It is a fact that hormones – the chemicals that help to regulate different aspects inside the body—are the major determinants of our well-being. In the past, hormone profiling used the principal diagnostic tool of blood analysis. However, advancements in health production have made saliva testing more effective than blood tests for obtaining accurate feedback on hormones.
Understanding Saliva Testing
Saliva testing involves spitting into a provided container and this non-invasive method offers several critical advantages over blood testing.
#1 – Accuracy!
Saliva testing is far more helpful for the cortisol, testosterone, progesterone, and estrogen hormones. These hormones dissolve quickly in saliva, and the concentration of the hormones in the blood is, therefore, accurately represented by the salivary levels.
Checking Hormones with Saliva Testing
Cortisol
Cortisol is secreted by the adrenal glands and vitally controls many aspects of the body, such as metabolic processes, blood pressure, and the immune system. A salivary cortisol test is used to assess the concentration of cortisol during the day, which can indicate disorders of stress, adrenal exhaustion, and others.
Daily Cortisol Patterns
A diurnal variation is observed in healthy people, with cortisol levels high in the morning and low in the evening. Saliva testing can tell whether this schedule is broken, meaning the hormonal balance is off.
Stress-Related Disorders
We diagram cortisol to show when someone is chronically stressed, cortisol is high, which may cause anxiety, depression, and digestive problems. Saliva testing can, therefore, be beneficial in tracking cortisol levels and thus assessing the kind of stress alleviation techniques to be administered.
Adrenals
Cortisol, adrenaline, and aldosterone are some hormones in the adrenal gland that aid in regular functioning. One way of knowing this is through a saliva test, which can measure cortisol levels at specific periods of the day. It can be used to identify diseases that affect the adrenal glands; for instance, Addison’s disease limits the production of cortisol, while Cushing’s syndrome results in an overproduction of cortisol.
Addison’s Disease
Some of the symptoms presented by people with Addison’s disease include tiredness, muscle weakness, weight loss, and low blood pressure. Saliva testing has enabled a doctor to diagnose low cortisol levels and, hence, give the right treatment.
Cushing’s Syndrome
The signs and symptoms of Cushing’s syndrome are obesity, moon or plethoric face, hypertension, and hyperglycemia. Saliva testing can help check whether cortisol is produced too much and in choosing further therapy methods.
What are the Advantages of Saliva Testing?
Non-invasive
Many patients experience no discomfort during the saliva test since saliva does not require invasive procedures such as drawing blood from the vein, as most patients with apprehension of needles or complications with blood test procedures can attest.
Accurate for Certain Hormones
Saliva testing determines free and bioavailable hormone levels that will give the body the right amount of hormones. The use of “salivary bioscience” is not invasive, making it suitable for measuring hormone changes within a day and diagnosing imbalances. It is reported that hormone testing using this device is highly accurate and as accurate as blood tests, making it a convenient and cheaper way of testing hormones.
Convenient
It is also fairly simple to accomplish them at home without the need to visit a doctor. This convenience can be very advantageous for loved ones, especially for those with working stations or those living in rural areas.
Conclusion
Saliva testing is a helpful tool instead of blood testing when it is necessary to determine some of the hormone contents. Its advantages include a noninvasive procedure, effectiveness, and easy access, which makes it a preferred method by anyone who wants to keep tabs on their hormonal balance.
Many of our clients come to us after trying hormone-balancing treatments from other providers without success. We’ve found that sometimes, the subtle, underlying factors contributing to hormone imbalances may not be detected by traditional blood serum testing. These overlooked factors can be the root cause of significant symptoms. Gut health is oftentimes overlooked and not incorporated. Our comprehensive approach ensures hormone absorption, gut health, cellular absorption, and success.
Saliva testing is the gold standard and gives much more comprehensive data than just testing in blood alone. It can identify exact imbalances that don’t appear on a blood test. It’s also a more accurate method when hormone rhythms need to be identified to determine WHY you are feeling the way you are.
Test Today! For more information, contact us now, let us help you thrive!