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

By Dr. Beth Baldwin, ZRT Laboratory If one were to create a word cloud of our clinical consulting calls in 2020, the word “phosphatidylserine” would likely float to the center in a large, bold, brightly colored font. After a year spent coping with a global pandemic, record high unemployment, social distancing, and remote learning for students, accompanied by not only an extreme wildfire season but also a contentious presidential election in the U.S., people are stressed – and it shows. We are seeing plenty of patients with abnormal salivary cortisol profiles, absent, blunted or exaggerated cortisol awakening responses, and symptoms typical of both high...

Did you know that low vitamin D could be disrupting your sleep? Research shows that vitamin D plays a key role in serotonin and melatonin production — the hormones that regulate your sleep-wake cycle. Dr. Kate Placzek explores the science behind the vitamin D–sleep connection, what else low vitamin D affects, and how to find out if deficiency is at the root of your sleep problems.

Insomnia affects roughly 50% of all adults — and while sleep hygiene is important, herbal nervines offer a powerful, evidence-backed complement to any sleep support plan. Dr. Sherry LaBeck of ZRT Laboratory reviews 9 key botanical remedies for sleep disturbances and nervous system support, from the classic sedative valerian to the gentle tonic oatstraw, explaining the mechanisms behind each herb and the research supporting their use.

A growing body of research suggests that mitochondrial dysfunction may lie at the root of many treatment-resistant mental health conditions — including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, OCD and even dementia. In this clinical overview, Dr. Peter Bongiorno explains why neurons are particularly vulnerable to mitochondrial damage, how stress, heavy metals and hormonal imbalances compound the problem, and what a comprehensive 5-step repair plan looks like in practice.

Posted by Dr. Allison Smith, ZRT Laboratory. GABA - Gamma-aminobutyric acid, is the neurotransmitter known for its affinity for GABA receptors throughout the central nervous system (CNS). It acts to inhibit excitatory processes – whether they be normal or pathological. It's synthesized from the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate in a process that requires vitamin B6 as a cofactor. The delicate balance in the brain between GABA and glutamate is orchestrated by shuttle systems from the Krebs Cycle, the presence of NMDA and GABA receptor modulators, enzyme cofactors, and reuptake mediators.   In the rest of the body, GABA plays a myriad of...