Proper Hormone Testing
It is common practice to automatically place any woman over 50 that exhibits menopausal symptoms on HRT (hormone replacement therapy). This practice is not only irresponsible; it's proven to be harmful.
HRT has been proven, to cause serious complications. This is according to articles published in several medical journals by teams of doctors and organizations, including the WHI (Women's Health Initiative).
According to an article published on March 17, 2003 in the New England Journal of Medicine, regimens including Progestins, the synthetic forms of progesterone, have been reported to cause breast cancer, increased risk of heart attack, and stroke.
There are several more negatives that have been reported in many medical journals about other issues such as dementia, birth defects and ovarian cancer to name a few.
None of these side effects are known to occur with natural progesterone. Natural progesterone is reported to be safe because it does not react negatively with the body, since it is bio-identical to the progesterone produced by the body, and presents no danger of overdose like the synthetics.
Post-menopausal women are not the only people that can benefit from proper testing. It has been observed that many expensive and dangerous fertility related operations could have been prevented if the doctors would have simply tested for progesterone deficiency. Progesterone is the hormone that helps the placenta attach itself to the uterus and aids in the fertilization of an egg.
One of the biggest problems plaguing women is the ignorance of doctors. Doctors typically have a one-dose-fits-all mentality when it comes to HRT. Doctors need to test first to see if there is a need, and secondly, determine what dosage to administer.
The second problem is that even if a doctor does test for hormone deficiency, most don't seem to know the proper methods. Most doctors rely on blood tests, and since blood tests measure the serum (the liquid between the blood cells) it is difficult at best to get an accurate measure.
Other issues to consider are that blood tests are stressful, expensive, and have to be done at a doctor's office. The blood then has to be kept cool during handling and shipping or risk introducing error into the results. The stress of a blood draw can also alter the result.
Saliva testing is by far the most accurate method for testing hormonal levels. Saliva testing is easy, inexpensive and can be done anywhere. Furthermore, the hormones in saliva are exceptionally stable allowing samples to be easily handled and shipped.
Saliva testing can be done at home as well, allowing men and women both to take more control over their health and monitor the effects of treatments.
In hormone testing, as with most things, it is important to keep it simple. Saliva testing is the most accurate, easiest and most inexpensive way to track your hormones and keep your body in harmony.