Throughout our lives, our hormone levels shift and change resulting in various physiological changes.
In addition, abnormal levels of certain hormones are associated with a wide range of symptoms and illnesses.
If hormone imbalance is left untreated, it can result in medical conditions such as diabetes, growth disorders and reproductive disorders as well as tiredness, acne, hair growth and loss and weight gain and loss.
The two main hormones that control a woman’s menstrual cycle are oestrogen and progesterone. With menopause, these hormone levels drastically change, causing often dramatic physical and emotional changes.
Symptoms usually associated with menopause, and in particular with lower levels of oestrogen, include:
- Night sweats
- Hot flushes
- Vaginal dryness
- Lower than usual sex drive (libido)
- Urinary leaking when coughing or sneezing (“stress incontinence”)
- Reduced bone density, which can lead to fractures and osteoporosis
Procedure
Please arrive for your blood test well-hydrated.
During the testThe hormone test is a simple blood test. A needle is inserted into a vein, usually on the inner arm near the elbow, and a small amount of blood is drawn. You may feel a pricking or scratching sensation.
Blood
Results
Hormonal issues are a complex area. Therefore a doctor’s request or a consultation with one of our GPs is necessary. If you are taking the results to the requesting doctor we will e-mail them to you. Patients who had consultation with us will receive the follow up call first to discuss the results and the future steps and will be emailed the results after.
FAQ
Hormones are made within the endocrine glands of the body with the main ones being the thyroid, pancreas and pituitary gland.
In men, changes in hormone levels can cause hair loss, erectile dysfunction and tiredness as well as many other symptoms. Hormone profiling is an important diagnostic tool in investigating a range of conditions.
In women, hormone profiling allows us to understand unexplained weight gain or loss, tiredness, hair loss, hirsutism and acne and helps us to diagnose syndromes including polycystic ovarian syndrome. It also allows us to understand your menopause status later in life.
