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Overview of Hormones and the Menstrual Cycle Training for an athletic competition or exercising is already hard enough but along with the unique fluctuation in a woman's hormones this can make it near enough impossible. Yes, that’s right we’re talking about the time of the month! We hope by the end of this blog you will be in better place with understanding your hormones and cycle which we hope will enhance your athletic performance.  The menstrual cycle starts on day one with menses or more commonly known as the “period,” which lasts between three to seven days. The full first half...

  By Dr. Tracy Tranchitella, ND (ZRT Laboratory) The Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR) is the predictable rise in cortisol within the first hour of awakening. There are two events that contribute to this dynamic rise in morning cortisol. The first is in response to adrenocorticotropic hormone output from the pituitary as a part of the normal circadian activities of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis with involvement from the sympathetic nervous system. The second occurs in response to exposure to daylight with the activation of the suprachiasmatic nucleus in the hypothalamus, which happens within 30-45 minutes after awakening and can increase cortisol...

By Dr. Sherry LaBeck, ZRT Laboratory  In 2008 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...

By Dr. Tracy Tranchitella, NDF of ZRT Laboratory. We are nearly two years into the COVID-19 pandemic. Lives have been lost around the world and the virus continues to mutate with several strains of concern circulating globally. At the time of this writing the Delta variant is responsible for most of the infections in the US and elsewhere, while the Omicron variant is rapidly emerging. Ask anyone who has survived COVID-19 what it was like, and the answers may range from symptoms of a moderate cold to extreme body pain, fatigue, and respiratory distress, landing them in the hospital. This...

  Tracy Tranchitella, ND, ZRT Laboratory If you have ever experienced a near-miss collision or other accident, you have likely felt the rush of adrenaline coursing through your veins almost instantly. In that moment, your heart rate, blood pressure, and respiratory rate increased, your pupils dilated, and your brain felt immediately more alert. These are the effects of adrenaline, otherwise known as epinephrine, which is produced in the adrenal medulla when we encounter a significant stressor.  In a “life or death” situation, the stress response can literally save our lives by readying us to act and facilitating a physiological response...