Should Your Order Hormone Tests Online?

Medical advances now make it possible to undergo essential testing right in the comfort of your own home. This is especially true when it comes to hormone testing, as there are a variety of tests that can be ordered online and delivered right to your door.


Hormone levels have a major impact on many bodily functions. When levels are out of whack, people can experience a wide range of bothersome symptoms. Hormone dysfunction can cause extreme tiredness, digestive issues, depression, unwanted weight gain or loss, excessive urination and many other health effects.


When these symptoms arise, hormone testing can identify the underlying cause, which is the first step toward treating it. While convenient, you may be wondering whether online hormone tests are actually worthwhile. This guide provides important insights to help you make the right decision.

Types of Tests You Can Order Online

The body uses many hormones to perform its essential functions. As a result, problem hormone levels can cause a variety of health effects. There's a wide range of online hormone tests to choose from, including the following:


Menopause - These tests look for specific hormones that can indicate whether you've entered menopause. This is often the first step for getting help with bothersome issues like night sweats and insomnia.
Stress - Known as the stress hormone, cortisol is crucial for activating your fight or flight response. However, too much cortisol increases your risk of heart disease and other ailments, including headaches and nausea.

 
Genomics - Genomics testing studies your DNA, but not to find distant relations. Instead, this test looks for possible markers that could indicate a higher risk of certain diseases. By knowing these markers, you can make changes to your lifestyle to lower your disease risk.

 
Metabolism - Metabolism refers to the chemical reactions needed to convert food into energy. This test will measure the hormones necessary in the metabolic process to ensure they're working properly.


Thyroid - Your thyroid gland is also crucial for your metabolism, as it controls your metabolic rate. Some thyroids are underactive, while others are overactive. This test can help determine thyroid function and whether there are any issues you should be aware of.

Benefits of Online Hormone Tests

The biggest benefit offered by online hormone tests is the convenience they afford. Tests are sent directly to your home and contain easy to understand instructions to ensure you conduct testing appropriately. From there, you can send the completed test back to the lab and receive the results once they've been interpreted.


Online hormone tests can also be the first step to making healthy decisions regarding your life. For example, they can uncover the reasons for unintended weight gain, extreme fatigue and other issues that can get in the way of your quality of life.

Drawbacks of Online Hormone Tests

There are lots of reputable companies that offer hormone tests online, meaning you can trust the results provided. However, you must perform your due diligence to ensure you purchase from a reputable brand. Many of these tests are not approved by the FDA and may not be as comprehensive as the tests you would undergo in your doctor's office.


Additionally, you should get any new symptoms assessed by your doctor as they arise. Home hormone tests can provide insight, but you may still require treatment for the issues you're experiencing. Checking in with your doctor ensures you receive timely treatment to prevent bothersome symptoms and other effects.


Having greater control over your health and wellness is definitely a good thing. And when online hormone tests are used correctly, that's exactly what they provide.

My Favorite Herbs for Female Health

Ladies, how often have you heard someone say that females are complicated? Once you get to be my age, you’ll probably hear such references at least a few dozen times. While you may be tempted to roll your eyes and blow off those types of statements, there is actually some truth to them. The female body truly is complicated, especially when you consider the many hormone changes we go through at different phases of our lives.

If we want to look and feel our best, we need to make sure our hormones are balanced, whether we’re still getting monthly periods or we’ve already gone through menopause. If our hormones become imbalanced, we’re likely to suffer from many unwanted symptoms. Fortunately, there are herbs available that can help you restore hormone balance even if things get out of whack for a while. Here are my favorite selections of herbs for supporting female health through all of life’s stages.

Ashwagandha

Despite its strange name, ashwagandha is one of the best herbs for supporting female libido and healthy reproduction. It is an Indian herb that has a long history of use in both men and women. While its stress-reducing properties have long been known, ashwagandha may have special uses for females. It targets the endocrine system specifically and supports the proper balance of female hormones. It can also reduce symptoms commonly associated with menopause, including hot flashes, anxiety and mood swings.

