Hormone Health

Even if you are feeling well, routine lab testing is an important part of maintaining your health. If you are looking for a general overview of your health but you are not sure where to start, the Comprehensive Female Panel could be a good option for you. It consists of 11 tests that provide valuable information about your blood counts, kidney and liver function, electrolytes, cholesterol, hemoglobin A1c, thyroid function, and hormone levels. This panel is ideal for women of all ages who want to take control of their health. 

Even if you are feeling well, routine lab testing is an important part of maintaining your health. If you are looking for a general overview of your health but you are not sure where to start, the Comprehensive Male Panel could be a good option for you. It consists of 8 tests that provide valuable information about your blood counts, kidney and liver function, electrolytes, cholesterol, hemoglobin A1c, thyroid function, prostate health, and hormone levels. This panel is ideal for men of all ages who want to take control of their health. 

THESE 5 TESTS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS PANEL:

1. Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)
2. Total T4
3. Free T4
4. Free T3
5. Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPO)

WHAT DOES THE THYROID GLAND DO?

The thyroid gland is responsible for regulating how your body uses energy through the production of hormones critical to proper cell and system functioning.

There are three main hormones in the thyroid system that should be balanced:

1. TSH: Thyroid Stimulating Hormone is the most important of the hormones in the thyroid system, this stimulates or acts on the thyroid gland, telling it how much of the actual thyroid hormones need to be made.
2. T4: Hormone is produced by the thyroid and travels throughout the body and is converted into T3.
3. T3: The active form of T4.  This is the hormone that goes into the cells and controls their function throughout the body.

A thyroid hormone panel screens for thyroid function and can help diagnose potential thyroid disease by examining your body’s production, levels, or usage of the different thyroid hormones.  There are two types of thyroid and thyroid hormone-related disorders:

1. Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) – symptoms may include fatigue, weight gain, a short attention span, and numbness or cold intolerance.
2. Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) – symptoms may include weight loss, persistent vomiting, increased blood pressure, hair loss, or a persistently fast heart rate.

WHY DO I NEED THIS TEST?

If there is a thyroid level imbalance in your body, you may be more susceptible to everything from osteoporosis and heart disease to infertility and fatigue.

Thyroid disorders are more common in women and they often occur with changes in other hormone levels, such as with pregnancy or with older age.

AMH (Anti-Müllerian Hormone) is a hormone that measures your ovarian reserve, or the number of eggs you have. This test is often used in conjunction with other tests to assess fertility. AMH testing can also be used to help diagnose PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), predict the onset of menopause, and monitor patients with certain types of ovarian cancer.

The Saliva Hormone Test is the best non-invasive method for discovering any type of hormone imbalance in either males or females.  Hormone imbalance can occur at any age and can be due to a multitude of reasons.

The ovaries produce many of the hormones in females, which also communicate with the brain to either increase or decrease the release of various other hormones.  The imbalance within the body can lead to symptoms experienced during a short period of time or for many years.

In men, the testes produce mainly 95% of all testosterone, which is balanced by the adrenal gland.  The brain also regulates the increase or decrease of hormones released within the body.  The irregularity of testosterone within the body may contribute to decreased bone density, decreased muscle strength and decreased libido.

The Saliva Cortisol test is the least invasive way to measure the level of cortisol in the body.  Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands and regulated by the hypothalamus, a part of the brain, and the pituitary gland.  Cortisol is a critical hormone that helps to break down fat and protein.  The level of cortisol in the body stimulates liver glucose production and helps to maintain blood pressure and regulate the immune system affecting inflammation.  It also helps us react to physical and emotional stress. Free cortisol, which is unbound to a protein, is found in the urine and in the saliva and cortisol levels normally fluctuate throughout the day, with levels being highest in the morning and lowest after midnight.

High levels of cortisol may be caused by Cushing Syndrome, a relatively rare disorder that could result from taking glucocorticoid-steroids for a prolonged period or an adrenal tumor.

Addison’s disease (primary or secondary) or adrenal insufficiency cause low levels of cortisol and may be a result of an autoimmune response to the adrenal glands or an adrenal tumor.  70% of primary adrenal insufficiency is caused by an autoimmune process that ultimately destroys the adrenal cortex.

Cortisol, also known as hydrocortisone, is a hormone released by the adrenal gland in response to stress.  When responding to a stressful situation cortisol prepares the body for a fight or flight response by increasing blood sugar, suppressing the immune system, and aiding in fat, protein and carbohydrate metabolism for increased energy.  Cortisol also prevents the release of substances that cause inflammation so it is used to treat diseases that cause inflammation such as rheumatoid arthritis and allergies.

Although cortisol is critical for our survival, too much cortisol is damaging to the body and can cause hyperglycemia, abdominal fat production, obesity, decreased bone density, compromised immune and inflammation response, increased blood pressure, damage to the heart, and may lead to Cushing’s syndrome.  Too little and our bodies don’t function properly either.  Damage to the adrenal gland or an autoimmune disease can reduce the amount of cortisol produced leading to weight loss, fatigue, low blood pressure, vomiting, diarrhea and loss of consciousness.

