Hormones
Balanced hormones drive energy, mood, metabolism, sleep, fertility, and healthy aging. When they drift—subtly or a lot—you can feel it.
Who should consider hormone testing?
- Low energy / brain fog / poor sleep
- Weight gain or hard-to-lose weight, especially around the middle
- Mood changes: anxiety, low mood, irritability
- Cycle changes (short/long cycles, heavy/light flow), PMS/PMDD, perimenopause/menopause symptoms
- Acne, hair loss or excess hair growth, skin oiliness
- Low libido / erectile concerns
- Hot flashes/night sweats, temperature intolerance
- Blood sugar swings, sugar cravings
- Cold hands/feet, constipation, hair thinning
What we test (and why)
|
Hormone / Marker |
Core role |
Why it matters in females |
Why it matters in males |
|
Estradiol (E2) |
Primary estrogen for reproductive tissues, bones, brain |
Cycle regularity, ovulation quality, bone health, hot flashes |
Libido, body composition, mood |
|
Progesterone |
Balances estrogen; supports luteal phase & sleep |
Luteal sufficiency, PMS/PMDD, fertility, perimenopause hot flashes/anxiety |
sleep/mood |
|
Testosterone (Total & Free) |
Anabolism, libido, motivation |
Low T → low libido, fatigue; high T → acne, hirsutism (PCOS) |
Central to libido, strength, mood |
|
DHEA-S |
Adrenal androgen precursor |
Low → fatigue/low libido high → acne/hirsutism |
Supports androgen pool, resilience |
|
SHBG |
Binds sex hormones, regulates “free” fraction |
High SHBG can mask low free hormones |
Low SHBG (insulin resistance) ↑ free androgens |
|
LH / FSH |
Pituitary signals to ovaries/testes |
Day-3 levels → ovarian reserve clues; LH:FSH ↑ in PCOS |
Differentiate primary vs secondary hypogonadism |
|
Prolactin |
Lactation; can suppress GnRH |
Elevated → cycle disruption, infertility |
Elevated → low T, ED |
|
Cortisol (AM/PM) |
Stress response, circadian energy |
Dysregulation → fatigue, sleep issues, weight gain |
Same; impacts testosterone & metabolism |
|
TSH, Free T4, Free T3 |
Thyroid axis for metabolism & temperature |
Hypo/hyperthyroid symptoms, fertility, pregnancy planning |
Energy, weight, mood, lipid profile |
|
Thyroid antibodies (TPOAb, TgAb) |
Autoimmunity to thyroid |
Identify Hashimoto’s (even with normal TSH) |
Same |
|
Insulin (fasting), Glucose, HbA1c |
Glycemic control |
PCOS/weight management; cardiometabolic risk |
Cardiometabolic risk; low T often coexists |
|
Lipid panel |
Cardiovascular risk |
Estrogen & thyroid influence lipids |
Androgens & thyroid influence lipids |
|
Vitamin D (25-OH) |
Bone, immune, hormone signaling |
Low levels common; bone/mood |
Same |
|
Ferritin + Iron panel |
Oxygen transport, hair, energy |
Heavy menses → low ferritin fatigue/hair loss |
Low/high iron both affect energy |
|
Urinary estrogen metabolites (2-OH, 4-OH, 16-OH) |
Estrogen detox pathways |
Balance of pathways tied to symptoms & risk |
Aromatization insights |
|
Pregnenolone (select cases) |
Hormone precursor |
Cognitive/sleep support hypotheses |
Same |
We individualize panels—your clinician will choose the right subset based on symptoms, age, cycle status, and medications.
How we test
- Blood
- Saliva
- Urine
- Cycle timing (females):
- Day 3: baseline FSH/LH/E2 (ovarian reserve context)
- Mid-cycle: ovulation checks as needed
- Luteal: ~Day 21 (for 28-day cycles) or ~7 days after ovulation for progesterone
- Irregular/perimenopause: we time to your predominant symptoms
- Men: 7–10 AM
Preparation checklist
- Fasting 8–12h for glucose/insulin/lipids. Hydrate with water.
- Morning draws for testosterone, cortisol, thyroid
- Pause biotin (vitamin B7) supplements 48–72h before bloodwork
- Avoid strenuous exercise, heavy alcohol, sauna, and new supplements for 24h prior, unless prescribed
- Tell us about hormone therapy, birth control, steroids, thyroid meds—we’ll time tests appropriately
- Certain conditions/meds change interpretation
- If you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or on fertility treatment, we’ll tailor the panel and timing.
- Abnormal results outside naturopathic scope are referred promptly to your family doctor/specialist.
What happens after testing?
- Clinical interpretation: we connect your symptoms with patterns (not one number in isolation).
- Plan: nutrition, sleep, stress metrics, movement, targeted nutraceuticals, botanicals, and, where appropriate refer elsewhere for prescription or bio-identical hormone therapy
- Follow-up labs: typically, 8–12 weeks after interventions
- Ongoing optimization: seasonal/cycle-aware adjustments and relapse prevention.
Schedule Lab Test Consult
Please fill out the form below to begin the lab testing consultation process. We will be in touch with you right away to finalize your information.