Maca

Maca root is one of the more popular herbs for supporting hormone health in both males and females. Research has shown it to help with common menopausal symptoms and can boost libido. It is also helpful for combatting sexual dysfunction caused by unbalanced hormones. Another excellent benefit that makes this herb so attractive is that it may help with weight loss. That makes sense when you consider that many causes of weight gain stem from unbalanced hormones.

Muira Puama

This herb is valued for its ability to stimulate female libido. Before I get into how it can help, I first want to say that it’s natural for libido to ebb and flow throughout life. So don’t be too hard on yourself if there are periods when you don’t really want to be intimate. But if you’re frustrated with a particularly long spell of decreased desire, Muira Pauma may be the answer. In one study, more than 65% of women experienced improved intimate satisfaction and intensity after taking this herb.

Tribulus Terrestris

Long known for its role in supporting female hormone balance, Tribulus Terrestris also shows great promise for boosting libido in both men and women. If you’re struggling with arousal, desire and satisfaction, try taking this simple herb and see if it helps. Considering the fact that it improved sexual desire in 49 out of 50 female study participants, the chance of it working for you is quite high!

Avena Sativa

Long known as a natural aphrodisiac, Avena sativa can support female health in other ways, as well. While it’s boosting your intimate desires, it may also be supporting your bone health. Since osteoporosis is more common in women than men, anything we can do to develop good bone health is a step in the right direction.

Whether you’re a big fan of herbs or you’ve never used them before, I recommend trying the ones outlined above to keep your female hormones in check. But before taking any type of supplement, it’s wise to check with your healthcare provider to make sure it won’t interact with any medications you’re currently taking. Once you’re given the green light, give one or more of the above herbs a try and see if it works for you.

What You Should Know About Excess Testosterone in Women

What’s the first thing you think of when I say the word “testosterone”? Do you envision rippling muscles and bearded faces? That’s pretty normal. After all, testosterone is one of the most well-known male sex hormones. But testosterone isn’t solely a male hormone. Women have it, too. And while women are often concerned about keeping our estrogen and progesterone levels balanced, many of us give little thought to whether or not our testosterone levels are balanced.

It's estimated that between 5% and 10% of women have high testosterone. Of those women, about 10% are likely to also have polycystic ovary syndrome (otherwise known as PCOS). Imbalanced testosterone can lead to a variety of unwanted side effects, including decreased sex drive, frontal balding, infertility and more.

What Causes Excess Testosterone in Women?

There are several things that can cause testosterone levels to rise too high in women, including:

  • Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia: This is a disorder that typically causes an overproduction of androgen hormones in the body. It leads to more masculine characteristics in women.

  • Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Women with this condition also have imbalanced androgen hormones. This can lead to a variety of issues, including menstrual cycle abnormalities and infertility.

  • Hirsutism: Marked by persistent growth of unwanted body hair, this disease causes the body to produce too much testosterone. It’s primarily a genetic condition.

There are other conditions that can lead to testosterone imbalances in females, but the three listed above are the most common.

What Are Symptoms of Too Much Testosterone in Females?

Too much testosterone in females can lead to a variety of issues, including changes in physical appearance, mood swings and obesity. Here are some symptoms to watch out for if you suspect you may have too much testosterone in your body:

  • Irregular menstrual cycles

  • Excess body hair (especially on the face)

  • Receding hairline or balding

  • Low libido

  • Mood swings

  • Infertility

If you notice one or more of these issues, there’s a possibility your testosterone levels could be imbalanced. It’s important to take action to try to restore balance so you can get rid of these unwanted symptoms.

Treatment Options for Excess Testosterone

So, now that you know why you’re so hairy, grumpy or bald, what can you do about it? The first thing you should do is see your doctor and have your hormone levels tested so you can rule out any other issues. Once you’re certain that too much testosterone is behind your symptoms, you can seek treatment.

