Female Hormone Testing
comprehensive testing for hormonal imbalances
Test, don't guess.
If you suspect hormones to be at play, speak to your Naturopathic Doctor about getting the testing you need to answer the questions you've been asking.
Hormones are a dynamic system, which means they are constantly being produced, utilized, and metabolized at a steady rate. Therefore, assessment tools must also be dynamic to allow for an accurate representation of this system, or imbalances can easily be missed. Excesses in one hormone may present the same way as deficiencies in another. ​Depending on your concerns, Dr. Holmberg, ND may use serum, saliva, or urinary collection methods to assess both primary sex hormones, as well as their metabolites, to help sort out the specifics of potential hormone imbalances. Naturopathic Doctor's use innovative and thorough hormone assessments to collect all the important information related to your case. Any current blood work and ultrasound reports will be reviewed prior to further testing.
Hormonal imbalances may present in a variety of concerns, and with a variety of symptoms. ​
Hormonal imbalances may present in a variety of concerns, and with a variety of symptoms. ​
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Women who still have menstrual cycles may experience:
- PMS/mood swings
- anxiety
- painful periods
- irregular periods (PCOS)
- Acne
- infertility
- excessive hair growth
- weight gain
- fatigue
- hair loss, and other symptoms
Women who are peri/menopause may experience:
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- insomnia
- anxiety/depression
- irregular or absent cycles
- hot flashes & night sweats
- weight gain
- vaginal dryness
- male-patterned hair growth
- low libido and other symptoms
Other conditions associated with hormone imbalance include:
- inability to lose weight (possible thyroid or insulin connection)
- depression, irritability, difficulty coping
- bone loss
- breast cancer
methods of testing
Serum (blood) hormone testing is the most commonly used form of assessment among professionals. It provides the most diversity in terms of orderable markers.
PROS
- Many hormones can be assessed in the blood, making it the best method for broad-spectrum testing.
- Blood work can is the only accurate way to assess for pituitary hormones (LH, FSH, prolactin, etc) and metabolic hormones (thyroid, leptin, insulin, ghrelin, etc).
- Helpful for accurate diagnosis of many disorders, including but not limited to PCOS, hirsutism, infertility, peri/menopause, premature ovarian failure, hypothalamic-pituitary amenorrhea, etc
- Results are quickly reported and can easily be interpreted by all of your primary health care providers (Family Doctor, Gynaecologist, Endocrinologist, Fertility Specialist, etc).
CONS
- Bloodwork underestimates hormone levels, making it more difficult to diagnose subclinical disorders
- Cannot assess for multiple/average hormone outputs - only provides you with a snapshot in time.
- Limited ability to view metabolites.
why get hormone testing?
While clinical symptoms provide some insight, hormone testing gives you and your Naturopath a detailed snapshot into every step of the process in your endocrine system. Getting a full insight into both preliminary hormones and their metabolites can change the course of treatment in case management.
For example, a patient may present with a phenotype of elevated androgens, but when tested, testosterone may appear within a normal range on blood work. However, if blood work fails to assess its metabolite, dihydrotestosterone (which is 2.5x more potent), the metabolite of testosterone may in fact be creating the symptoms.
When indicated, benefits to hormone assessments include the ability to assess both primary hormone levels, their pathway of breakdown, and the efficacy of the enzymes that are doing so. The results allow for a tailored treatment plan that is specific to you and your hormonal needs, and treatments often work faster and more effectively.
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PLEASE NOTE: testing cannot be ordered without a medical assessment. If you wish to conduct any form of naturopathic testing, an initial consultation with Dr. Holmberg is required.
