Imagine for a moment that your body is basically a factory. Everything — each part of your body, from your brain to your skin — has a job to do. The foreman on the job: your endocrine system. “The glands of your endocrine system send out hormones that tell each part of your body what work to do, when to do it, and for how long. Hormones are vital to your health and well-being,” according to the Hormone Health Network, from the Endocrine Society.

Hormones — Your Body’s Taskmaster

Hormones are your body’s chemical messengers, traveling in your bloodstream to tissues and organs to help them do their work. They are responsible for all types of processes including:

  • Growth and development
  • Metabolism
  • Sexual function
  • Reproduction
  • Mood

That means that if something goes wrong with your hormones — if they get out of balance — they can create all sorts of trouble. Any Lab Test Now offers a wide variety of hormone tests. One of the easiest and most informative is the Saliva Hormone Test.

A Test to Trust

The Saliva Hormone Test is the best non-invasive method for discovering any type of hormone imbalance in either males or females. This important hormone test will provide you with an overall picture of where you stand with your hormone levels. Never think for one moment that hormone issues don’t exist… or that they’re not important. Even the slightest dysfunction of your hormones can result in weight gain, fatigue, mood changes, or sleep disturbances.

Your Key to Good Health

As the name suggests, this particular test uses a sample of your saliva to analyze your hormone levels in five key areas:

  1. Testosterone – In men, an irregularity of testosterone within the body may contribute to decreased bone density, decreased muscle strength, and decreased libido. In women, too much testosterone can lead to irregular periods and excess body hair. Not enough can lead to loss of muscle tone, poor concentration, and lack of libido.
  2. Progesterone – This hormone is strongly linked to menstruation and fertility in women. Women who have low levels can struggle to conceive, and if they do manage to conceive, they are at an increased risk for miscarriage.
  3. Estradiol – This is a type of estrogen predominant during a woman’s reproductive years. Too little can cause menstrual problems, hot flashes, and mood swings, while too much can cause weight gain, fibroid tumors, and even depression. Men produce small amounts of estrogen as well. Low levels can cause excess belly fat and low sex drive while too much can lead to gynecomastia and infertility.
  4. DHEA-S – High and low levels of this hormone can impact both men and women. In women, too much can cause excessive body and facial hair and acne. In men, it can lead to male pattern baldness. Low levels are associated with diabetes, dementia, and even lupus. NOTE: It is normal for your levels to lower as you age.
  5. Cortisol – Often called the “stress hormone” it actually does a lot of jobs in your body, including control of blood sugar levels, metabolism regulation, inflammation reduction, memory functions, and even blood pressure.

The Saliva Hormone Test will help you and your doctor by providing a “big picture” and get you on your way to feeling better and more like yourself. Not sure where to begin? A visit to your local Any Lab Test Now will introduce you to one of our helpful lab assistants that can guide you down the path to better health.