Hormone tests can determine levels of key hormones in the body, but there is debate over the accuracy of saliva tests. Hormonal imbalances can cause symptoms such as moodiness, weight gain, and irregular menstruation in women, and low sex drive or aggression in men. The more complicated female hormone test checks for FSH, progesterone, estradiol, estrone, DHEA-S, and testosterone, while the male test checks for testosterone, androstenedione, estradiol, FSH, progesterone, and DHEA-S.
A man or woman can use a hormone test to determine the levels of certain key hormones in their body. The test can be administered by a doctor in an office setting or via a home saliva test kit. It is generally used by those experiencing symptoms associated with a hormonal imbalance or a phenomenon such as menopause.
There is debate among the medical community as to whether a saliva test is an accurate way to test hormone levels. Some say it tests “active” hormone levels, or those regularly pulsing through the body, better than a blood test. Those on the other side of the argument point out that 95% of hormones in the body are bound, meaning they are inactive, but it’s still important to know about them. A saliva test will only test for 5% of the hormones that are actually active.
Women with hormone levels outside the normal range may feel moody, experience weight gain or other bodily changes, and menstruation becomes irregular. This can be attributed to menopause or perimenopause, but it can also be due to a hormonal imbalance not associated with either condition. Males who fall outside the normal ranges can be in one of two mental states. Low testosterone levels, sometimes called male menopause, can cause a lack of sex drive and impotence, while high levels can make him overly aggressive with thoughts and actions often turning to sex.
The more complicated female hormone test will check levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), progesterone, estradiol, estrone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), and testosterone. A home hormone test is more likely to check for FSH and estrogen only. The normal range for FSH is 3-20 mLU/mL, while a reading above 30-40 indicates that menopause may have begun. A normal range for estrogen is 25-75mlU/ml, with a reading below 30 in combination with a high FSH reading would indicate menopause.
A complicated male hormone test will check levels of testosterone, androstenedione, estradiol, FSH, progesterone and DHEA-S. A basic hormone test checks FSH and testosterone levels. The normal level of FSH for an adult male is 1.5 – 18.0 mlU/mL, while the normal range for testosterone is 241-827 nanograms/dL. Just like women, a high FSH reading indicates possible male menopause, a fact made worse when combined with low testosterone readings.
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