Hormone level measurement may seem to be a tedious task that only attracts the focus of a few wanna-be medical laboratory scientists. However, you will be surprised to find out that hormone testing is a subject that has gripped the nation for a while now. It is the first indicator that one can have when it comes to their health. The results of a well-done hormone test offer a map of all the unknown territories of one`s body. It is a process of discovery that has become readily accessible, especially with home testing kits, and is quite affordable.
These two factors make hormone testing the most accessible and easy step you can take in your journey of health improvement. And because it is such an easy-to-reach process, there are many interesting and quirky things about it that you can learn and use to your advantage (if all, it will make you feel more safe and confident if you are already familiar with the way things work when it comes to how and which are the ways in which you measure your hormone levels in your body).
Why Is It Important To Check Hormone Levels?
Only by measuring your hormone levels can you get a picture of your organism and what is happening inside it. You will not have to struggle to find answers that seem impossible to obtain if you have accurate measurements that will indicate where things need repairing.
The level of hormones that affect an individual’s body fat is usually measured in nanograms. A nanogram is used as a unit to measure hormone levels because it considers the size of a molecule and its weight. However, slight errors are involved with this method, so it can be difficult for physicians and researchers to accurately predict whether or not someone will develop obesity-related health conditions.
1. Low Hormone Levels
Low hormone levels can cause fertility problems, weight gain, and chronic fatigue. If your hormones are too low, you might be at risk for obesity-related health conditions and other issues such as heart disease and low libido.
2. The Stress Hormone
High concentrations of the “stress hormone,” cortisol, can repress the immune system and cause various health problems. This stress hormone can also decrease insulin sensitivity, resulting in an increased risk for diabetes.
3. Men Have Estrogen, Too
Estrogen is often associated with women’s health conditions, specifically breast cancer; however, it is now believed that men have estrogen levels similar to those in women. Men’s estrogen levels decline after age forty years. These declines are thought to be associated with the increasing amount of time spent in sedentary roles.
4. High Levels of Estrogen can be Risky for Men
Higher estrogen levels have been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, a condition for which cholesterol-lowering medications are often considered.
5. Loss of Libido is a Risk You Expose Yourself to If Your T Levels are Low
Men and women might experience symptoms related to low testosterone levels. These symptoms include loss of libido, erectile dysfunction, and reduced energy and muscle mass. Also, low testosterone can increase the risk of diabetes because it causes sugar to accumulate in the blood. When too much sugar is in your system, the body can’t burn it, and the risk of developing diabetes increases.
6. A Decline of Testoreone is Normal for Older Men
Testosterone decline is typical as men get older. Testosterone levels peak in men between the ages of thirty and fifty years and decline afterward. Men might be experiencing symptoms related to low testosterone levels at this time but don’t know why or what they can do to prevent them from happening.
7. Hormone Imbalance can be Linked to Obesity
Estrogen, low testosterone, and high cortisol are all factors that have been linked to obesity-related conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
8. Too Much Coffee Can Limit Your Libido
One study showed that people who drank three to five cups of coffee daily had lower levels of sex hormones in their blood than those who didn’t drink coffee throughout the day.
9. Testosterone Plays a Lot of Important Functions in Your Body
Testosterone, one of your sex hormones, is associated with muscle mass development and weight gain. In a study performed at the University of Texas, researchers measured the changes in body mass index for men taking either testosterone or an estrogen replacement therapy called Premarin for twelve months. Researchers found that those men with higher testosterone levels gained more muscle mass than the men on Premarin and subsequently weighed less on average than those on Premarin.
10. Lowering Rates of Testoreone is a Widely Researched Topic
The effect of testosterone and obesity on brain function is also well-documented. One study showed that men with low testosterone levels had a decrease in cognitive function that eventually manifested as Alzheimer’s disease.
11. If You are at Risk of Depression Hormone Checking is Vital
If you have a history of depression, it may be worth your time to check your hormone levels; in fact, the severity of your depression may be directly linked to how low you are. A study at the University of Kansas Medical Center by D. S Williams and A Belaubre found no significant difference between depressive symptoms before and after therapy for patients who were taking antidepressants that were prescribed explicitly for them compared to those not receiving these medications for their depression.
The Bottom Line
It is essential to check your hormone levels because if they are not where they should be, you may experience some of the following issues: mood disorders, loss of libido, weight gain, reduced muscle mass and function, and eventually decreased cognitive function. Hormone level measurement requires a blood test that is specific to each hormone. To perform testing, your doctor will draw blood from an artery of the arm or hand. The sample will then be taken and sent to a lab, processed, and returned to the physician who performed the blood draw.
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