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ZRT Laboratory introduced the Fertility Profile to assist women in identifying possible hormonal causes of infertility. More recently ZRT launched the Menstrual Cycle Mapping (MCM) test that allows women to map time points throughout their menstrual cycle, measuring levels of estrogen, progesterone and luteinizing hormone (LH). Since the MCM test was introduced there has been some confusion as to which test is best to evaluate fertility/infertility. The aim of this blog is to clarify the differences between the two tests and when best to use each. Menstrual Cycle Mapping The MCM profile measures estrone-3-glucuronide (E1G), pregnanediol-3-glucuronide (PDG) and luteinizing hormone...

Since 1998, ZRT has tested adrenal hormones for 1.4 million individuals. The adrenal glands, otherwise known as the “stress glands,” enable our bodies to cope with stress and survive. Shaped like two tiny pyramids, they sit atop the kidneys and from this central location mobilize the response to changes in our environment. Whether stress comes from outside in the form of a natural disaster, or from within like the anxiety we experience before public speaking, it’s the adrenals’ job to help us adapt to the situation. They accomplish this by secreting key hormones:  Cortisol: The primary stress hormone that fine-tunes...

When we talk about “stress,” or allostatic load, in terms of the perception of an event, we must realize that these “events” must first be translated into neurochemical signals before they trigger the HPA axis. Therefore, the sensitivity and outcome of translating these events (whether they are ongoing events, memories of past events, or stressful anticipation of unrealized events), is highly dependent upon signaling from other neurotransmitters. In fact, the signaling neurotransmitters that manage mood and affect often overlap with measures of HPA axis activation, and cannot be easily distinguished in some subjects. [1] While the detailed influence of neurotransmitters, such...

While working or exercising, do you sweat for an extended period of time? Are you constantly exposed to a hot or humid environment? Do you take pre or post workout supplements and/or a multivitamin to replenish key nutrients lost during exercise? Are you aware that excessive perspiration has been linked to iodine deficiency? Thyroid hormones, thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), are manufactured in the thyroid gland using iodine. Iodine consumed in the diet circulates in the bloodstream and is selectively taken up by the thyroid gland where, through a series of complex biochemical reactions, it is attached to tyrosine and...

What if there was a safe, effective, inexpensive, and simple way to help treat one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood? Health care professionals often overlook nutrients; yet imbalances in many minerals are frequently seen in medical disorders including ADHD. Fortunately, replenishing nutrients with an integrative treatment plan has proven to be an effective treatment for the symptoms of ADHD. In this two-part series, we will evaluate mineral deficiencies in zinc and magnesium, excess copper, and their relationship with neuropsychiatric symptoms. Minerals Essential for Health Minerals are inorganic substances essential for cell metabolism, neurotransmitter synthesis, growth, and development....