Find Out if Your Symptoms Are Due to a Hormonal Imbalance

By John R. Lee, M.D., Dr. David Zava and Virginia Hopkins

Saliva testing is a simple, accurate way to determine your "free" or bioavailable hormone levels.

1. Read carefully through the list of symptoms in each group, and put a check mark next to each symptom that you have. (If you check off the same symptom in more than one group, that's fine.)
2. Go back and count the check marks in each group. In any group where you have two or more symptoms checked off, there's a good chance that you have the hormone imbalance represented by that group.
3. The more symptoms you check off, the higher the likelihood that you have the hormone imbalance represented by that group. (Some people may have more than one type of hormonal imbalance.)
4. It is recommended that you print these pages and use them as a reference.
5. Go to the (Women or Men) Answers Section.

Women Symptoms | Women Answers   |   Men Symptoms | Men Answers

HORMONE BALANCE TEST FOR WOMEN

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HORMONE BALANCE TEST FOR MEN

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Please Note: The information contained in this Hormone Balance Test is not intended to replace a one-to-one relationship with a qualified health care professional, and is not intended as medical advice, but as guidelines for determining the underlying cause of your symptoms. You are encouraged to make your health care decisions in partnership with a qualified health care professional.

ANSWERS

WOMEN:

1. SYMPTOM GROUP 1
   Progesterone deficiency: This is the most common hormone imbalance among women of all ages. You may need to change your diet, get off of synthetic hormones (including birth control pills), and you may need to use some progesterone cream. (This is explained in detail in Dr. Lee's books, What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause and What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About PREMenopause). And try saliva testing for progesterone and estradiol.
   
   
2. SYMPTOM GROUP 2
   Estrogen deficiency: This hormone imbalance is most common in menopausal women; especially if you are petite and/or slim. You may need to make some special changes to your diet; take some women's herbs; and some women may even need a little bit of natural estrogen (about one-tenth the dose prescribed by most doctors). (November 1998, pages 1-3) And try saliva testing for estradiol.
   
   
3. SYMPTOM GROUP 3
   Excess estrogen: In women, this is most often solved by getting off of the conventional synthetic hormones most often prescribed by doctors for menopausal women. You might enjoy this article: Getting Off HRT. Once you're on a natural hormone regimen, you may want to get a comprehensive saliva test, Female/Male Saliva Profile III.
   
   
4. SYMPTOM GROUP 4
   Estrogen dominance: This is caused when you don't have enough progesterone to balance the effects of estrogen. Thus, you can have low estrogen but if you have even lower progesterone, you can have symptoms of estrogen dominance. Many women between the ages of 40 and 50 suffer from estrogen dominance. This topic is covered in much detail in Dr. Lee's timeless book, What Your Doctor May Not Tell You about Menopause, and also in the May 1998 issue of the John R Lee, M.D. Medical Letter. And try saliva testing for Female/Male Saliva Profile I or just test for progesterone and estradiol.
   
   
5. SYMPTOM GROUP 5
   Excess androgens (male hormones): This is most often caused by too much sugar and simple carbohydrates in the diet and is often found in women who have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). You can find out more about PCOS in What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About PREmenopause, as well as the March 1999 issue of the John R Lee, M.D. Medical Letter. And try saliva hormone testing for progesterone, estradiol and testosterone.
   
   
   
6. SYMPTOM GROUP 6
   Cortisol deficiency: This is caused by tired adrenals, which is usually caused by chronic stress. If you're trying to juggle a job and a family, chances are good you have tired adrenals. There's are great chapters on restoring your adrenal function in both the Menopause and the PREmenopause books, as well as in the July 1998 John R Lee, M.D. Medical Letter. And try saliva hormone testing for the Adrenal Function or one of the individual Cortisol tests.

MORE HELP ON WHICH SALIVA TEST(S) TO ORDER

There are suggestions after each Symptom Group above, but if you're still confused, try these guidelines:

If you haven't had a saliva hormone level test before, or you fit into more than one category above, it's ideal if you can get "The Works," Female/Male Saliva Profile III to give you the big picture. This is a great way to get baseline measurements of your hormones, and a very informative and comprehensive analysis from the experts at ZRT Lab.

If you fit into more than one category above, including fatigue, and you're on a budget, you'll get a lot of useful information from Female/Male Saliva Profile II.

If you fit into more than one category above not including fatigue, try Female/Male Saliva Profile I.

If you're primarily having issues with stress and fatigue, try the Adrenal Function or one of the individual Cortisol tests.

If you just want the basics, test for progesterone, estradiol and testosterone.

If you have estrogen dominance symptoms and want just a bare bones look at your hormones, just test progesterone and estradiol.

If you recently started supplementing with progesterone and only want to find out whether your levels are within "normal" ranges, just test progesterone.

If you have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and/or symptoms of excess male hormones such as excess hair growth, test progesterone, estradiol, and testosterone.

If you have PMS, endometriosis, infertility or postpartum blues, you'll get a lot of helpful information from one of the Female/Male Saliva Profiles.

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ANSWERS

MEN:

1. SYMPTOM GROUP 1
   Testosterone deficiency: This is most common in men over the age of fifty, and can be remedied with special nutritional supplements; increased muscle-building exercise; and supplemental hormones including (natural) testosterone, progesterone, and DHEA. You can find details in Dr. Lee's booklet, Hormone Balance For Men. It is also recommended that you get a saliva hormone test to find out which hormone(s) would be best for you. A basic set of baseline tests for men would include testosterone, DHEA, estrogen and progesterone through a saliva test. It may also be helpful to measure morning and evening cortisol by saliva test, and SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin) by blood spot test.
   
   
2. SYMPTOM GROUP 2
   Excess estrogen: In men, excess estrogen can be balanced with one of the male hormones and changes in diet and lifestyle. You can read about this in detail in Dr. Lee's booklet, Hormone Balance For Men. It is also recommended that you get a saliva hormone test to pinpoint your hormone balance more exactly.

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