Home Vs Lab: Where To Get Your Hormones Tested
There are a plethora of options to decide from when choosing how to get your hormones tested, and you might be wondering whether it is best to get them tested at home or in a lab/doctors office. Here are some pros and cons of each method to help you decide. You can learn more about what is hormonal testing.
When To Test Thyroid Labs
We cant discuss testing for hormone imbalances without looking at the thyroid. Thyroid testing is best down first thing in the morning and can be at any point in your cycle. We typically add these in when we are testing for other hormones.
Its important to stop any supplements with biotin at least 72 hours in advance as it can skew results.
At a minimum, I would suggest looking at:
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Blood Tests For Hormone Levels Q& A
Here at the Marion Gluck Clinic, we place a focus on giving you the very best experience and precise, personalised care. We are often asked questions about the blood tests that are required for treatment at the clinic. We sat down with Dr Ghazala Aziz-Scott, one of our hormone doctors, to help answer your most frequently asked questions about blood tests for hormone levels and hormone balancing therapy.
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Common Hormonal Imbalances Seen In Women
We have at least 50 different hormones in our body, and very complex symptoms can arise from them, Dr. Batur says. Having too much or too little of certain hormones causes symptoms and issues with your health.
Here are some of the most common hormonal imbalances seen in people assigned female at birth .
- Menopause: Its natural to stop menstruating as you age. But menopause causes changing levels of estrogen and progesterone, which can lead to a slew of symptoms, including some that begin in the lead-up known as perimenopause.
- Polycystic ovary syndrome : When your ovaries create unusually high levels of hormones of male hormones, your reproductive hormones become imbalanced.
- Thyroid disease: Your thyroid is a small organ in your neck that produces hormones that impact many organs in your body, but sometimes, it makes either too much or too little of these hormones. There are a few kinds of thyroid disease, which means there are many possible symptoms.
- Diabetes: This common condition occurs when your pancreas doesnt make any or enough of the hormone insulin or when your body doesnt use it properly. Diabetes is the most common hormone-related condition in the United States.
There are less-common hormonal imbalances, too, like Cushings syndrome and Addisons disease. Only a doctor can help identify which hormonal imbalance youre experiencing and what course of treatment is best.
How Does A Hormone Balance Test Work
Saliva, urine, and/or blood tests are the most common method for testing a patients hormone levels. Youll usually only need to provide a few small samples. Then, depending on what symptoms you experience, these samples will be evaluated by a lab to measure a variety of hormones, including:
The lab results show a snapshot of your current hormone levels at the time the samples were taken. Many of these hormones fluctuate over the course of a day, or throughout the month, so you may need to fast prior to testing, get tested at certain points in your menstrual cycle, and/or get multiple tests to get an accurate picture of your hormonal health.
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Why Hormonal Imbalance Blood Testing Makes Sense
Hormones are chemicals that are produced by glands in the endocrine system and play a critical role in regulating bodily functions. Hormones naturally fluctuate as you age, and some hormonal imbalances are to be expected as you transition through various stages of life.
However, hormonal imbalances can also occur at any time and may be indicative of an underlying disease or disorder. Below, learn all about hormones, hormonal imbalances, common endocrine disorders and hormonal testing.
How To Check For Thyroid Problems
Part 2 of 2: Checking Your Thyroid 1 Examine your neck. Use a mirror to check the base of your neck. 2 Check for long-lasting symptoms. Look for symptoms that last longer than two to three weeks. 3 Keep track of your symptoms. 4 Have your blood checked by your doctor. 5 Be prepared for additional tests.
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When Is The Best Time To Test Other Hormone Levels
Your sex hormones arent the only ones you may need to look at to understand the cause of your hormone symptoms.
When to Test InsulinIf youre trying to get to the bottom of a PCOS diagnosis, you will need to evaluate insulin. If you have a family history of diabetes or your clinician suspects insulin dysregulation, this is a test they will likely order. Typically, insulin is tested while fasting along with blood glucose. Because of this, the test is commonly done first thing in the morning. It is recommended that biotin be stopped at least 72 hours before testing. Fasting insulin is a good place to start, but you may need to do a glucose challenge as well. Finding out what your insulin looks like after you eat can also be helpful. Your doctor will help determine the right tests for you.
When to Test DHEADehydroepiandrosterone is a crucial anti-aging hormone the body can convert into estrogen or testosterone. It is an important marker of adrenal function and is a hormone that declines with age. DHEA can be tested at any time of the month and is typically done alongside a cortisol test.
*The goal here is to measure at minimum TSH, Free T4, and T3 so you get a picture of what the brain says, how the thyroid responds, and the the bodys ability to activate the thyroid hormone you actually use.
From the research, it appears progesterone, progestin, and topical estrogen do NOT elevate TBG. It is oral estrogen which influences the increase in binding proteins.
Need More Hormone Help
If youre needing some health upgrading, its time you started you looking into whats going on with your hormones.
