Our office is happy to provide hormone testing and treatment to correct imbalances that may be causing you symptoms. Do you feel like you can’t lose weight? Do you feel more tired than in the past? Do you have trouble sleeping? Is your sex drive less that it used to be? Are you dealing with adult acne? Do you feel you have PMS or your PMS is getting worse? Do you have fibroids? Do you have fibrocystic breasts or breast pain? Do you have endometriosis?
Women have been saying for years that their hormones are out of whack, and they probably are. In the female body, balance is key. Women need a balance of estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, thyroid hormones and cortisol. When this balance is not in place, women can feel symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, forgetfulness, foggy thinking, unwanted weight gain, declining interest in sex, PMS, sleep disturbance….The list is endless.
Do you have any of these symptoms? Take our hormone quizzes for assistance in determining what your symptoms could be trying to tell you.
Don’t let anyone tell you it’s all in your head or it is just a part of aging. Let us help you on your journey to feeling better.
For the past 5 years over 300 medical studies have used saliva as a way to measure free hormone levels. The free hormone level is the key here. Ninety to 99% of hormones are bound to proteins, making them unavailable for accurate testing in the blood. For years women have been asking to have their hormones tested, and we will provide that testing. Normally we use a combination of blood and saliva testing, we can assess your female hormones and thyroid hormones to determine if there is an imbalance present. To use an analogy from Dr Eldred B. Taylor’s book, Are Your Hormones Making You Sick, “A woman has a hundred pieces of her favorite chocolate candy in a bag and decides to eat two pieces of candy. She unwraps two pieces of candy and enjoys it. If she is driving a car, she may decide to unwrap a few pieces and leave them in the bag to make them easily accessible. There are a hundred pieces of candy in a bag but only two to three pieces are unwrapped and accessible. Measuring estrogen and progesterone in the blood reveals how much hormone is in the blood but not how much is accessible to the tissue. Blood measurements reflect the total hormone (candy) present but not how much hormone (candy) is free or unwrapped and accessible. The saliva is an excellent medium to measure the amount of free hormone available to the breast, uterus, brain or other tissues that are sensitive to these hormones. This method of testing was discovered in 1959 and is now widely available and many insurance companies cover the cost. However, this form of testing is still new to most doctors”.
Saliva testing can accurately measure your free and available hormone levels, eliminating the guessing from your treatment. If we discover a deficiency or imbalance we can monitor your hormone levels after starting bio-identical hormone treatment, which allows us to individualize your hormone therapy. If you are experiencing symptoms, you will want to test at least two hormones, estradiol and progesterone. If you would like a more comprehensive picture, we can perform a five panel test measuring estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, DHEAS and morning cortisol.
Saliva testing is easy to do in the comfort of your own home. We will provide you with a test kit in our office, and you collect the specimen at your home, and mail your specimen to ZRT labs in the pre-paid envelope. It’s that easy! We will receive your results about one week later, and we will meet withl you to discuss your results and your treatment options.
These three female are mainly secreted by the ovaries, and have pivotal functions in fertility, menstrual cycles, and basic female well being. In general, estrogen levels drop off around age 51, but progesterone and testosterone decline as early as the thirties, or even twenties for some women. The estrogen and progesterone levels need to be properly balanced to each other, like a see saw, for women to feel their best. When the progesterone levels fall in the thirties, then there is a functional excess of estrogen. The levels of estrogen may be in the normal range, but without progesterone for balance, women can have multiple symptoms of progesterone deficiency, or estrogen dominance. (The see saw is not equal). With testing and treatment, this situation is usually easily resolved, and women are spared multiple symptoms during these peri-menopause years.
Make sure to take our hormone quizzes to help you identify your symptoms.
Estrogens – a family of hormones (estradiol, estrone, estriol) secreted by the female ovaries. They are necessary for maintaining the health of the reproductive tissues, breasts, bones, skin, and the brain.
Progesterone – an essential female sex hormone produced by the ovaries after ovulation and in lesser amounts by the adrenal glands which promotes healthy functioning of the female reproductive system. It has many vital functions, from maintaining pregnancy to regulating menstrual cycles; has calming and diuretic properties, and enhances the beneficial effects of estrogens while preventing problems linked to estrogen excess. Progesterone facilitates balance of other steroid hormones. (Not the same as progestins, a synthetic form of progesterone found in birth control pills and Provera)
Progestins – synthetic hormones that act partially like progesterone in some ways but are structurally different; suppress normal ovarian production of progesterone and many have negative side effects.
Testosterone – one of a group of hormones known as androgens produced in both males and females. It builds and maintains bone and muscle mass, skin elasticity, sex drive and cardiovascular health in both sexes.
DHEA – (dehydroeplandrosterone) hormone made by the adrenal glands, it converts to androgens, like testosterone and estrogens. Its actions influence energy, stamina, mental outlook and immune function. – a family of hormones (estradiol, estrone, estriol) secreted by the female ovaries. They are necessary for maintaining the health of the reproductive tissues, breasts, bones, skin, and the brain.
Cortisol – produced by the adrenal glands; it regulates the stress response, glucose metabolism, and immune function. Cortisol has a catabolic (breaking down) action on tissue when levels are too high or out of balance.
Adrenal imbalance – This occurs when the adrenals no longer produce enough hormone to meet bodily demands and is a result of prolonged stress (emotional, viral, physicl). Adrenal support includes adequate rest, exercise, nutrition, and supplementation.
Estrogen dominance – an excess of estrogen in teh absence of adequate levels of progesterone. It can result from estrogen replacement therapy, hysterectomy, birth control pills, and/or decline in ovarian progesterone production. The symptoms range from breast tenderness and bloating, to mood swings and depression.
Bioidentical – hormones that have the exact structure and function of hormones produced naturally within the body.
Thyroid – gland that produces hormones that regulates metabolism; imbalances lead to weight gain, cold body temperature, depression, hair loss, etc…
TSH – Thyroid stimulating hormone, pituitary hormone, signals the thyroid to produce T4 (Thyroxine) which converts to active T3 (Triiodothyronine).
Phytoestrogens – plant compounds (e.g. soy, black cohosh) with mild estrogen-like activity; are used as natural alternatives to relieve menopausal symptoms.
Insulin resistance – a term used to describe the failure of the tissues to respond (resistance)
Cholesterol – a waxy, fatlike substance in your blood, necessary for hormone production
LDL – (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol – the “bad” cholesterol that builds up in your arteries
HDL – (high density lipoprotein) cholesterol – the “good” cholesterol that helps carry away LDL cholesterol to prevent buildup
Triglycerides – another blood fat that increases your risk of heart disease if levels are high