Hormone Health Hub: Expert Insights on Testing, Balance & Better Living — test limitations

  Clinical context: “Male menopause” is an informal term and is not equivalent to female menopause. Symptoms such as fatigue, low mood and reduced libido have many possible causes. Hormone testing measures levels; it is not itself a treatment. Assessment for testosterone deficiency usually includes symptoms and repeat morning serum testosterone measurements on separate days, with further tests selected by a clinician. Saliva and dried blood spot results should not be treated as interchangeable with diagnostic serum thresholds. As men age, they may experience a decline in testosterone levels which can lead to a range of symptoms commonly referred to...

  Important limitation: The original article below contains broad diagnostic and treatment claims that should not be treated as clinical guidance. Urinary neurotransmitter measurements do not reveal brain neurotransmitter concentrations, diagnose psychiatric or neurological disorders, select antidepressants or establish that testing improves health outcomes. They are not screening tests for Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s disease and do not prevent their progression. Persistent symptoms require appropriate clinical assessment. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers in the brain that play a crucial role in regulating our mood, emotions, behaviour, and overall mental health. Imbalances in neurotransmitters have been linked to a range of psychiatric...

By Tracy Tranchitella, ZRT Laboratory.   Important research and safety context: This article describes laboratory experiments, animal studies and preliminary clinical research. These findings do not establish that iodine supplements prevent or treat cancer, COVID-19 or other infections. Experimental doses and concentrations below are not instructions for personal use. Do not ingest antiseptic iodine, prepare home-made nasal or mouth solutions, or use high-dose iodine based on this article. Excess iodine can disrupt thyroid function. People receiving cancer treatment should discuss any supplement with their oncology team and must not replace or delay established care. At the most fundamental level, the...

By Nina Silberstain, BA.   Adequate sleep has long been known to be vital to good health but not getting enough sleep can be detrimental on many levels. Sleeplessness at night results in lack of alertness during the day, impairing your judgment and increasing the risk for accidents. Chronic sleeplessness can affect the appearance of your skin, reduce libido and overall vitality, decrease cognitive function, contribute to weight gain, and increase the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Your quality of sleep can be affected by many things including perimenopause (hot flashes, night sweats, sharp drop in melatonin over age...

GABA is the brain's primary inhibitory neurotransmitter — and its balance is critical for restful sleep. This article explores how both low and high GABA levels can disrupt sleep, and why addressing the adrenal stress response is often the key to resolving GABA-related sleep problems.