This is a non-invasive way of assessing your hormone level and has become a more reliable medium for measuring hormones.
Included in this test is cortisol, DHEA, testosterone, progesterone, and estrogen.
In the body hormones are in two forms, free and bound. 95% of all hormones are bound in the blood to protein and inactive, meaning, not working. The 5% that is active makes it's way into the tissues and becomes the priority method of testing.
Comprehensive Panel: This assessment is used for Men and Women who have many of the above symptoms, and it combines a complete adrenal function panel in addition to an assessment of sex hormone levels. It is for compromised individuals who are having the short comprehensive and adrenal function symptoms. It is especially important to assess those mid-day cortisol levels in individuals who are experiencing blood sugar dysregulation, hyperlipidemia, weight gain around the waist, bone loss ,infertility, sensitivity to chemicals and increased joint pain.
Who Should Be Tested?
Men and women concerned with decreasing hormone levels as a result of age. Cycling women experiencing PMS symptoms, perhaps related to a hormonal imbalance. Peri and postmenopausal women concerned with their estradiol and progesterone levels for replacement considerations. Those wishing to monitor their hormone levels following replacement therapy (oral, sublingual or topical), and subsequently regulate their supplement levels. Anyone with symptoms involving fatigue, insomnia, stress, immunity problems, blood sugar problems, and overweight should be tested for cortisol levels as well as “sex" hormones.
Men and women of any age who are having symptoms of hormone imbalances should test for all hormones that may be associated with their symptoms.
Men and women over the age of forty may want to do a baseline test. Frequently imbalances will be detectable for a time period before symptoms gain attention.