Hormonal balance is a delicate dance between all the
hormones. Hormone levels are not static. They are
constantly changing moment to moment, day to day
throughout various stages of our lives. The body reacts to
changing hormone levels by adjusting the levels of other
hormones. Therefore, if the amount of one hormone is off
balance, the other hormone can become imbalanced.
Saliva testing is an easy, painless, and
reliable way to measure bioavailable hormone
activity. Saliva hormone levels best approximate the
amount of hormone actually working at the cell level
because hormones must pass through cells of the saliva
gland before entering saliva. Blood testing, on the other
hand, measures both bioavailable and unavailable
(protein-bound) hormone, and may not reflect the actual
activity of the hormone.
Hormones that can be tested:
Estrogens (there are 3 kinds: estradiol, estrone,
estriol) they are important for the health of the female
reproductive tissues, breasts, skin and brain. Excess
estrogens can cause fluid retention, weight gain,
migraines and over-stimulation of the breasts, ovaries and
uterus, leading to cancer. Insufficient estrogen levels
can lead to hot flushes, vaginal dryness, rapid skin
aging, urinary problems, excessive bone loss and possible
acceleration of dementia. In men, excess estrogen relative
to testosterone may have a role in prostate problems.
Progesterone acts as a hormonal balancer of
estrogens and other steroid hormones. In men, progesterone
can influence prostate health.
Testosterone is involved in maintenance of lean
body mass, bone density, skin elasticity, sex drive and
cardiovascular health in both sexes. Excess testosterone
in women (especially when estrogen declines in menopause)
can cause some of the 'androgenic' symptoms such as scalp
hair loss and facial hair growth. Testosterone metabolites
contribute to male-patterned baldness and prostate
problems.
DHEA plays an important role in tissue
regeneration (skin, bones and muscles) and it is the
principal sex hormone precursor in both men and women.
DHEA levels decline with age.
Cortisol is produced by the adrenal glands in
response to stress. Cortisol plays an essential role in
immune function, helping the body fight inflammation;
however, chronically elevated cortisol levels (from stress
or other medical problems) suppress the action of the
immune system leading to frequent infections. Chronic
stress or nutrient deficiencies can lead to low cortisol
levels and result in low blood glucose (hypoglycemia),
excessive fatigue, and increased susceptibility to
infection.