Hormone Health Hub: Expert Insights on Testing, Balance & Better Living — brain fog

By Dr. Sherry LaBeck of ZRT Lab Perimenopause is the transition between a woman's reproductive years and menopause, characterized by a decline in estrogen levels, which can lead to physical and emotional symptoms. Understanding the role of estrogen during this phase is essential for managing symptoms and improving the quality of life for women going through this transition. What is Perimenopause? Perimenopause typically begins in a woman's 40s, though some may experience symptoms as early as their mid-30s, which is known as premature menopause. During this phase, the ovaries produce less estrogen until menstruation stops, marking the onset of menopause....

By Sherry LaBeck, ND. ZRT Laboratory. It is highly likely that women aged 60 to 90 have vivid memories of the astonishing healthcare news from 2002 when the Women's Health Initiative (WHI), a comprehensive long-term national health study, was abruptly terminated earlier than expected. The initial trial results sent shockwaves through the medical community and had a profound impact on the lives of numerous women. Furthermore, this news fundamentally transformed the perception of routine menopausal hormone replacement prescriptions for years to follow. The WHI was launched in 1991 as a 15-year trial, one of the largest women’s health studies in the...

Hormonal contraception suppresses ovarian function, which means saliva and blood spot hormone test results will appear artificially low — but this doesn’t mean hormone levels at the tissue level are low. This guide explains how to interpret hormone test results correctly when using the pill, patch, ring or IUD, and when to collect your sample for the most meaningful data.

Explore why many men on topical testosterone replacement therapy may be unintentionally over-dosed due to outdated serum testing methods and misunderstood dosing principles. Learn how saliva and dried blood spot testing better reflect bioavailable testosterone delivered to tissues, why physiological dosing matters, and how excessive testosterone may suppress natural hormone production, reduce receptor sensitivity, and negatively affect long-term symptom management and hormonal balance.

The Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR) — the 50% surge in cortisol that occurs in the first 30 minutes after waking — is one of the most sensitive markers of HPA axis health. Discover how CAR differs from the standard diurnal cortisol curve, which conditions are linked to blunted or exaggerated CAR, and how three timed morning saliva samples can reveal adrenal function in ways a single cortisol test cannot.