Hormone Replacement

Are you not feeling “normal”?

As we age or change, our hormones change along with us. Many times, it may feel like there is nothing we can do to feel like how we used to. If you have symptoms such as mood swings and irritability, hormone replacement may be for you. Issues such as depression, sleeping disorders, and adrenal fatigue can be combated with hormonal replacement therapy.

Saliva Tests vs. Blood Tests

Saliva testing is considered to be one of the most accurate ways to determine someone’s level of steroid hormones. This form of testing is not new to the medical world. It has been accepted by the World Health Organization for years and used by many organizations instead of blood testing because of its easier process.

The nature behind salivary testing is the reason why we, at The Medical Spa of Baton Rouge, use this method when determining who qualifies or needs hormone replacement therapy.

The Nature of Saliva Testing

In order to better understand saliva testing and its relationship with hormone replacement therapy, you must first understand the nature of steroid hormones.

Estrogen, progesterone, DHEA, cortisol and testosterone are considered steroid hormones, which are fat soluble, meaning they dissolve in fat or oil but not water. In order for these hormones to travel in the bloodstream and throughout the body, they must be attached or encased by water soluble carrier proteins.

However, when hormones, such as estrogen or progesterone, are attached to these proteins or “delivery trucks”, they become inactive. They cannot penetrate the cells and deliver their “messages” to their respective organs. Over 99% of the hormone is inactive when it is attached to a carrier protein. The less than 1% of the free or active portion cannot be detected in your blood. It can be found in your fat tissue, brain and saliva, because your saliva gland absorbs fat soluble hormones after delivery.

Salivary tests show us the amount of unwrapped active hormone in your body or “packages” being delivered by the delivery trucks to accepting tissues in your body.

On the other hand, blood tests only test “delivery trucks” and not “packages”, and therefore; they cannot accurately show us how much fat soluble hormones are available to reach their designated organs to be active and relay their messages.

Determining Your Hormone Levels

Increased weight, stress, insulin, low fiber and high fat diets can affect your level of unwrapped inactive hormones in your body. For example, too much unwrapped estrogen could lead to symptoms of perimenopause or menopause.

Salivary tests can help us determine your active hormone levels, which in turn, can help us determine or confirm what kind of therapy is needed to cure hot flashes, weight gain, fatigue, loss of libido or other symptoms that may be ailing you.

Stress Tests

Your test results are “normal”- but you don’t feel “normal”

Is it hard to function because your body aches all over? Do every day challenges make you feel depressed, overwhelmed or anxious? Is it difficult to concentrate at work or at home? Has your weight become unmanageable? Have you had trouble sleeping, yet can’t get out of bed in the morning? Do you find yourself getting sick more often? If you answered “yes” to these questions, then you may be suffering from adrenal fatigue , commonly known as “stress”.

Millions of Americans suffer from undiagnosed adrenal fatigue, or stress; however, routine lab results tell doctors that their patients are physically well. Some are diagnosed with depression, sleeping disorders, chronic fatigue, anxiety or fibromyalgia. Many are prescribed medication to combat these symptoms.

It doesn’t have to be the “Final Answer”

What happens if you know that there IS something wrong, but it isn’t depression, anxiety, etc.? Is there another answer to what could be wrong?

Through saliva testing, we, at The Medical Spa of Baton Rouge, can determine if you suffer from adrenal fatigue and at what level so that we can correct these symptoms with nutritional supplements or bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.

* FDA Disclaimer for BHRT: Not all bioidentical hormones are FDA approved.  It is never a good idea to take any hormones  without first being tested so that you can be sure about which hormones (if any) your body needs to achieve balance and overall wellness.  Once you are on hormone therapy,  follow-up tests are also vital to keep track of your progress and the effect of the hormones on your body.  We suggest bioidentical hormones over the less natural and more dangerous synthetic hormones.