What Does a Hormone Panel Do?
Written by Leslie K. Hughes
Medically Reviewed by Dr. Monique White-Dominguez
Hormones are a very complicated and thus, often misunderstood piece of the human body. There are more than 50 of them inside of your body at this very moment, and they play a role in almost every bodily function known to man and woman. This means that they have the power to wreak havoc on things that you may be completely unaware of if they are unbalanced.
And, hormone imbalances are more common than you may think. Studies show that most people experience at least one or two, but likely more, bouts of hormone imbalance in their lives. The key times that hormone imbalances occur are during puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. However, those certainly aren’t the only times that imbalances can occur.
Read on to learn more about hormone imbalances.
How can I tell if I have a hormone imbalance?
The only sure guaranteed way to tell if your hormones are off is by getting a hormone panel. However, there are some signs to look out for that may be your cue that something is amiss.
Here are the common symptoms of a hormone imbalance.
Acne
If you find that your skin is breaking out for seemingly no reason, you may have your hormones to thank for that. Some of the major hormones in the body including testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone can have an effect on your skin’s production of oil, which may lead to acne.
Excess Weight
Weight gain is never a fun thing to deal with, especially when you can’t figure out what to blame it on. If all the other major culprits are innocent, then it may be hormone issues. The body’s thyroid hormones are responsible for metabolism and if they’re off balance, then your weight will be too. Weight gain can also be caused by low levels of estrogen and PCOS.
Hair loss
Hair loss is more common in men than it is in women (though it certainly does happen to both sexes). Male hair loss can often be because of low testosterone and other androgen hormones.
Pregnancy
Anyone who knows anything about pregnancy knows it to be a time of shifting hormones. To grow a healthy baby, a woman’s body undergoes some serious hormone changes. This doesn’t always lead to an imbalance in hormones, but can.
Menopause
Women experience another major change in hormones when they go through menopause. It is similar to pregnancy in that there is not automatically an imbalance with these hormone changes, but there often is.
Other symptoms of a hormone imbalance include:
Bloating
Swollen and tender breasts
Lower sex drive
Irregular periods
Mood swings
Headaches
Anxiety
Depression
Weight gain
Night sweats
Erectile dysfunction
Low sperm count
If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms that seem like they’re not solving themselves, then it’s time to get a hormone panel. Sameday Health offers hormone panels for both females and males.
What does a female hormone panel look for?
A comprehensive female hormone panel takes a look at the levels of different hormones in the body to see if they are balanced.
The Sameday Health Female Hormone Panel looks for the following hormones:
Estradiol
Progesterone
Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
Luteinizing hormone (LH)
Cortisol
What does a male hormone panel look for?
The Sameday Health Male Hormone Panel gives an overview of potential hormone imbalances in men.
The hormones that are tested in this panel include:
Free testosterone
Total testosterone
Dehydroepiandrosterone
Prostate-specific antigen
Cortisol
How does a hormone panel work?
Hormone panels can be done using blood, urine, or saliva. Once the sample is collected, it is run through testing to determine the different levels of hormones present. It is important to note that if you are on birth control, your hormone levels may not be accurate because of the nature of the synthetic hormones in birth control.
With Sameday Health, a hormone panel is quick and easy. All you have to do is schedule an appointment and once you’ve arrived, let the medical staff handle your collection. You’ll get your panel results quickly – they’ll be sent to you in a secure way that only you can access. Then, a Sameday Health provider will be available to review the panel with you and help you come up with a plan of action if any imbalances are found.
