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

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...

As we face the current coronavirus pandemic, knowing our baseline level of vitamin D and supplementing appropriately has never been more important. Assuring that we have a healthy and balanced immune response that can effectively reduce viral load and suppress uncontrolled inflammation is crucial for prevention and recovery. Spending time outdoors and exposing our skin to a little bit of sunshine is also good for the body and mind.

Heavy metals like mercury, arsenic, and cadmium can silently disrupt brain chemistry, mood, and cognition — while nutrient deficiencies in iodine, selenium, and lithium compound the damage. Learn how element testing reveals what's really affecting your mental health.

A family’s decision to become a “running family” transformed their two sons’ ADHD outcomes — no stimulants, no antidepressants, just daily exercise. Dr. Allison Smith explains the neuroscience behind why this works: from brain wave patterns and low sympathetic tone to dysfunctional cortisol rhythms and neurotransmitter imbalances. A compelling read for any parent or clinician looking beyond medication.

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.