HORMONE TESTING
faqs
Hormones affect every cell in your body and impact your overall health as well as play a role in disease prevention. Testing and then balancing hormone levels, including stress hormones (cortisol, DHEA), thyroid hormones (TSH, fT3, fT4), and sex hormones (progesterone, estrogens (estrone, estradiol, estriol), DHEA, testosterone, and pregnenolone), are important for wellness. Advanced hormone metabolites can be assessed to help in cancer prevention strategies.
+What are the common signs & symptoms of a hormone imbalance? Common symptoms of hormone imbalance are:
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+What are the risks of developing a hormone imbalance? The principal risks of developing hormone imbalances include:
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+What is the difference between blood, saliva, and urine methods for hormone testing? Each of the methods for testing hormones has its pros and cons. Each method can provide valuable and important information, but because the information is different for each method, the method(s) you use should be determined by your diagnostic needs.
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+How do I know which hormone test is right for me? Your Naturopath or Nurse Practitioner will help assess which test is right for you, including an analysis of the most cost-efficient path of testing. We recommend a New Patient Visit with one of our Naturopathic Doctors for the most comprehensive approach to your health or a Pre-Lab Visit for a quick snapshot prior to lab testing as there are many tests available. Lab testing alone is a one-dimensional picture of your health. The expertise of a health professional is required to create a three-dimensional picture for proper selection, and interpretation of lab testing. To complete your care, we recommend booking your Post-Lab consult 2 weeks after testing to review your results and receive your tailored health plan. | |||||||||||||||
+How are these hormone tests different than the tests that my doctor does? The hormone tests available through Naturopaths, Nurse Practitioners or Integrative Doctors incorporate the latest scientific strategies and are more detailed than what traditional doctors most often use that are covered by provincial insurance plans such as OHIP. For example, our hormone panels include stress and thyroid hormones. Your clinician will also refer you back to your medical practitioner when tests are available that are covered by insurance plans. Integrative practitioners will also assess your lab results based on optimal vs normal ranges to be proactive vs reactive in health. | |||||||||||||||
+Are these hormone tests covered under insurance plans? Third-party insurance companies may cover all or a portion of your consultations. Most other integrative testing is not currently covered by private insurance companies. Please check with your individual provider for details and how to submit claims. | |||||||||||||||
+How are hormone imbalances treated? Your Revivelife integrative practitioner will review all findings and create a personalized plan for you based on what are the root causes of the Hormone Imbalance. Often lifestyle modifications to promote optimal sleep, fitness, nutrition, and reduced stress create significant improvements in hormone balance and are the foundation of hormone health. Your plan will include essential nutrients such as vitamin B5, or others specific to you. Vitamin B5 is a crucial vitamin required to form the “mother hormone” pregnenolone from cholesterol that cascades into all other sex hormones. Your practitioner will share key food sources of vitamin B5, including pumpkin seeds, whole grains, avocados, and recipes that can help you include these foods in your daily menu. Targeted supplements, herbals, acupuncture, or a referral to our bio-identical hormone prescribers are customized to suit your needs. Bioidentical progesterone may be recommended to help support your mood and sleep. Progesterone has a calming effect on the brain. It modulates GABA receptors 4 which induce sleep and relaxation. Many sleeping pills work by modulating these receptors, but progesterone doesn’t come with undesirable side effects. To Book, an appointment Click here |
Common symptoms of hormone imbalance are:
The principal risks of developing hormone imbalances include:
- Age
- Chronic Inflammation
- Liver Disease (hepatitis, mono, fatty liver)
- Excess Exposure: alcohol, chemicals, drugs, medications
- Genetic Link
- Low Nutrients
- Microbiome Imbalance
- Obesity
- Poor Lifestyle – Diet, Lack of Sleep, Stress, Smoking
Each of the methods for testing hormones has its pros and cons. Each method can provide valuable and important information, but because the information is different for each method, the method(s) you use should be determined by your diagnostic needs.