Ive designed a 4 day hormone detox and evaluation to help you understand exactly whats out of whack and how you can start getting back to balance so that your hormones no longer have to suffer.
to get your FREE detox and evaluation!
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How Mira Fertility Plus Can Help To Track Your E3g Levels
Because women can only conceive a limited number of days per cycle, tracking your fertility hormones helps you identify exactly when your fertile days occur. Detecting a rise in E2, as shown by measuring E3G levels, is done to predict and detect ovulation.
Mira Fertility Plus measures your actual fertility hormone levels and gives a more accurate picture of fertility tracking by providing precise hormone measurements from multiple cycles. Tracking your cycle and fertility hormone levels can take the guesswork out of your fertility journey and support you with real-time data.
With clinically proven accuracy, the Mira Analyzer offers highly personalized fertility advice and is a complete solution for reliable, personalized, and comprehensive data if you are trying to get pregnant or tracking your hormones for other reasons.
What Is A Hormone Imbalance
A hormone imbalance occurs when the body isnt producing sufficient amounts of one or more hormones necessary for the body to function properly. Women commonly experience low estrogen levels and men commonly experience low testosterone levels with age.
Both men and women can experience low thyroid-stimulating hormone levels . Although the condition is more common in women, men are more likely to experience significant symptoms relating to hyperthyroidism .
Some conditions may cause or result in hormone imbalance in individuals regardless of age, such as polycystic ovary syndrome , which involves increased androgen levels in women that can cause effects like irregular periods, infertility, and hair growth. Endocrine diseases, especially ones that affect the adrenal glands like Addisons Disease, can also result in hormonal disruptions that have nothing to do with age.
Hormone imbalances can disrupt the bodys homeostasis. Every human body needs the right balance of hormones like testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, and thyroid hormones to function. When youre fully grown, the body uses these hormones to maintain its health. Hormones also affect the way you look and the way your body produces energy.
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Your Female Hormone Test List: The Results Are In
Theres likely no best method when it comes to evaluating your hormone levels. Dried blood-spot and dried urine testing are likely the preferred methods when you want multiple measurements of your hormone levels, such as in cycle mapping. This can be useful in evaluating menstrual abnormalities and non-specific symptoms of a hormonal imbalance.
These are also the preferred methods for women on hormone-replacement therapy, as they can measure hormone metabolites. However, these tests can be expensive and time-consuming, and arent necessarily indicated in all situations.
If youre looking for a quick, inexpensive, and accurate way to diagnose an endocrine or reproductive disorder, serum blood testing is likely a safe bet. Furthermore, certain methods like saliva testing arent suitable for young women, but can be very helpful in diagnosing infertility.
In short, there is no one size fits all option when it comes to hormone testing, and its best to speak with your healthcare provider about which method is best for you. If youre considering hormone testing, and would like assistance in addressing the root cause of your chronic health symptoms, reach out to our functional medicine clinic today.
References
What Is A Female Hormone Panel
The Female Hormone Panel is a series of tests designed to assess the hormone levels in women, which can be useful in determining whether or not a patient is beginning menopause, or in cases of infertility, what deficiencies might exist that could point to a medical cause. Many of the tests offered by Private MD not only evaluate a patient for hormone levels, but also check a patients general health in order to provide comprehensive results on other internal abnormalities that could be causing symptoms related to a condition outside of menopause.
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What Is An Estrogen Test
An estrogen test is a way for your doctor to help check on concerns with puberty, fertility, menopause, and other conditions.
Your doctor may also call these estradiol, estrone , estradiol , estriol , or estrogenic hormone tests.
Estrogen is the hormone that plays a key role in many aspects of a womanâs health, such as bone and reproductive health. There are several forms of estrogen?
If your doctor needs to check to see if you might have a condition caused by too much or too little of a certain estrogen type, they may recommend that you take an estrogen test. Itâs a simple blood test, and it can measure up to three types of this estrogen:
- Estrone, or E1, the main hormone women make after menopause
- Estradiol, or E2, the main hormone women make when they arenât pregnant
- Estriol, or E3, a hormone women make more of when theyâre pregnant
How To Control Menopause Hormone Levels
In fact, there is no one magic pill that can control hormone levels in menopause. But, there is an efficient therapy that can eliminate most of these symptoms. Have you ever noticed that West women are more active at this age? They take hormone replacement therapy and live longer. The designated preparations contain estrogens and progesterone needed in our body in a small amount. So, hormone levels after menopause or during it will be stable, and women can feel comfortable.
Keep in mind, there is one myth around this therapy aimed to affect hormone levels in menopause, that a woman will get fat from these hormones. It is completely untrue. A woman is gaining weight only because of a lack of estrogens that once were normal. Without them, fat accumulates.
