All you need is ... spit?
That’s right, you give up a little saliva throughout the day and BodyLogicMD bioidentical hormone physicians can get a good handle on all of your key hormone levels. Okay, you will have to part with a little bit of blood, too, but it’s for a good cause: figuring out why you feel the way you do and h ow to get you and your hormones back in balance. Not a bad trade, right?
Hormone Tests for Women
The hormone tests for women used by BodyLogicMD physicians include the saliva hormone test, serum hormone tests and the saliva and blood spot combination test.
Saliva Hormone Tests
One of the simplest methods of hormone testing for women is the saliva hormone test. The female initial panel or profile designed by BodyLogicMD expert physicians includes the use of saliva to test five different hormones. Saliva tests are used to detect the levels of sex-hormones produced by the ovaries (estradiol levels-the main estrogen hormone, progesterone levels, and women testosterone levels) and adrenal glands (DHEA and cortisol levels). The saliva samples should be collected in the morning, noon, evening and night to accurately measure your cortisol levels which fluctuate throughout the day. Measuring cortisol levels provides an accurate adrenal fatigue test.
If you are still menstruating, you are asked to perform the saliva hormone test on days 19-21 of your cycle (day 1 being the beginning of menstruation) because it is at a time when the ratio of your hormones, namely estrogen levels and progesterone levels, is optimal for testing. Scientific studies (visit our partner, ZRT Laboratory, for reference) show a strong correlation between hormone levels measured in saliva and the amount of hormones escaping the bloodstream and entering tissues throughout the body. For women especially, saliva tests hormone tests are comprehensive and accurate in determining key hormone levels.
Serum Hormone Tests
Some hormones circulating in the bloodstream, such as the thyroid hormones and insulin, do not enter saliva because of their large size; this means that saliva hormone tests cannot measure these hormones. As a result, the female initial panel includes a blood draw quickly performed at your nearest Quest Lab (a BodyLogicMD partner).
These additional hormone tests for women not only provide a more comprehensive look at a woman’s hormones to be completely positive of her condition, but the tests also assist the physicians in designing a customized nutrition and fitness plan paired with your bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. The blood draw will test for a number of possible problems or conditions in a woman including anemia, the relative risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease and possible thyroid disorders (hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism).
Saliva and Blood Spot (Capillary) Combination Hormone Tests
Combining the saliva tests and blood spot tests in one, simple to use, kit provides a powerful tool for assessing the levels of a wide array of hormones that may be causing you symptoms. Hormones tested in saliva and blood spot are strongly correlated with symptoms of hormonal imbalances, both deficiency and excess. This is the key information physicians need to identify hormonal imbalances and track the efficiency of prescribed treatment, as well as adjust your dosage accordingly.
Keep in mind that saliva hormone tests are totally non-invasive and the blood spot, also referred to as a capillary test, involves a simple, nearly painless fingerstick with the tiny lancet provided in the kit. Drops of blood are collected on a filter card and allowed to dry. No special processing of the blood is required and the hormones in the dried blood are remarkably stable at room temperature for up to a month. You simply collect the saliva and blood at your convenience in your home, fill out the forms, and send the sample to the laboratory for testing in the prepaid package. Flexible, convenient, and stress free sample collection are only a few reasons to test this way.
The saliva tests in this combination kit are the same hormone tests mentioned in the above saliva testing section. Blood spot hormone testing for women is on a par with serum testing, and in addition, collection times can be optimized for fasting baseline levels and testing of hormone levels throughout the day.
Simple Tests for an Extraordinary Solution
The simple saliva tests and blood spot tests described above allow BodyLogicMD physicians to get an accurate picture of your body’s current status. This information makes all the difference in designing your personalized treatment plan. These tests are the first step towards a healthier and happier you.
Contact the BodyLogicMD bioidentical hormone therapy physician nearest you to schedule an appointment and learn more about hormone tests for women including the saliva tests and the blood spot tests.
