Hormone and Adrenal Testing

The adrenal glands are the small organs attached on the top of each kidney.  The body has two adrenal glands which release biochemicals called hormones into the bloodstream.  These hormones not only affect many parts of the body, it also impacts overall health.

We'll tackle the importance of adrenal glands through the hormones they produce that help regulates the different organs and tissues inside the body, the different health concerns that result from adrenal glands' over/underproduction of hormones, as well as the some effective hormone and adrenal testing procedures.

The different types of hormones that adrenal glands produce 

The adrenal gland produce four main hormones: 

1. Catecholamines - Known as the stress hormones (adrenaline or noradrenaline) which facilitates the body's fight or flight response.
2. Cortisol - Another hormone involved in stress response, Cortisol also helps regulate the body's metabolism.
3. Aldosterone - This hormone helps regulates blood pressure by maintaining the body's salt and water levels.
4. Androgens - eg, testosterone.  These hormones are involved in creating and maintaining the secondary sex characteristics of male and female.

Hormone and Adrenal Problems

In rare cases the adrenal glands can become either overactive or under-active that results in hormone imbalances which can give rise to a variety of health problems.  Overactive adrenal glands may produce too much cortisol resulting to symptoms such as thinning and bruising of skin, obesity, diabetes, moodiness, depression and high blood pressure.  Under active adrenal glands may not produce enough hormones causing adrenal stress that makes the individual feel unusually tired and depressed, along with muscles aches, stomach pains and poor appetite.

Hormone and Adrenal Testing

Salivary adrenal hormone production test is an effective hormone and adrenal testing that assesses the overall values of hormones determine the extent of the over/underproduction of hormones.  Diagnosis through laboratory testing can then be followed with specific nutritional supplementation, medication - if needed.