Accordingly, hormone therapy will help you to avoid such things, and menopause and hormone levels care will keep you fit. Moreover, doctors are trained enough to determine the right strength and dosages of a hormonal treatment so that a woman does not even notice any ailments or negative consequences. If you have a chance to undergo it, use this option because as of now it is the most efficient solution invented by dedicated experts for moderating and controlling hormone levels in menopause.
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What Causes A Hormonal Imbalance
The causes of hormonal imbalances vary according to the specific hormone involved. However, in general, they are due to changes or dysfunctions of a hormone-producing gland. For instance, a thyroid gland that isn’t functioning correctly may produce too much thyroid hormone, accelerating your bodys metabolism or could produce too little. Thyroid dysfunction can be caused by autoimmune diseases, thyroid nodules, medications or, rarely, thyroid cancer, among other potential causes. Imbalances in male or female sex hormones, such as estrogen, progesterone and testosterone, can be caused by age-related changes, such as menopause and andropause, as well as genetic disorders, stress, nutritional issues, or medications. Excessive stress, poor diet, aging and certain medications can contribute to imbalances in cortisol and other adrenal hormones.
There are many different underlying causes that can result in a hormonal imbalance. Each cause relates to different glands and hormones and, does impact your body differently. Many diseases and other conditions can result in a hormonal imbalance.
Diabetes
Diabetes is characterized by an inability to properly use the insulin hormone. An insulin imbalance can lead to other related hormonal imbalances as well such as disrupting estrogen, testosterone, thyroid, progesterone, and cortisol.
Hypothyroidism or Hyperthyroidism
Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia
Cushing Syndrome
Addison’s Disease
Turner Syndrome
Prader-Willi Syndrome
Pancreatitis
Hormone Check Blood Test Panel
A Hormone Check Blood Test Panel includes an Estrogens,Total, Progesterone, Testosterone, Total, Serum, Follicle-stimulating Hormone & Luteinizing Hormone , and Thyroxine , Free, Direct, Serum.
CPT Code: See Individual Tests
Also Known As:
See Individual Tests
Preparation:
No fasting required. Stop biotin consumption at least 72 hours prior to the collection. Patient must avoid having radioisotope scan prior to collection of specimen.
Test Results:
5-7 days. May take longer based on weather, holiday or lab delays.
CPT Code: See Individual Tests
Also Known As:
See Individual Tests
Preparation:
No fasting required. Stop biotin consumption at least 72 hours prior to the collection. Patient must avoid having radioisotope scan prior to collection of specimen.
Test Results:
2-3 days. May take longer based on weather, holiday or lab delays.
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Your Periods Are Very Light Short Or Totally Missing In Action
Some women would call this a blessing, but experiencing barely there bleeding or no bleeding at all isnt healthy. A short period and only light bleeding can indicate low estrogen levels. If youve been crash dieting or restricting your food for a long time, you may have depleted your body of important micronutrients that are necessary for estrogen production.
Try: Adding in more protein. Hormones are made from amino acids, and you cant get your estrogen up if you cant make enough of it from your food.
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Natural Remedies And Supplements
There are many nutritional supplements on the market that claim to treat menopause and hormone imbalance. However, few of them are backed up by scientific evidence.
Many of these supplements contain plant-derived hormones. These are sometimes called bioidentical hormones because they chemically resemble the bodys natural hormones. Theres no evidence to suggest that they work better than regular hormone therapy, though.
Some people find that yoga helps treat symptoms of hormonal imbalance. Yoga is excellent for your strength, flexibility, and balance. It may also aid in weight loss, which can help regulate your hormones.
You can also make the following lifestyle changes:
The primary cause of acne is excess oil production, which leads to clogged pores. Acne is most common in areas with many oil glands, including the:
Acne is often associated with pubescent hormonal changes, but theres actually a lifelong relationship between acne and hormones.
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How Do I Know If I Have A Hormone Imbalance
The following list of common complaints can often be helped or eliminated by improving hormone health. The challenge is often finding out the starting place of your hormone imbalance to ensure you are treating the root of the problem rather than just the symptoms. And thats where hormone testing comes in.
- Menstrual irregularities
- Poor immune function
When assessing a hormone imbalance, its important to evaluate the endocrine system as a whole. This is because the endocrine system is complex and hormones and their actions are intricately linked this means that hormone imbalances originating from different areas can cause the same symptom.
When To Test Cortisol
We cant always get a full picture of whats going on with your hormones without looking at the adrenals, which produce the stress hormone cortisol.
Cortisol is involved in your stress response, hair loss, blood sugar regulation and more. In time of stress, the body will shift into preferentially making cortisol over progesterone. Read more about the importance of cortisol here.
Cortisol blood tests are best performed in the morning, along with Adrenocorticotropic hormone , because this is when levels are highest. ACTH is produced in the pituitary gland and helps your adrenals to function. For a more comprehensive picture of adrenal function, a 4-point salivary or urinary cortisol is best. Cortisol can be tested at any time of the month.
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