Hormone Testing

Hormone Balancing

Hormones play a vital role in the maintenance of our health and wellbeing. Any changes or imbalances can have a dramatic impact on our physical and mental health.

In our practice, we find hormonal support usually takes two to six months depending on the degree of hormonal imbalance, hormone levels and how much natural medicine support we are able to offer.

We routinely see symptoms such as fatigue, low energy, PMS, breast tenderness, period pain, feelings of stress, anger, anxiety or being unable to cope may noticeably improve from the very first week or cycle with our natural medicine support.

We offer all forms of hormone testing, including standard blood testing, salivary hormone testing, urinary hormone testing and DUTCH  (dried urine hormone testing) to suit your individual needs.

Blood, Salivary & DUTCH Hormone Testing

Salivary Hormone Testing
Salivary hormone testing measures free, biologically available hormones acting at a cellular level. Salivary hormone testing has been recognised by WHO (World Health Organisation) for over 30 years and is considered one of the most accurate methods of identifying certain hormone levels.

DUTCH Hormone Testing
DUTCH (Dried Urine Testing for Comprehensive Hormones) is one of the most advanced and comprehensive models for testing adrenal and male and female sex hormones.

Which hormones do we test?
We individualise each patient’s hormone panel and there are many different hormones and hormone metabolites we may test, however, some of the most commonly tested hormones include:

  • Cortisol: One of our most vital hormones, required for stress-coping; energy; general well-being and waking up refreshed, is also anti-inflammatory and controls our sleep-wake cycle. This hormone can become depleted through busy modern-day lives, chronic stress or illness.
  • DHEAs: Known as a “youth hormone”, DHEAs improves skin tone, memory and healthy weight, and can be utilised as a longer-term marker of adrenal gland health.
  • Melatonin: A hormone that plays a significant role in sleep, falling asleep, staying asleep, quality of sleep and waking up refreshed.
  • Testosterone and androgens: Testosterone is a hormone known for libido, muscle-building and fat eliminating actions. Other androgens we commonly test include DHT and androstenedione.
  • Progesterone: Helps to combat PMS, period pain issues, and balance oestrogen; assists fertility; promotes calmness and quality of sleep.
  • Oestrogens and oestrogen metabolites: There are three oestrogen hormones and multiple oestrogen metabolites. Oestrogens are primarily a growth hormone, too much of which may be associated with period pain, PMS, fibroids, cysts, breast tenderness and weight gain.

More About Hormone Testing

What health issues may Hormone Testing assist with?

Hormones affect many areas of our bodies and health; hormone testing may provide answers to numerous health conditions.

Some of these conditions include:

  • Stress
  • Fatigue
  • Tiredness
  • Lack of Stamina
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Panic Attacks
  • Mood Swings
  • Weight Gain
  • Difficulty Losing Weight
  • Slow Metabolism
  • Low Thyroid
  • Sugar Cravings
  • Insulin Resistance
  • Hypoglycaemia
  • Digestive Bloating
  • Irritability
  • Insomnia
  • Difficulty Staying Asleep
  • Decreased Motivation
  • Period Pain
  • Heavy Periods
  • PMS/PMT
  • Acne
  • Endometriosis
  • PCOS/Ovarian Cysts
  • Low Libido
  • Infertility
  • Miscarriage
  • Post Natal Depression
  • Menopause Issues
  • Healthy Ageing
  • Osteoporosis
  • Bone Loss
  • Mental Decline
  • Poor Memory
  • Headaches/Migraines
  • Inflammation
  • Aches and Pains
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Joint Pain
  • Hair Loss
  • Autoimmune conditions
  • Allergies
  • Chemical Sensitivities
  • High Blood Pressure
  • Poor Immune Function
  • Cardiovascular Health

Stress and Fatigue

Cortisol is a “stress-coping and energy” hormone and an excess or deficiency can affect your health and well-being. If you’re under acute stress, your Cortisol level may be high which can cause difficulty falling asleep at night, anxiety or panic attacks. If you’ve experienced longer periods of stress your body may be depleted of Cortisol, causing you to feel tired and less able to cope with stress than you have in the past.

Many people assume feeling tired and a bit stressed is a natural part of growing older, especially after children come along and we have less time to look after ourselves. This is definitely not the case. If you have healthy levels of hormones, you can feel energised, healthy and enjoy well-being into your eighties and beyond.

Weight Loss

Women who experience difficulty maintaining a healthy weight may be an example of how a hormone imbalance can affect the body. Many women eat the right foods and exercise well, but wonder why they’re still unable to budge the excess weight or why successful results are so difficult to attain when others barely have to exercise at all to stay slim. Many end up feeling frustrated and unmotivated to continue exercising and eating healthily because they’re not seeing the results they deserve.

If you have high oestrogens and/or high testosterone levels (and especially if both) you may experience difficulty losing weight. As one example, an excess of these hormones has been associated with insulin resistance, in which the body responds differently to food, refusing to “give up” fat stores to be utilised as energy.

How do you test salivary hormones?
Salivary hormone testing involves using a take-home kit with a small tube, which you fill with saliva. The tube is then posted in the pre-paid laboratory envelope provided in your kit. Once the test is completed and posted, your results are received within two weeks by our practice.

Can I test my hormones if I’m taking the pill or bHRT/HRT?
Yes, salivary hormone testing can be successfully utilised if you are taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT), natural/bio-identical HRT or the oral contraceptive pill and can also indicate if these options are safe for you.

What is the cost involved?
The laboratory fee for the most common hormone profile is $80-$180, and our practice charges $30-$65 to analyse your results and organise these ready for you.

What happens once I have my results?
After we receive your results, your practitioner will sit down with you to explain your results and tailor your individualised program to your needs.

It usually takes an average of two to six months to complete work on hormonal imbalance symptoms, although dramatic improvements are often experienced from the first few weeks of your program.

Once your hormone program is completed, it is unlikely you will need to continue natural medicine for maintenance. We usually simply recommend you re-test your hormones in one year or in
several years, depending upon your age and the extent of your prior hormonal imbalances.

Let us guide you to a happier, healthier you.