Hormone Level Testing

This can include testing of one or more of the following glands

We can test for hormone levels in the entire endocrine system detailed above.To feel the best all of these need to be balanced.The tests let us determine individual levels of each.The most commmon ones are discused below

Estradiol, Estriol

Test Overview

An estrogen test measures the level of the three estrogen hormones (estradiol, estriol, and estrone) in a blood or urine sample.

• Estradiol is the most commonly measured type of estrogen for nonpregnant women. The amount of estradiol in a woman's blood varies throughout her menstrual cycle. After menopause, estradiol production drops to a very low but constant level.
• Estriol levels are usually measured during pregnancy. It is produced in large amounts by the placenta, the tissue that links the fetus to the mother. Estriol can be detected as early as the 9th week of pregnancy, and its levels increase until delivery. Estriol can also be measured in urine.
• Estrone may be measured in women who have gone through menopause to determine their estrogen levels. It also may be measured in men or women who might have cancer of the ovaries, testicles or adrenal glands.

Both men and women produce estrogen hormones.

Estrogens are responsible for female sexual development and function, such as breast development and the menstrual cycle. In women, estrogens are produced mainly in the ovaries and in the placenta during pregnancy. Small amounts are also produced by the adrenal glands. In men, small amounts of estrogens are produced by the adrenal glands and testicles. Small amounts of estrone are made throughout the body in most tissues, especially fat and muscle. This is the major source of estrogen in women who have gone through menopause.

Progesterone

Test Overview

A progesterone test measures the amount of the hormone progesterone in a blood sample. Progesterone is a female hormone produced by the ovaries during release of a mature egg from an ovary (ovulation). Progesterone helps prepare the lining of the uterus (endometrium) to receive the egg if it becomes fertilized by a sperm. If the egg is not fertilized, progesterone levels drop and menstrual bleeding begins.

During pregnancy, the placenta also produces high levels of progesterone, starting near the end of the first trimester and continuing until the baby is born. Levels of progesterone in a pregnant woman are about 10 times higher than they are in a woman who is not pregnant.

Some types of cancer cause abnormal progesterone levels in men and women.

Testosterone

Test Overview

A testosterone test checks the level of this male hormone (androgen) in the blood. Testosterone affects sexual features and development. In men, it is made in large amounts by the testicles. In both men and women, testosterone is made in small amounts by the adrenal glands; and, in women, by the ovaries.

The pituitary gland controls the level of testosterone in the body. When the testosterone level is low, the pituitary gland releases a hormone called luteinizing hormone (LH). This hormone tells the testicles to make more testosterone.

Before puberty, the testosterone level in boys is normally low. Testosterone increases during puberty. This causes boys to develop a deeper voice, get bigger muscles, make sperm and get facial and body hair. The level of testosterone is the highest around age 40, then gradually becomes less in older men.

Most of the testosterone in the blood is bound to a protein called sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). Testosterone that is not bound ("free") can also be checked if a man is having sexual problems.

Comprehensive Metabolic Panel

Topic Overview

A comprehensive metabolic panel is a blood test that measures your sugar level, electrolyte and fluid balance, kidney function, and liver function.

A blood sugar level measures glucose—a type of sugar that supplies energy to the cells of your body. Electrolytes keep the right balance of your body's fluids and help keep your body working normally, including your heart rhythm, muscle contraction, and brain function. The kidneys keep the right balance of water, salts, and minerals in the blood. They also filter out waste and other unneeded substances from the blood. The liver stores and filters blood. It also controls the amounts of glucose, protein, and fat that move in the blood and changes the nutrients absorbed by your intestines into energy that can be used by your body.

Your doctor may order a comprehensive metabolic panel as part of a regular health examination. Your doctor may use this test to check on a medical condition, such as high blood pressure, or to help diagnose a medical condition, such as diabetes.

This panel measures the blood levels of sodium, potassium, calcium, chloride, carbon dioxide, glucose, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, protein, albumin, bilirubin, and liver enzymes.

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