Description
Are you exhibiting symptoms of Low Testosterone?
Testosterone plays a critical role in maintaining both physical and mental health. From its peak in the late teens and early 20’s, the production of testosterone begins to taper at approximately age 30. This physiologic decrease is commonly known as andropause and can cause changes in sexual function, mood, energy level and body composition, but may also have significant impact on cardiovascular risk as men with low and low range testosterone levels are at a greater risk for metabolic and cardiovascular disease.
In addition to age-related decline, poor diet, lack of exercise, stress and other lifestyle factors can have a significant effect on testosterone levels.
Some of the symptoms associated with decreased testosterone production in the male body are:
- Decreased erectile function
- Insulin resistance / metabolic syndrome
- Loss of muscle strength
- Loss of muscle mass
- Fatigue
- Weight gain
- Trouble urinating
- Prostate problems
- Bone Loss
While testosterone is thought of as “the” male hormone, it is also important to maintain appropriate levels of estrogen, progesterone, DHEA and cortisol.
Increased estrogen levels may contribute to prostate problems, including prostate cancer and weight gain, and if the adrenal hormones (cortisol and DHEA) are out of balance, men may also experience problems with fatigue, immune dysregulation and may develop blood sugar irregularities.
As testicular production of sex hormones wanes with age, adrenal hormone balance plays a central role in sustaining optimal hormonal health.
Why guess when you can know for sure?
The Men’s Comprehensive Hormone Panel is an excellent starting place for evaluating hormone function in the body. This panel measures both reproductive (sex) and adrenal hormones.
The Comprehensive Panel will assess testosterone, estradiol, progesterone, DHEA and cortisol at four points during the day.
The collection for Labrix’s hormone saliva tests can easily be performed at home, at work or anywhere a donor happens to be because the sample collection tubes are small, requiring only 1 ml of saliva from the patient. Other laboratories require up to 7.5 ml.
Labrix, which is CLIA-certified, has a five business day turnaround time from when the laboratory receives your sample.
Rather than taking one single sample of a hormone, Labrix has donors gather four samples throughout the day and provides an average value of estrodial, progesterone, testosterone and DHEA. The average value of these hormones, because they fluctuate throughout the day, is more relevant than a single reading.
To assist in the timed collection, Labrix collection tubes are color coordinated, simplifying the process. In addition to that, straws are provided to aid in sample collection and to cut down on the risk of the saliva specimen being contaminated.
Advantages of Saliva Testing
Saliva reflects your active hormone levels and is the best way to monitor topical hormone supplementation. Easy and convenient collection, with no need for needles, salivary hormone testing from Labrix is a preferable and reliable method when it compared to blood testing.