Your doctor may recommend one of the following medications for your hormone imbalance, depending on your age, case severity, and the underlying cause of your condition:

  • Oral contraceptives

  • Glucocorticosteroids

  • Spironolactone

  • Metformin

It’s important to understand that these medications come with some risk of side effects. Make sure you fully understand the side effects before agreeing to take any medication.

Beyond meds, there are things you can do to impact your hormone levels naturally. Lifestyle changes such as losing excess weight, exercising regularly and eating a healthy, well-balanced diet can all help balance hormones. There are also some supplements that may help, such as spearmint tea, white peony, reishi mushroom and licorice tea. Even vitamin D has been shown to help balance androgen levels in women with PCOS and other hormone disorders. It may also help boost mood in the winter months when you don’t get as much exposure to natural sunlight.

While most supplements are fairly safe, there are some that may carry a risk of side effects. Before taking any supplement, check with your doctor to make sure it won’t interact negatively with any medications you’re taking or any other health conditions you have.

Strange Symptoms That Could Mean Your Hormones Are Off Balance

Have you ever had an unusual symptom pop up out of nowhere and you had no idea what caused it or how to treat it? I certainly have experienced this before. Symptoms are just your body’s way of trying to tell you something is wrong. Unfortunately, we don’t always know how to properly read our body’s signals and can make mistakes when it comes to their meaning.

What I have learned over the years is that hormone imbalances can cause a wide variety of unusual symptoms. These symptoms can mimic other conditions and make it difficult to figure out the true underlying cause. Whether you’re of childbearing age or you’ve recently gone through menopause, here are some strange symptoms that could mean your hormones are off balance.

Fatigue

Chronic fatigue is a common symptom associated with hormone imbalances. Often, fatigue can be traced back to insufficient thyroid hormone. However, other hormones can also play important roles in energy production, including progesterone and estrogen.

Mood Swings

Do you ever feel like you could burst out into tears or fits of rage at the drop of a hat? If so, you may be dealing with imbalanced hormones that are causing major fluctuations in your mood. Several hormones can impact the way you feel emotionally, including testosterone, epinephrine, oxytocin and norepinephrine. If any of these hormones become unbalanced, you may feel like you have little to no control over your emotions at any given time.

Weight Fluctuations

I know how it feels to get on the scale one week and be a pound lighter only to discover that I’m three pounds heavier the next week! It’s not a fun feeling to discover that your weight fluctuates significantly from week to week.

If you’re following a healthy diet and exercise regimen, you may be wondering why your weight still seems to be like a roller coaster with its constant ups and downs. It’s possible that hormone imbalances could be to blame for your weight fluctuations. Here are a few of the hormones that are directly responsible for how much weight your body hangs onto or releases:

  • Insulin
  • Ghrelin
  • Leptin
  • Cortisol
  • Thyroid hormone

If the delicate balance of these hormones is disrupted, you’re bound to experience problems with your weight control efforts.

Headaches

Frequent headaches are a common indication of low estrogen levels. If your cortisol and thyroid hormone levels are also out of balance, they can further contribute to your pounding headaches. If you seem to get headaches all the time and the most common treatment methods don’t seem to make them go away, it may be time to consider whether your hormones could be out of balance.

Food Cravings

Do you feel like you’re constantly craving foods that you know are bad for your body? If so, you may be able to get rid of those cravings by bringing imbalanced hormones back into proper balance. Stress hormones (especially cortisol) are responsible for governing your hunger cravings and helping you cope with stress. If it is out of balance, you may feel an increased desire to eat foods you shouldn’t as an attempt to help soothe your anxiety.

What To Do About Imbalanced Hormones

Now that you’re aware of some of the most common symptoms associated with hormone imbalances, you’re probably wondering what steps you should take to bring your hormones back into proper balance. There are supplements available (including Camellira™) that can help bring your hormones back into healthy alignment.

In combination with a healthy diet and regular exercise, Camellira™ and other supplements can help you get a handle on your out-of-control hormones so you can get rid of your unwanted symptoms and experience a higher quality of life.