| METHOD | BENEFITS | DRAWBACKS |
| Blood Testing | Readily accessible & good correlation with symptoms Can test for free (active) & total testosterone (saliva & urine can’t do) Can test for SHBG & PSA Estradiol | A single snapshot in time Not ideal testing for estrogen metabolites that are friendly or unfriendly for cancer risk (i.e. 2/16 hydroyxestrone ratio) Estriol not an ideal method |
| Saliva Testing | Steroid hormones in the blood are 95-99 % bound to carrier proteins. Monthly Map Available Saliva testing measures the bioavailable amount1-3 Good to monitor hormone therapy Easy collection | Misses sex hormone metabolites Saliva samples have lower amounts of hormones thus consistent accuracy is more difficult Contamination from bleeding gums or brushing teeth too hard can give artificially elevated levels |
| Urine – 24 Hour | Assesses many hormones including sex hormone metabolites Average hormone level over 24-hours removing daily fluctuations in hormones | Collection is difficult Dysfunction in the diurnal pattern of cortisol cannot be determined Expensive |
| Urine – DUTCH | Useful in determining complete sex and stress hormones including their metabolites, sleep hormones i.e. melatonin, and six organic acids including nutrients and neurotransmitters. Tests for all 2 estrogens Estrogen metabolites 2/16 hydroxy estrone ratio and 2 methoxyestradiol (suspected to have anticancer qualities) Easy collection | Some don’t include thyroid hormones Only tests for hormones body is excreting in the urine
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Your Naturopath or Nurse Practitioner will help assess which test is right for you, including an analysis of the most cost-efficient path of testing. We recommend a New Patient Visit with one of our Naturopathic Doctors for the most comprehensive approach to your health or a Pre-Lab Visit for a quick snapshot prior to lab testing as there are many tests available. Lab testing alone is a one-dimensional picture of your health. The expertise of a health professional is required to create a three-dimensional picture for proper selection, and interpretation of lab testing. To complete your care, we recommend booking your Post-Lab consult 2 weeks after testing to review your results and receive your tailored health plan.
The hormone tests available through Naturopaths, Nurse Practitioners or Integrative Doctors incorporate the latest scientific strategies and are more detailed than what traditional doctors most often use that are covered by provincial insurance plans such as OHIP. For example, our hormone panels include stress and thyroid hormones. Your clinician will also refer you back to your medical practitioner when tests are available that are covered by insurance plans. Integrative practitioners will also assess your lab results based on optimal vs normal ranges to be proactive vs reactive in health.
Third-party insurance companies may cover all or a portion of your consultations. Most other integrative testing is not currently covered by private insurance companies. Please check with your individual provider for details and how to submit claims.
Your Revivelife integrative practitioner will review all findings and create a personalized plan for you based on what are the root causes of the Hormone Imbalance. Often lifestyle modifications to promote optimal sleep, fitness, nutrition, and reduced stress create significant improvements in hormone balance and are the foundation of hormone health.
Your plan will include essential nutrients such as vitamin B5, or others specific to you. Vitamin B5 is a crucial vitamin required to form the “mother hormone” pregnenolone from cholesterol that cascades into all other sex hormones. Your practitioner will share key food sources of vitamin B5, including pumpkin seeds, whole grains, avocados, and recipes that can help you include these foods in your daily menu.
Targeted supplements, herbals, acupuncture, or a referral to our bio-identical hormone prescribers are customized to suit your needs. Bioidentical progesterone may be recommended to help support your mood and sleep. Progesterone has a calming effect on the brain. It modulates GABA receptors 4 which induce sleep and relaxation. Many sleeping pills work by modulating these receptors, but progesterone doesn’t come with undesirable side effects.
To Book, an appointment Click here
- Vining RF, McGinley RA. The measurement of hormones in saliva: possibilities and pitfalls. J Steroid Biochem. 1987;27:81–94.
- John G Lewis, Steroid Analysis in Saliva: An overview, Clin Biochem Rev. 2006 Aug; 27(3): 139–146.
- Michael J. Kozloski,1,2,3Philip Schumm,4 and Martha K. McClintock 2,3,4,5,6, The Utility and Dynamics of Salivary Sex Hormone Measurements in the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project, Wave 2, J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2014 Nov; 69(Suppl 2): S215–S228.
- Pazol K, Northcutt KV, Patisaul HB, et al, Progesterone and medroxyprogesterone acetate differentially regulate α4 subunit expression of GABAA receptors in the CA1 hippocampus of female rats, Physiol Behav. 2009 Apr 20;97(1):58-61. Epub 2009 Feb 7.