Your Guide to Personalized Hormone Testing

Today, I want to take you through the important world of personalized hormone testing. We will break down hormone treatment later. My goal is to empower you with knowledge about the cutting-edge advancements in personalized medicine that are revolutionizing hormone health.

Personalized medicine is all about tailoring healthcare to your unique genetic makeup, lifestyle, and health history. It’s about moving beyond the one-size-fits-all approach, including hormone health, nutrition, digestion, and lifestyle choices. Today I want to captivate your attention on hormones and your choices in healthcare options.

One of the most common questions I get is why, when, and how to test hormones. There is no single answer to that, this is why people get so confused. Let’s take a closer look into that and make it simple.

Types of Hormone Testing 

Let’s explore the three primary methods of hormone testing, each offering unique insights into your hormone health:

Blood (Serum) Hormone Testing: 

This traditional method measures hormone levels in your blood. Blood tests are the number one choice for thyroid hormones and prolactin. However, I rarely see a [full thyroid panel.pdf] when my patients bring me blood test results from their primary care doctor, or even their endocrinologist. If your thyroid function is to be tested, you need the full panel for the complete picture because it will tailor your treatment plan for your needs.

Blood is also NOT an accurate way to measure your adrenal function. 

Blood tests only show the hormone levels outside the cells in the serum and do not reflect the other levels in the body where the hormones are active and used.

Blood tests cannot differentiate between the protein-bound (inactive) and the freely available and active hormones. The blood levels can show normal values, while at the same time, looking at the active hormones, a more accurate saliva test can reveal deficiencies or surpluses.

Saliva Hormone Testing: 

Saliva testing focuses on bioavailable hormones—those actively used by your body. A saliva test is useful for the hormones cortisol, DHEA, melatonin, progesterone, testosterone, estriol, and estradiol because they can pass through the small membrane of the salivary glands.

It’s particularly useful for understanding your body’s daily hormonal fluctuations, providing insights into issues like adrenal fatigue and estrogen dominance. Saliva is collected four or five times during a specific time of day. Saliva and urine are the only ways to accurately measure your adrenal function, as your cortisol levels fluctuate day and night.

The ideal ratio of estradiol and progesterone is more important than the individual values. It is possible to have normal progesterone levels and still show symptoms of progesterone deficiency when the ratio is out of balance. That is why it is always recommended to test these two hormones together.

Urine Hormone Testing: 

Urine testing offers a comprehensive overview of hormone production and metabolism over a period of time. 

It is the only method that can accurately assess the reasons behind estrogen dominance and problems with the way your liver processes and detoxifies hormones. Poor hormone detoxification can lead to many health issues.

It helps to identify how your body processes hormones, uncovering potential issues in hormone metabolism that could lead to imbalances. The report shows your hormone production from adrenal glands to testosterone to all estrogens with all metabolic pathways.

It measures your adrenal function, providing specifics on how your body converts the inactive form of cortisol into active and back, giving you an idea of stress and around-the-waist fat storage. 

Advantages and Purposes:

Each testing method serves a unique purpose, from pinpointing specific hormone imbalances with blood tests to uncovering metabolic pathways with urine tests.

The choice of test depends on individual health concerns, symptoms, and the specific insights needed to craft a personalized treatment plan.

Customized Treatment Choices 

Based on your test results, treatment can range from lifestyle interventions and dietary adjustments to targeted supplementation and bioidentical hormone replacement. The aim is to address the symptoms and the root cause of hormonal imbalances. 

As you can already guess, the root cause of hormonal imbalances is not hormones. It can be anything that participates in the production, conversion, and detoxification of hormones. Finding the root cause makes your treatment personalized and as precise as possible. 

Your Next Steps:

If you’re intrigued by the potential of personalized hormone health, consider exploring these testing options further. Whether you’re experiencing symptoms of hormone imbalance or simply curious about your hormone health, personalized testing can offer valuable insights.

Let’s Explore Together:

Interested in learning more about how personalized hormone testing and treatment can benefit you? Feel free to reach out. As we delve into the complexities of hormone health, remember that knowledge is power. By understanding your body’s unique needs, you can make informed decisions about your health and well-being.

All the knowledge you benefit from here comes from years of my clinical experience, powered by the best ancient and super-scientific medicine, and inspired by continues education from leading-edge institutes and ancient holistic wisdom.