When a patient goes to a general doctor GP for help with a particular infection, whether viral or bacterial, they are prescribed with drug medications, which may be able to clear up the obvious symptoms. The current medical system is perfect for treating acute issues such as trauma, emergencies or life threatening severe allergic reactions. However, more often than not, subtle symptoms of fatigue, anxiety or underlying chronic problems are ignored. Usually these ongoing symptoms have a linked component to the hormonal system.

If one or more of these symptoms are your usual daily complaints, then it might be best to investigate your hormones:

• Cravings
• Sleeplessness
• Exhaustion
• Anxiety
• Muscle pain
• Increased irritability
• Unexplained weight gain or loss
• Loss of muscle strength
• Low energy
• Low libido

It is important to know that these complaints are never about a short-term and simple treatment. There is an imbalance in the hormones. The endocrine system is complex, and any disruption in the balance on any of the glands will throw off the whole body’s system.

Stress

Stress is usually the main culprit for all these imbalances to occur. When the body is stressed, it releases hormones. The adrenal glands release cortisol, which regulates blood sugar, electrolyte balance, sustaining sex hormon function, and many other hormone-related functions.

As individuals age, hormone levels change

The progesterone levels in women decreases significantly, while estrogen barely changes at high levels, thus the term, “estrogen dominance”. This leads to changes in the mood, irritability, memory loss, and hot flashes. If this imbalance is not given attention, it may progress to several diseases such as cancers of tissues that are dependent on estrogen, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s, and diseases of the cardiovascular system.

The imbalance of testosterone in men versus estrogen levels are linked to problems with prostate. One might think that men must only have testosterone – commonly thought of as the male hormone – but it is just as important for men to maintain balanced levels of estrogen, progesterone, cortisol, and DHEA, as women do. Men may experience nervous and immune system problems, and blood sugar abnormalities, leading to cardiovascular diseases.

Watching out for symptoms alone is insufficient. Sometimes, there are symptoms that go unnoticed but are related to the others, signifying an even greater illness. Thus, a hormonal testing is recommended.

How is Hormonal Testing Done?

It is done by testing the saliva, which provides the bioavailable hormones needed to measure the levels. There are two forms of hormones. There is the free hormone, which is 5% of it, and the rest is protein bound hormone. The free hormones are the only ones that are delivered to the receptors in the body tissue. And this tiny bit of free hormones are the ones that are affecting the tissues, and thus, causing the symptoms.

Why use the saliva and not the blood?

There is often debate about which is better; blood or saliva. In short, saliva is a reflection of a snapshot of a current state of the body. The free hormones and protein bound hormones are shown to be of equal levels if measured through the blood, which is not accurate, and thus unreliable for hormone testing. Furthermore, saliva is easy to collect and can be done at your own home.

What is the Process?

The procedure is done by first doing the Comprehensive Hormone Panel, which determines both the adrenal hormones and the reproductive hormones — the Cortisol, DHEA, Testosterone, Progesterone, and Estradiol. This is done four times throughout the day in equal intervals. Since it is a painless and non-invasive test, it can be done at the comforts of your own home. The tubes are then put into a pack that will also be provided, and then sent to the laboratory.

Why Four Samples in One Day?

These four samples should be able to provide the different levels of the stress hormones on different parts of the day, since they will likely vary depending on the mood, time, environment, and even diet. For example, cortisol should be highest during the earlier part of the day, and should gradually decrease as the day progresses.

After the test is done, the practitioner should be able to create a treatment plant that is specifically designed for you, based on the test results. With proper monitoring, and strict compliance of the support plan, which may involve herbal medicine, nutritional support and changes in lifestyle you can achieve optimal hormonal health.