The complete endocrine system is made up of glands and hormones. Imbalance in these hormones leads to issues in both men and women. Treating them is possible only by having effective hormone tests to know the specific values of these hormones. There are numerous types of tests for your doctor to choose from to detect a hormonal imbalance.
What Are Hormones?
- Hormones operate as functional signals between various systems of the body. They regulate various functionalities like digestion, respiration, metabolism, tissue function, stress, sleep patterns, movement, reproduction, mood changes, etc. Hormones are responsible for signaling your body about stress, sleepiness, getting hungry, and many more. They even signal the body when to wake up, when you have a sexual stimulus when you must finish eating etc.
- There are various types of hormones in the human body such as testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, insulin, cortisol, the stress hormone, growth hormone melatonin, etc. These hormones control various functions in the body that very important for carrying various key functions. You may think that sex hormones perform only those specific functions. But they also control hair growth, skin complexion, etc, and also lead to the development of muscle and loss of fat.
What Are Hormone Tests?
Imbalance in hormones and their variations can lead to unwanted conditions. Knowing these conditions through tests is much necessary for rejuvenating them. Hormone tests allow us to know the exact understanding of the internal body operations and aids in visualizing the internal issues that are not possible to be diagnosed only via symptoms. By looking at the test results, a doctor can create a treatment plan to address the specific issue. They may ask you to have these tests even during the treatments to monitor the progress and alter the dosage of medications. Hormone tests will help in addressing your issues and find the lost love in life for both men and women.
Hormone tests are usually performed for the following purposes:
- Majorly to find hormonal imbalances.
- To know the primary cause for hormonal issues.
- Creating effective treatment strategies.
- To evaluate the progress in treating hormone levels back into the system.
Ways of Hormone testing and their usage:
Cortisol:
This testing kit is present in both blood-based and saliva-based testing types. Cortisol is a key hormone in managing stress levels leading to the issue of the adrenal cortex.
Insulin:
Insulin is a test that finds the amount of insulin produced in the pancreas. Insulin is a substance that helps in managing the blood sugar levels and metabolism of carbs and fats. Insulin tests are available in diverse formats and your doctor will decide which is the best one for your requirements.
Testosterone:
Tests to find the levels of testosterone are very important in knowing various health issues. Testosterone is not only a component of the male system, but even females can benefit from it. Men usually get tested for dihydrotestosterone, an indicator of male baldness, and prostate issues. Females get tested for progesterone, cortisol levels, and other hormones that cause menopause. There are many reliable testing centers for getting the tests and giving hormone treatments for prostate cancer.
Progesterone:
This is a female hormone that gets released from ovaries during ovulation. The progesterone hormone test is done on women who are having fertility problems or are facing difficulties in their menstrual cycle. This test requires stopping any medication that has estrogen or progesterone a few days before.
Menopause/fertility tests:
The most usual test that is performed is the urine test which provides the result in a few minutes. This test finds the levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), a hormone that is developed in the pituitary gland and stimulates the follicles to create eggs for ovulation. If the test finds that the FSH is high, then it indicates that you are ready to change.
Thyroid hormone:
The thyroid helps in balancing the metabolism in the body and manage the levels of calcium in the system. The thyroid can lead to conditions that can affect an individual’s ability to lose weight, maintain body temperature, hair, skin, nails, and other unwanted side effects. Many Thyroid tests indicate the levels and ensure doctors treat them with proper care.
Estrogen:
Estrogen tests for women are done in different types of conditions. These tests are also done in men to now many underlying conditions. Every test aid to know various estrogen levels along with other vital indicators of the system. Estrogen test is carried mainly on women who experience a lack of libido, menopausal issues, or those who are struggling with infertility.
Saliva Tests:
Saliva tests are done to understand a complete profile of hormone levels but can also be managed easily from the home. They have various devices that negate the need for requiring to visit a laboratory and can be sent easily via email for diagnosis. This comfortable test helps in knowing many series of hormone levels.
Sleep Tests:
These types of tests are done to know the melatonin levels, a sleep-promoting hormone that is naturally produced in the body. Sleep tests may also include measuring of cortisol hormone. This test requires to take either urine or saliva test samples four times a day. There could be many underlying diseases due to an imbalance in stress levels and disruption in sleep. There may be affecting thyroid issues leading to issues of insomnia.
Bottom-line:
Hormones are the most important elements that indicate various operations of the system in the body. But for an effective treatment, consult an experienced and reliable doctor at renowned medical centers. At Form Med Spa we offer authentic hormone replacement therapy that is completely tailored for the needs of the patient. The medical center consists of professionals who are experienced in restoring the body’s optimal hormone balance with multiple therapies. The spa specializes in treating women hormonal issues related to menopause, estrogen, etc, and male problems like thyroid, prostate, and advanced hormone treatments for prostate cancer.