Discounted Hormone Tests

The hormones in your body are responsible for keeping you alive, well, and healthy. They work automatically to make your organs release certain substances or make you feel in a certain way. More than 50 known hormones circulate through the human body every second.

Hormone blood tests look specifically at different types of hormones such as thyroid hormones, sex hormones, etc. Whenever you don't feel well or have abnormal symptoms, chances are that there is a hormonal imbalance in your body.

Keep reading to learn more about hormones and how hormone panel tests can help you. Discovering what hormone is causing you symptoms will help your doctor come up with hormone treatments to improve your health.

What Substances Are Checked by a Hormone Panel?

As mentioned earlier, there are more than 50 individual hormones in the human body. Hormone lab tests look at these substances separately or you can order a hormone test panel that looks at multiple hormones at the same time. Let's take a look at some of the most popular hormone panels on DiscountedLabs.com

Male Hormone Panels

These tests are specifically designed for male hormones. For example, you can find several tests for testosterone levels. Some of these tests are made for regular people who have testosterone levels under 1,500 ng/dL. A more advanced test is done for bodybuilders and this test can measure testosterone levels higher than 1,500 ng/dL.

Apart from testosterone, this category also includes gynecomastia tests. Gynecomastia (also known as "male boobs") can develop if the estrogen levels in a man are too high while testosterone is low. Other tests included here are cortisol tests and PCT tests. Post Cycle Therapy (PCT) is done by bodybuilders to restore their normal hormonal levels after taking androgens.

Hormone Blood Tests for Women

Many hormone lab tests are aimed at women and they help detect hormonal imbalances. For example, you can order estrogen and progesterone tests, a sensitive estradiol test, DHEA and SHBG tests, etc. You can get some of those tests separately or as a part of a "Wellness Panel for Women" complex of tests.

You might be happy to find out that large hormone panels also include thyroid and blood tests. These panels will look at your blood count, red blood cells, hematocrit, platelet levels, etc. They will also check the thyroid and other hormones including progesterone, estradiol, DHEA, testosterone, LH and FSH.

Comprehensive Hormone Panels for Men and Women

Some test panels have been specifically designed for those who want a complete snapshot of their hormonal health. These are called comprehensive panels or the ultimate hormone test panels. They are suitable for both men and women and help you find out everything you need to know about your body.

Here are some of the substances tested by such a complex panel:

• Complete metabolic panel- it looks at the levels of sodium, potassium, calcium, glucose, and other substances
• Complete Blood Count- it checks red blood cells, white blood cells, hematocrit, platelets, ferritin, and others
• Thyroid panel - it looks at all thyroid hormones like TSG, free T3 and free T4 tests.
• Sex hormones - testosterone, estrogen, and other sex hormones for men and women. Both free and total levels are measured
• Inflammation markers - substances such as homocysteine, CRP, Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH test) let you know the level of inflammation in your body
• Lipid panel - it looks at your LDL and HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides

As you can probably see, such a comprehensive panel leaves nothing to doubt when it comes to your health. It's suitable for men and women of all ages, regardless of whether you experience symptoms or not.

Individual Hormone Blood Tests

Some tests are tailored for specific substances or hormones such as DHEA-S, cortisol, or progesterone. They can tell you a lot about specific health issues and some of them might be required to confirm a diagnosis.

Some of the most popular individual hormone tests include estradiol test, prolactin, fasting insulin, DHT, LH + FSH to determine fertility issues, etc. You can order these tests separately, especially if you have certain symptoms.

What Are the Symptoms of Hormonal Imbalances?

The human body is very complex and there might be a plethora of hormonal imbalances that cause symptoms. We will take a look at a few general symptoms that should prompt you to order a direct-to-consumer lab test. Here are a few signs of hormone problems:

• Unexplained fatigue - if you feel constantly tired, even after a good night's sleep, chances are that your adrenal glands produce too much cortisol at night that may be keeping you awake or too little cortisol in the morning, so you don’t feel refreshed when you wake up. You might also have low testosterone and low thyroid function.
• Reduced sex drive - this can also be caused by low testosterone levels in men and women.
• Decreased muscle mass – as a result of low testosterone.
• Breast tissue development - this could be a sign of gynecomastia. It happens when the body converts too much testosterone into estrogen in men with low testosterone.

Pick Your Hormone Panel Today!

As you can see, there are many tests that look at all kinds of hormones in your body. It's probably difficult to pick one but take a look at your symptoms. A testosterone test is recommended for men who feel fatigued and with a low sex drive.

If you're a woman and you experience vaginal dryness, low sex drive, and fatigue, a Wellness Panel test might be suitable for you. The results of the test will be mailed back to you in a few business days and you can ask your doctor to help you interpret them.

Most importantly, certain hormone lab tests might help you discover key problems before they get too severe. Men and women of all ages should try a hormone test at least once a year. Pick yours from the numerous tests above.