Hormone Health Hub: Expert Insights on Testing, Balance & Better Living — #Neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitter testing is one of the most powerful functional assessment tools available — but it requires a nuanced approach to interpretation. In this clinical overview, Dr. Kate Placzek of ZRT Laboratory outlines the key fundamentals every practitioner needs before reading a neurotransmitter report: from understanding patterns over numbers and treatment sequencing, to the clinical significance of low serotonin on SSRIs, GABA’s peripheral mechanisms, and when to run a diurnal catecholamine assessment.

Hot flashes, mood instability, brain fog and memory changes during perimenopause are not “all in your head” — but they are very much in your brain. In this in-depth clinical article, Dr. Kate Placzek of ZRT Laboratory explains how declining estradiol disrupts brain glucose metabolism, neurotransmitter signalling and thermoregulation, why perimenopause represents a window of neurological vulnerability, and why the timing of hormone replacement therapy is critical to protecting long-term brain health.

Stress is not just a feeling — it triggers a cascade of neurochemical signals that activate the HPA axis. This article explores how neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, GABA, and norepinephrine interact with the stress response, and why mood disorders such as anxiety and depression are so closely linked to HPA axis dysfunction.

Mineral imbalances — particularly zinc deficiency, excess copper, and lead exposure — are frequently overlooked contributors to ADHD in children. This article explores the science behind these imbalances and how correcting them through testing and supplementation can improve attention, behaviour, and treatment outcomes.

In perimenopause, falling estradiol doesn’t just trigger hot flashes — it disrupts serotonin production, driving mood swings, brain fog and sleepless nights. Discover the hormonal science behind “the change” and how testing can help.