Hormone testing can be done a number of ways. The two most popular are salivary hormone tesing and serum (blood) testing.
As a naturopathic physician many of us were taught that salivary testing was superior. Which in certain cases remain true. It has not been until the last 5 or so years that new advances in blood tests have made them more accurate than salivary tests. In our blood we have hormones ciruculating that are bound to proteins (not active) and those that are FREE from protein (active). If your doctor is just ordering PROGESTERONE, ESTROGEN, TSH, T4, T3 (Thyroid hormones) and not specifiying for the FREE version...your blood test will be less accurate. When a physician orders the FREE hormones...it will acutually say it in the name on the lab order form (Free estradiol, Free T3, Free T4 ect.)
In a nut shell. The FREE hormones tested in your blood is the most accurate way to go. Second best is salivary hormone testing and lastly blood tests that check for hormones, but not specifiying for the FREE hormone.
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Hormone testing can be done a number of ways. The two most popular are salivary hormone tesing and serum (blood) testing.
As a naturopathic physician many of us were taught that salivary testing was superior. Which in certain cases remain true. It has not been until the last 5 or so years that new advances in blood tests have made them more accurate than salivary tests. In our blood we have hormones ciruculating that are bound to proteins (not active) and those that are FREE from protein (active). If your doctor is just ordering PROGESTERONE, ESTROGEN, TSH, T4, T3 (Thyroid hormones) and not specifiying for the FREE version...your blood test will be less accurate. When a physician orders the FREE hormones...it will acutually say it in the name on the lab order form (Free estradiol, Free T3, Free T4 ect.)
In a nut shell. The FREE hormones tested in your blood is the most accurate way to go. Second best is salivary hormone testing and lastly blood tests that check for hormones, but not specifiying for the FREE hormone.
Hope this helps!
Dr.Susan
July 31, 2008 - 11:46amhttp://www.lakeshorewellnesscenter.com
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