A blood test is one of the most common ways to measure hormone levels. This test can detect levels of testosterone, estrogen, cortisol, and thyroid. You should request a test that is specific to your gender, as a hormone test for women will detect different levels of sex hormones than a test for men. A simple saliva test can also detect several types of hormones. With a saliva test, you can look at your levels of estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone.
At the initial consultation, we must understand if a patient is perimenopausal, menopausal, or if she could have premature menopause or some other hormonal condition. Initial blood tests allow us to evaluate which hormone levels are higher or lower than expected to help make an accurate diagnosis. If you're receiving hormone therapy to treat menopausal symptoms, your doctor may do an E1 or E2 test to see how well your treatment is going. Your hormonal health professional knows best what types of hormone tests you need, but understanding your options can help you understand what to expect.
The DUTCH test is a urinary evaluation of hormones and can provide a wealth of useful information about the body's different hormonal systems. The cortisol test is often done in conjunction with corticotropin level tests, since this hormone in the pituitary gland works by regulating cortisone levels. Excessive stress, poor diet, aging, and certain medications can contribute to imbalances in cortisol and other adrenal hormones. Saliva tests provide a good picture of the free hormones that are actively available in the body, compared to the total amount of hormones in the blood stream.
After spitting into a tube several times over the course of one or several days, the laboratory can analyze individual or combined samples to determine individual or average measurements of hormone levels. It's important to talk to a doctor if you have any signs of hormonal imbalance or other problems related to your hormone levels. It may also be suggested that you take a hormone test if you have previously had health problems related to hormonal imbalances. In addition to analyzing specific hormone levels that may be related to your symptoms, you and your doctor may also decide to do a general hormone check to see the big picture and help you create a plan to achieve greater overall balance.
These hormones are key indicators of erectile dysfunction, loss of body hair, hot flashes, and the excessive development of large breast tissue. Lumps, cysts, and other abnormalities in the reproductive organs can help your doctor diagnose problems that affect hormone balance and pose a risk to your overall health. These can be blood tests, which measure levels of the hormone in the blood stream, or saliva tests, which measure the levels of cortisol in a saliva sample. If follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormones (LH) are elevated, this indicates perimenopause or menopause.