The DHEA‐S Test helps in evaluating your adrenal gland function.

Your adrenal glands are two small pieces of tissue that sit atop each kidney. They produce and release certain regulatory hormones and chemical messengers, one of which is Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate or DHEA‐S for short.  It’s a natural steroid hormone produced from cholesterol and it purpose is to serve as a precursor to male and female sex hormones. This hormone is also associated with immune and stress response.

The Estradiol Test measures the amount of estradiol (a female sex hormone which is basically a form of estrogen) in your blood. The test will determine your estrogen status, evaluate your ovarian function and monitor the follicular development during ovulation. In men, this test is used to assess estrogen production levels.

The Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) test measures the amount of FSH, a sex hormone produced by the pituitary gland, in your blood. In women, Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)  stimulates production of eggs and a hormone called estradiol during the first half of the menstrual cycle.  In men, Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) stimulates production of sperm.

Free T4 measures the free, unbound thyroxine levels in your bloodstream. Free T4 is typically elevated in hyperthyroidism, and lowered in hypothyroidism. Free or unbound T4 levels represent the level of hormone available for uptake and use by cells. Because the free levels of T4 represent immediately available hormone, free T4 is thought to better reflect the patient’s hormonal status than total T4.

Free T3 measures the free, unbound levels of triiodothyronine in your bloodstream. Free T3 is considered more accurate than Total T3. Free T3 is typically elevated in hyperthyroidism, and lowered in hypothyroidism.

The Luteinizing Hormone or LH Test measures how much of the hormone is in your blood.   The LH is produced by the pituitary gland in both men and women.

In females, this hormone helps regulate the menstrual cycle and egg production.  It is common to see LH levels rise and fall during the monthly menstrual cycle.  It is also useful in the production of estrogen and progesterone.

In males, LH is responsible for the release of testosterone (which plays a role in producing sperm).

The Osteoporosis Risk Panel includes ten different tests that evaluate your risk for osteoporosis – a debilitating disease that causes bones to become more fragile.

Calcium and Vitamin D play a large part in diagnosing osteoporosis.  If you are deficient in these minerals, this panel will tell you.  The other tests help make the panel more comprehensive and give you and your physician a better evaluation of your bones and how your body processes the minerals needed to create bone.

The Progesterone Test measures the amount of the hormone in your blood. Progesterone is a female hormone produced by the ovaries and it’s essential for pregnancy. It prepares the uterus for fertilization and produces breast milk. The hormone also plays a role in sexual desire.

Prolactin levels are a good measure if there is a dysfunction within your body.  Symptoms that may trigger someone to check their prolactin level include nipple discharge, headaches and visual problems, infertility (male and female), impotence, possible pituitary tumor, prolactinomas and irregular or no menstrual periods.

This test measures the total amount of circulating thyroxine in your blood. Thyroxine, a hormone produced by the thyroid, is also known as T4. A high value can indicate hyperthyroidism, a low value can indicate hypothyroidism. Total T4 levels can be elevated due to pregnancy, and other high estrogen states, including use of estrogen replacement or birth control pills.

The Testosterone, Free (Direct), Serum with Total Test will determine the level of testosterone (free and total) in your blood.

Testosterone is a hormone (commonly produced in males, but is also in females in small amounts) that affects sexual features and development.  Testosterone levels explode in men after puberty and continue to rise until about age 40.

Overall, this test will give you a better understanding of how much testosterone is in your blood.

Testosterone is a male hormone that helps to maintain bone density, fat distribution, muscle strength and mass, red blood cell production, sex drive and sperm production.  As men age, levels of testosterone naturally decline by about 1% per year after age 30. Extremely low levels of testosterone may be caused by a disease (hypogonadism) in which the body isn’t able to produce enough of the hormone because of a problem with the testicles or the pituitary gland which promotes testosterone production.

If you are considering androgen/testosterone replacement therapy you need to be aware of your overall health so that you are not surprised by new health problems that pop up once you begin therapy.  These screening may uncover underlying issues so that these can be treated before you begin therapy.  In some cases you will not be eligible to receive testosterone therapy if you have one of these conditions because they can cause serious symptoms and health issues.

Thyroglobulin is produced by normal or cancerous thyroid cells.  When a person develops an autoimmune disease that attacks the thyroid, the body produces thyroglobulin antibodies that damage the thyroid.  The test can be used to distinguish an autoimmune thyroid disease from other thyroid diseases, for example, to find the causes of goiter or high or low thyroid hormone levels.

The Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies test assists in the diagnosis of thyroid diseases such as endemic goiter, Graves Disease, autoimmune thyroiditis, Addison’s Disease, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, Hashimoto’s Disease, and polyendocrine auto-immunopathies.

The thyroid gland is responsible for regulating how your body uses energy. The thyroid also produces hormones critical to proper cell and system functioning.

The Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) test checks your body’s production of TSH and helps screen  for thyroid disease, hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism.

There are two types of thyroid disorders including:

• Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) – symptoms may include fatigue, weight gain, a short attention span, and numbness or cold intolerance.
• Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) – symptoms may include weight loss, persistent vomiting, increased blood pressure, hair loss or a persistently fast heart rate.