Understanding body function through cell to cell communication
Salivary Hormone Testing—When should you do it?
Hormones and Health
Hormone disruption can lead to a wide variety of symptoms which can include; fatigue, moodiness, sleep disorders, menstrual issues, lack of appetite or excessive appetite, skin conditions, headaches and muscle pain and digestive disorders.
A hormone literally means “to sent in motion” from the Greek translation. Hormones are chemical messengers from one cell (or group of cells) to another. They set in motion a cascade of chemical reactions to affect body functions. Endocrine hormone molecules are secreted (released) directly into the bloodstream, while exocrine hormones are secreted directly into a duct (tube like structures), and from the duct they either flow into the bloodstream or they flow from cell to cell by diffusion in a process known as paracrine signaling. The body cannot function without hormones and improper hormone secretion can lead to a wide range of physiological dysfunction.
Hormone testing in the clinic is done through 4 methods. 1) Biofeedback Analysis, 2) Salivary Testing, 3) Blood Testing, 4) Breath Testing.
If you are experiencing symptoms of hormone irregularities and are unsure of what to do, talk to your naturopathic doctor about further testing and what natural treatment options are available to you.
Biofeedback Analysis:
Measures Hormone Sensitivity
Biofeedback analysis (BA) muscle testing is based on the vibrational frequency that is emitted from all substances. Biofeedback analysis is a form of muscle testing which uses the body’s energy as a gauge to determine the level of intolerance of a given substance. BA for hormone testing measures how a patient metabolizes a specific hormone. A person can have normal levels of a specific hormone when measured through blood, saliva or breath but it does not show how the body is able to metabolize the hormone.
- The clinic has over 100 hormones that can be tested with BA ranging from female / male hormones, adrenal hormones and thyroid hormones as well as hormones involved in digestion and metabolism.
Salivary Testing:
Measures Hormone Fluctuations
If you are feeling exhausted all the time, you’ve been having difficulty sleeping, you’re sex drive has hit rock bottom, you can’t seem to get your menstrual cycle under control, you’ve been suffering from hot flashes for years, or seem to get a period every 2 weeks and when you do it’s heavy and you have PMS in between. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms a salivary hormone profile may give you some answers.
Salivary Hormone testing is becoming more and more recognized as a way of actually getting valid numbers about hormone function. Blood tests often have wide reference ranges and often testing only gives us a glimpse of what the hormone levels are at the exact moment the blood was drawn. Saliva testing offers a look at what the levels are like within the cell, because to have the hormones in the saliva it has to have passed through the cell. The reference ranges for saliva are also quite small so to be within range is truly indicative of what is considered to be a “normal” value.
Saliva is a dilute aqueous fluid originating from the salivary glands located under the tongue and along the sides of the mouth. It is complex mixture of mucins, enzymes, antibodies, electrolytes and hormones. It serves a variety of functions including digestion, lubrication of the oral cavity and protection of the digestive lining.
In blood 95-99% of hormones are bound to binding proteins that act as transporters which move hormones around the body. These binding proteins are; sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), cortisol binding globulin (CBG) and albumin. The remaining unbound hormones (1-5%) are referred to as “free” hormone. Numerous studies have shown that saliva hormone concentrations are a good measurement of “free” hormone concentrations since they are similar to those levels found in serum and plasma. The bottom line is that saliva hormone levels are more or less equivalent to the widely-accepted “bioavailable” hormone levels in the blood.
- Salivary Hormone Panel
- Estrogen Metabolism Ratio
- Female Hormone Panel
- Male Hormone Panel
- Adrenal Function Panel
- Melatonin Cortisol Index
Blood Testing:
Measures Hormone Levels
Blood testing measures the exact amounts of the hormone as it travels within the blood. This test does not measure how cells respond to hormones or how the body metabolizes hormones.
- The clinic has access to over 50 hormones through blood analysis
Breath Testing:
Measures Insulin Resistance
Hormones like insulin are metabolized to carbon dioxide and water. This allows the insulin levels to be monitored for testing.
Glucose Test for Insulin Resistance