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

By Amen Clinics, ZRT Laboratory Your thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located in the lower front part of your neck. Its job is to secrete hormones that control growth/development during childhood, regulate your metabolism and body temperature, and drive the production of many neurotransmitters in your brain. Specifically, the ones that help you feel good and enough have motivation to accomplish your goals: serotonin, dopamine, adrenaline, and noradrenaline. It’s estimated that tens of millions of people worldwide have thyroid problems—anywhere from 5-25% of the world’s population. In the book, Thyroid Mind Power, it’s reported that, “the last 40 years...

At 24, Dr. Kate Placzek was sleeping 16 hours a day and barely functioning — yet her standard blood tests came back normal. It took a TSH result in the mid-thirties to finally explain her debilitating fatigue. In this candid personal account, she shares her thyroid diagnosis, what she learned about optimal TSH levels, and why testing beyond TSH alone can make all the difference.

In this blog, I want to focus mainly on how cannabis can affect your hormones, primarily through the pituitary, thyroid, and adrenal glands, and the reproductive system. While cannabis is being legalized in more and more states, both the adverse and beneficial effects of its use are starting to be better understood. The active compound in cannabis, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is widely known to have effects on the brain, producing the “high” that many users are seeking. However, the other more adverse effects cannabis can have on the body are less widely known. The Endocannabinoid System (ECS) and How It WorksEndocannabinoids...

That shiny bracelet or pair of earrings may look harmless — but it could contain cadmium, a toxic heavy metal ranked the 7th most significant threat to human health. With a half-life of 10–30 years in the body and no safe level of exposure, understanding where cadmium comes from and testing your levels is a smart step for long-term health.

Iodine is an essential trace element required for thyroid hormone production, yet many people are unknowingly deficient. While iodised salt and seafood are well-known sources, dairy products, eggs, and seaweed also contribute significantly to daily intake. Changing dietary habits — including reduced milk consumption and the replacement of iodine with bromine in bread production — are quietly lowering iodine intake across the population. This article explains where dietary iodine comes from, why the body needs it, how it is absorbed and excreted, and how at-home urine testing can confirm whether your intake is adequate.