Is a Saliva Sample Enough to Read Your Hormones?

If you’ve ever thought about getting your hormone levels tested, but don’t like the idea of fasting, needles or blood work, we’ve got good news:

You don’t need a blood test to check your hormone levels. A saliva test will give you all the information you need. 

Saliva vs. Blood Hormone Testing

When it comes to testing hormone levels,saliva is the clear choice as compared to a blood test. You can read a good third party assessment of the science behind this at:According to tecan.com

The fact is, today’s saliva tests are highly accurate—and highly sensitive. That’s why saliva diagnostics may be the best option for measuring bioavailable hormones.

Since saliva testing made its first appearance in the 1980s, the technology has come a very long way. There have been clear advances in the methods associated with saliva sample collection, as well as increasingly sensitive laboratory tests which determine the exact content and quality of the hormones in the body.

Because of these significant increases in saliva testing quality, there has been a huge jump in the number of saliva testing kits sold in the United States.

2 Important Test Factors

There are distinct advantages in saliva testing diagnostics, resulting in saliva testing kit diagnostics gaining widespread recognition.

• Measures Specific Amounts of Unbound Hormones

Unlike tests which use blood to test hormones, a saliva test measures the specific amounts of unbound hormones available. Some 95-99 percent of hormones which circulate in the blood are bound to carrier proteins. Saliva, on the other hand, contain unbound hormones.

Due to this difference, saliva better represents the level of free hormones which are circulating in the human body and affecting the body.

• Less Invasive

Saliva tests are much less invasive than blood tests.Since hormone testing may need to be done on a regular basis to arrive at the exact necessary levels of replacement hormones, saliva testing is much preferred over blood testing.

Of course, saliva testing must be correctly performed to be accurate, however, today’s saliva testing kits make it relatively easy.

Today’s saliva testing kits are relatively easy to perform, which drastically decreases the margin of error found in older versions of saliva testing kits.

A baseline measurement must be taken, then patients can potentially collect their own saliva samples at any time, measuring hormone fluctuations, particularly cortisol and melatonin hormones. 

Saliva Tests Great for Addressing Fertility Issues

Women of reproductive age are able to easily measure their hormones through saliva testing as a method of addressing fertility issues or other hormone replacement therapies. Accurate saliva measurements will depend on properly collecting the saliva, as well as the most sensitive tests.

One fairly recent study compared the link between the hormone cortisol and HbA1c levels in young women with no health issues via saliva and blood levels. The results, which found a substantial link between cortisol concentration and increased HbA1c, were seen in the saliva tests, but not the blood tests. A link between cortisol and triglyceride and HDL levels were also seen in the saliva samples, but not the blood samples. 

Technological Advancements Make Saliva Testing Easy

There have been amazing technological increases in saliva testing; tests now come with a built-in enzymatic signal amplification system which provides amazing sensitivity, enabling the measurement of even extremely low concentrations of certain hormones which can contribute to certain medical disorders.

Because saliva tests are highly sensitive, extremely reliable, convenient, and easy to use, it would appear these tests are the very best way to test hormones. Saliva testing is easy to do, and one of the best ways to look at free hormone levels.

Saliva testing can also test for estriol, which is helpful for difficult cases concerning bioidentical hormone therapies such as BiEst. Saliva testing also allows for charting changes in hormones over time, such as during a monthly menstrual cycle.

 

Archway’s Compounding Pharmacy Following Saliva Test Results

As a compounding pharmacy, our team does everything “made to order”, from scratch. That way, you get customized dosages and delivery methods to suit your needs.

Speak to one of our pharmacists to find out if a saliva testing kit is right for you.

Or, you can order your very own saliva testing kit, and our team will help you understand the results so you can review the findings with your doctor and determine the best course of action.