Hormones and Adrenal Testing - Saliva Testing

The adrenal glands secrete stress hormones, cortisol, in response to physical or emotional stress.  The cortisol levels rise and fall in a daily pattern that causes the more erratic fluctuations caused by the stress response.  Cortisol output by the adrenal glands is one of the most reliable indication of your adrenal health and how well is your body adapting to stress.  Hormones and adrenal testing like the saliva test measures the levels of the stress hormones DHEA and cortisol in your saliva, which provides valuable insights of how your body's cortisol level operate throughout the day.

Hormones and Adrenal Testing - Symptoms Assessment 

Saliva testing is used to determine hormone imbalances that can by underlying caused of conditions such as:

• Chronic stress
• Adrenal fatigue
• Anxiety
• Chronic fatigue
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Depression
• Insomnia 

Hormones and Adrenal Testing - How the Test is Done

To accurately determine any hormone problems, cortisol is measured four times throughout the day.  One in the morning (8 AM), noon, afternoon (4 PM) and night (best between 11 PM and midnight).  Steroid hormones, such as estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and DHEA can be measures along with costisol in the morning saliva sample, if desired.

Saliva Testing Accuracy

Salivary hormone and adrenal testing are reliable indicators of the levels of all steroid hormones in your body.  However, just as with blood tests, some laboratory testing are more reliable than others.  In fact, Plan B medicare covers saliva hormone testing.  The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the World Health Organization (WHO), recognize saliva cortisol testing as being very accurate.