine passed in a 24-hour period. This is called a 24-hour urine sample test. For this test, your health care provider or a laboratory professional will give you a container to collect your urine and instructions on how to collect and store your samples. A 24-hour urine sample test generally includes the following steps:
- Empty your bladder in the morning and flush that urine down. Do not collect this urine. Record the time.
- For the next 24 hours, save all your urine passed in the container provided.
- Store your urine container in the refrigerator or a cooler with ice.
- Return the sample container to your health provider’s office or the laboratory as instructed.
For an at-home saliva test, talk your health care provider. He or she can tell you which kit to use and how to prepare and collect your sample.
How To Check Estrogen Levels
This article was medically reviewed by Aimee Eyvazzadeh, MD, MA. Aimee Eyvazzadeh is a Fertility Specialist and the Founder of The Egg Whisperer Show, a fertility care program focusing on fertility education based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her work has been featured in magazines such as People, Forbes, and Marie Claire, and she has been featured on the Today Show, Good Morning America, and CNN. She earned an MD from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2001, completed an OB/GYN residency at Harvard Medical School in 2005, and finished a fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at University of Michigan, where she also completed an MPH. This article has been viewed 9,443 times.
Estrogen is a hormone that affects the reproductive system and the development of secondary sex characteristics . Estrogen levels can also impact your mood and the health of your skin, bones, liver, and heart.XResearch source Whether you are pregnant, trying to conceive, concerned about a possible hormone imbalance, or taking hormone-based medications, you may need to keep an eye on your estrogen levels. Visit your healthcare provider to get your levels tested, or ask your healthcare provider to order an at-home test kit for you.
You May Like: Does Blue Cross Blue Shield Cover Low Testosterone
Testing For A Hormonal Imbalance
Although a hormone imbalance may bring some obvious symptoms, thatâs not always the case. For example, it can be challenging for someone to decipher whether the depression theyâre experiencing is related to a life event or if itâs instead because of hormone levels that are affecting their mental health. Thatâs why consulting with a healthcare provider is a good idea any time you arenât sure whatâs going on with your health.
Hormone testing may also be worth considering if youâre curious to learn whether you have a hormonal imbalance. Everlywell makes testing your hormones easy with at-home test kits that come with everything you need for collecting your sample and sending it to a lab . Plus, you can view your results on our secure, online platform in an easy-to-understand format. This can be a simpleâbut powerfulâway to see if hormones are balanced in your body and learn your personal levels.
As an example, consider a Womenâs Health Test to check for a hormonal imbalance in women.
What Is A Hormonal Imbalance
Your body is comprised of various glands and tissues, all of which are part of your endocrine system. These glands deliver hormones throughout your body via your bloodstream. These are the chemicals that tell your organs what to do and when to do it.
Hormones are responsible for regulating some of your most critical bodily processes, including your:
- Appetite
- Sexual capacity
- Internal temperature
A hormonal imbalance means that your body is producing too much or too little of a given hormone, such as insulin, estrogen, progesterone, or any other hormone. If your levels are off by even a little, it can create a significant change that you may feel to a severe degree.
Read Also: Can You Take Unisom With Melatonin
Saliva Testing Vs Blood Testing For Hormone Levels: Which Is Better
Have you ever said in a moment of moodiness, I think my hormones are out of whack!?
Did you consider that you might be right on the money? Fatigue, weight gain, anxiety, moodiness these can all be signs of a hormonal imbalance. A simple blood or saliva test in a doctors office can check your hormone levels and find out if lows or highs are responsible for your ongoing health concerns. But which is more accurate? Blood testing or saliva testing?
Natural Ways To Support Healthy Hormones
While you should always speak to your doctor if you have hormonal imbalance, he might not have to give you any kind of medication to restore the balance. This is particularly true if the imbalance is caused by something like diet or stress. In general, people who have the following criteria are at higher risks of developing hormonal imbalances:
- Being overweight or obese
- Consuming an excessive amount of alcohol
- Being exposed to pesticides and toxins
- Experiencing high stress levels
- Not sleeping enough
Many of these risk factors are easily controlled when you’re mindful of your diet, exercise routine, and daily habits. If you quit smoking, moderate your drinking, or avoid exposure to pesticides, you can help reduce your risk factor for hormonal imbalances and naturally keep them moderated.
Changing the way you eat can go a long way towards improving your hormonal balance. For example, when you exchange carbohydrates for healthy fats, like coconut oil and avocado, you can lower your bodys inflammation and help maintain your hormone at the right levels. Consuming enough proteins will help control the ghrelin hormone that makes you feel hungry. This gives you the feeling of fullness and then, you will stop eating at the appropriate time and maintain a healthy weight.
Recommended Reading: Can Having Your Tubes Tied Cause Hormonal Imbalance
How Is Low Testosterone Diagnosed What Treatments Are Available
Most healthcare providers will measure their testosterone levels by having a blood test, doing a physical exam and having the patient describe his symptoms. Finally, they may order additional tests to rule out other possible diagnoses.
Testosterone is sometimes prescribed for men with low testosterone. Almost all hormone supplements and testosterone treatments are available in different forms, including lozenges, patches, gels and creams.
Because of the limited knowledge regarding this condition, challenges in having a proper diagnosis, as well as the possible side effects of treatments, HRT should not administer for men without proper testing, retesting and consultation with a healthcare provider to discuss the pros and cons. One may want to consider an endocrinologist who specializes in hormones.
How Do Testosterone And Estrogen Differ
Testosterone, the key hormone in men, is the chief regulator of muscle tone and lean body mass, or the very essence of what gives a man his masculine appearance. A normal level of testosterone is a broad term, making deficiencies difficult to detect. The hormone is produced by the adrenal glands and testicles, with levels highest in the mornings and decreasing throughout the day.
Testosterone also regulates a mans sex drive. Lack of sexual desire and performance, often associated with low levels of testosterone, or low T, is a common complaint from men as they age and hormone levels drop. Sex drive and performance, however, require the presence of both estrogen and testosterone.
Estrogen, by contrast, is the hormone responsible for sexual and reproductive development in women and is also referred to as the female sex hormone. Estrogen is really a group of hormones that includes estrone, estradiol and estriol. Estrogen is produced in the ovaries but also by fat cells and the adrenal gland.
Also Check: Can Having Your Tubes Tied Cause Hormonal Imbalance