Why Test Hormones?
Hormone health is complex, even intricate. Hormones guide and regulate all body functions, and every hormone effects one or more other hormones. Balance is the key, and balance is not always easily achieved. Hormones also decline, naturally, as people age. With lifespans increasing all the time, the number of years that patients may be living with sub-optimal hormone levels is also increasing. This can dramatically effect their quality life for decades. Hormone replacement therapy is more common and provides renewed vitality for thousands, but the way a patient metabolizes their hormones can also increase (or decrease) their risk for cancer or other serious diseases. Given all of this, trying to support your patient’s hormonal health without testing is like trying to drive blind-folded!
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Women: Common Symptoms |
Estrogen | Progesterone | Thyroid | Glucocorticoids | DHEA | Testosterone | GrowthHormone | Melatonin | Oxytocin |
| Hot flashes | ✓ | ✓ | |||||||
| Night sweats | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||
| Headaches | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Hair loss | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||||
| Poor sleep | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Anxiety | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Depression | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stress | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Low libido | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Memory lapse | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||||
| Sugar cravings | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||||
| Weight gain | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Increased facial hair/acne | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
|
Men: Common Symptoms |
Estrogen | Progesterone | Thyroid | Glucocorticoids | DHEA | Testosterone | GrowthHormone | Melatonin | Oxytocin |
| Poor stamina | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Decreased muscle mass/strength | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||
| Neck/back pain | ✓ | ||||||||
| Low libido | |||||||||
| Decreased erections | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Sugar cravings | ✓ | ✓ | |||||||
| Weight gain | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Stress | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Apathy/burned out feeling | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Anxiety | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Depression | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Poor Cognition | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Memory lapse | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Urine hormone testing uses advanced LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS technology, which is the most sensitive and advanced hormone testing available today. It measures important metabolites not available in serum or saliva testing, providing a clearer picture of hormone balance and function. This leads to more nuanced and effective treatment options. Metabolites that increase risk for cancers, osteoporosis, and other serious conditions, as well as protective metabolites, are measured. This allows greater safety in prescribing hormone therapy.
Urine hormone testing also allows for a full-day perspective on hormone production – important because some hormones are produced primarily at late at night, early in the morning, or in pulses throughout the day. A single blood draw or saliva sample cannot account for this variability. Finally, urine testing measures free and conjugated hormones, providing a true measure of bioavailable hormones. Neither serum nor saliva provides this.
Serum testing is best used for peptide hormones such as Luteinizing Hormone (LH), Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1, and some thyroid hormones. Serum is also used for our Testosterone Metabolites profile.
| Urine | Serum | Saliva | |
|---|---|---|---|
| LC/MS/MS or GC/MS/MS technology | Yes | Rarely | No |
| Measures important hormone metabolites | Yes | No | No |
| Gives a full-day perspective – important for assessing hormones primarily secreted late at night | Yes | No – tests only a single point in the day | No – tests only a single point in the day (4 or 5 single points for cortisol.) |
| Measures bioavailable (free and conjugated) hormone | Yes | Measures “total” hormone*, most of which is not bioavailable. | Measures free hormone only |
| Easy, non-invasive collection done at homeYesNoCan be difficult for older people who produce less saliva | Yes | No | Can be difficult for older people who produce less saliva |
| Good for peptide hormones such as thyroid, growth hormone, oxytocin, and melatonin | Yes | Good for LH, FSH, and some thyroid markers | No |
*Testosterone is available as free & total
Meridian Valley Lab was the first commercial laboratory to develop urine hormone testing for clinical practice. With a 40+ year track-record of providing reliable, clinically useful results, we are your best choice for hormone testing that will give you the information you need to improve your patients’ hormonal health while reducing potential hormone-related risks. Our association with Dr. Jonathan Wright and the Tahoma Clinic physicians allows us to observe the relationship between lab results and clinical outcomes. Our Consulting Physicians are unmatched in providing consultations that are both educational and immediately actionable.
Testing Options
24-Hour Urine Hormone Testing
These panels assess up to 32 primary hormones and metabolites as well as nine calculated values and ratios obtained over a full 24-hour collection period.
Dried Urine Hormone Testing
A simple, 4-point dried urine collection can assess up to 30 primary hormones and metabolites as well as nine calculated values and ratios obtained in four collection points over the period of one day.
Testosterone Metabolites Profile
The Testosterone Metabolites Profile is recommended when there is a concern about prostate cancer risk. It measures a number of testosterone metabolites, including 5-alpha DHT and the highly protective 3-beta Adiol, as well as the ratio of 3-beta Adiol to 3-alpha adiol + DHT.
