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Which is the better Hormone Testing – blood testing, saliva testing, or urine testing?
Written by Wellness Club on February 12, 2008 – 3:51 pm -Hormone testing is something we do a lot of here – Dr. Myatt is very skilled in the interpretation of hormone testing and in the prescribing of Bio-Identical Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy. We get a lot of questions like the one that follows – hopefully the answer to this woman will help others wondering the same thing…
Susan writes:
Hi, Nurse Mark,
I am going to have a hormone saliva test done and am wondering two things:
1) Do I need to stop taking my OTC women’s menopause formula before? And how long before? (Hopefully not too long because it’s helping me to stay sane … I’m having anxiety, etc., which I think might be related to hormone deficiencies)
2) Is the saliva test as accurate as blood testing? (Maybe it’s actually preferred?)
Thank you so much! Susan
Nurse Mark Answers:
Hi Susan,
Please see Dr. Myatt’s information about hormones and hormone testing here: http://www.drmyattswellnessclub.com/SexHormoneBalance.htm
Whether to stop your current hormone Rx for the testing will depend on what the doctor who is monitoring your hormone treatment wants to know. If your doctor wants to know your baseline hormone levels then you may need to stop therapy and “flush out” for up to a month. If your doctor wants to know what your current hormone therapy is achieving in terms of your hormone balance and correction then there may be no need to stop therapy – your doctor will factor your current treatment into the results of testing.
As you can see, hormone testing, while simple for the patient, is complicated for the person interpreting the results!
In terms of preference for testing: Remember that hormone levels fluctuate – they ebb and flow – throughout the 24 hour day.
Blood testing is least preferred as it provides a look at hormone levels only at that instant the blood is drawn.
Saliva testing is next preferred as it captures a more “average” representation of hormone levels.
24-hour urine collection analysis is the most accurate as it captures exactly the highs and lows of hormones over the full 24-hour period and provides a very exact look at the averages.
Hope this helps…
Cheers,
Nurse Mark
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