Female Comprehensive Hormone & CardioMetabolic Test | Specialist Doctor Report Included

Test ID: SB-648 | Saliva LCMS Hormones 7 with Cortisol + Blood Spot CardioMetabolic Panel

The Female Comprehensive Hormone & CardioMetabolic Test is an advanced at-home health profile for women measuring 13 key hormones and markers across two interconnected systems: a full saliva LCMS sex hormone and cortisol panel, and a six-marker blood spot cardiometabolic panel. Using saliva LCMS (Liquid Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry) — the gold standard for bioavailable hormone measurement — combined with a blood spot cardiometabolic panel, this test reveals how female hormones, cortisol, and metabolic health interact to drive the symptoms that standard NHS blood panels consistently miss in women.

In women, sex hormones and cardiometabolic health are mechanistically inseparable. Oestradiol maintains insulin sensitivity, protects HDL cholesterol, suppresses LDL oxidation, and inhibits systemic inflammation — and its decline in perimenopause simultaneously triggers cardiovascular risk, metabolic deterioration, and the hormonal symptoms that characterise the menopausal transition. Cortisol drives insulin resistance, visceral fat, and triglyceride elevation while simultaneously suppressing progesterone and creating oestrogen dominance. Low progesterone allows both of these processes to accelerate — worsening inflammation, blood sugar instability, and cardiovascular risk at the same time. This test reveals the complete hormonal-metabolic picture in a single at-home kit.

Test from home with confidence — no clinic visit required. Results within 3–5 working days.

Why Female Hormones and Cardiometabolic Health Must Be Assessed Together

• Oestrogen is the primary cardiovascular protector in women — and its decline is the primary cardiovascular risk driver — oestradiol supports HDL cholesterol, suppresses LDL oxidation, maintains vascular elasticity, and controls systemic inflammation via hsCRP; as oestradiol declines in perimenopause and menopause, HDL falls, LDL rises, triglycerides increase, and hsCRP elevates in a predictable and directly hormonal pattern that raises cardiovascular disease risk in women — yet is rarely assessed in combination with hormone levels
• Cortisol is the primary driver of insulin resistance, visceral fat, and oestrogen dominance in women — cortisol elevation impairs insulin receptor sensitivity, promotes visceral fat accumulation, raises triglycerides, suppresses HDL, and elevates hsCRP; simultaneously, cortisol suppresses progesterone — creating oestrogen dominance — and depletes DHEAS, accelerating the hormonal ageing that worsens cardiometabolic risk; measuring cortisol alongside the cardiometabolic markers reveals the hormonal root cause of metabolic deterioration that neither panel alone can determine
• Insulin resistance is hormonally amplified in women at every life stage — PCOS is defined by insulin resistance even in lean women; the luteal phase naturally reduces insulin sensitivity under progesterone; perimenopause removes oestrogen’s insulin-sensitising effect; and postmenopause creates a sustained insulin-resistant state that raises HbA1c, fasting insulin, and cardiovascular risk simultaneously; fasting insulin is the earliest detectable marker of this process, elevated years before HbA1c becomes abnormal
• hsCRP connects the hormonal and metabolic systems in women — elevated C-reactive protein in women reflects the convergence of cortisol dysregulation, insulin resistance, visceral fat, oestrogen decline, and progesterone deficiency; it is a stronger independent predictor of cardiovascular disease in women than LDL cholesterol, and is directly elevated by hormonal imbalance at every life stage
• Progesterone and DHEAS are the anti-inflammatory, anti-metabolic-ageing hormones in women — both are depleted under cortisol elevation; low progesterone allows oestrogen dominance to drive inflammation, fat storage, and blood sugar instability; low DHEAS reduces the androgen and oestrogen precursor pool and has direct insulin-sensitising effects, making their decline a significant contributor to the cardiometabolic deterioration of perimenopause and beyond

What This Test Measures — 13 Markers Across Two Systems

Saliva LCMS — Sex Hormones & Cortisol (7 markers)

• Oestradiol (E2): The primary and most potent premenopausal oestrogen — driving reproductive health, bone density, cardiovascular protection, insulin sensitivity, and mood stability. Declining E2 in perimenopause simultaneously triggers hot flushes, low mood, and the cardiometabolic risk shift that characterises the postmenopausal years. Measured by LCMS for the free, bioavailable fraction — the clinically relevant value that standard immunoassay blood tests cannot accurately determine at low concentrations.
• Oestriol (E3): Reflects oestrogen conversion and metabolic activity. The E3-to-E2 and E3-to-E1 ratios reveal how oestrogen is being processed and whether protective conversion pathways are functioning — relevant for both cardiovascular and cancer risk assessment in women.
• Oestrone (E1): The dominant postmenopausal oestrogen, produced by adipose conversion of androgens. Elevated E1 in women with higher body fat drives oestrogenic load and metabolic inflammation; declining E1 in lean postmenopausal women reflects total oestrogenic deficit and accelerating cardiometabolic vulnerability.
• Progesterone (Pg): The essential counterbalance to oestrogen and a key anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, and insulin-sensitising hormone in women. Low progesterone — from anovulation, chronic stress, luteal phase deficiency, or perimenopause — drives oestrogen dominance, worsens insulin resistance, elevates hsCRP, and allows cortisol-driven fat storage to go unopposed.
• Testosterone (T): Essential in women for energy, libido, muscle mass, and metabolic rate. Low testosterone reduces lean mass and worsens insulin resistance; elevated testosterone (as in PCOS) drives insulin resistance, visceral fat accumulation, and cardiometabolic risk directly. Measured by LCMS for bioavailable fraction accuracy.
• DHEAS (DS): The primary adrenal androgen precursor in women, declining from the mid-30s. Low DHEAS reduces testosterone and oestrogen precursor availability, impairs stress resilience, and has direct anti-inflammatory and insulin-sensitising effects. DHEAS decline is a significant contributor to the cardiometabolic deterioration of perimenopause and beyond.
• Cortisol (C): The primary stress hormone and a central driver of insulin resistance, visceral fat, oestrogen dominance, and inflammation in women. Elevated cortisol impairs insulin sensitivity, promotes abdominal fat deposition, raises triglycerides, suppresses HDL, and elevates hsCRP — while simultaneously suppressing progesterone and depleting DHEAS. Measured by saliva LCMS for the free, bioavailable fraction — the physiologically active cortisol that drives these metabolic effects.

Blood Spot — CardioMetabolic Panel (6 markers)

• Fasting Insulin: The earliest detectable marker of insulin resistance in women — elevated years before HbA1c or fasting glucose becomes abnormal. In women, fasting insulin is directly driven by cortisol excess, low progesterone, oestrogen decline, and PCOS. Elevated fasting insulin promotes visceral fat, raises triglycerides, suppresses HDL, and drives the PCOS hormonal cycle. The single most actionable early metabolic marker for women with hormonal and energy symptoms.
• HbA1c (Glycated Haemoglobin): Reflects average blood sugar regulation over the preceding 8–12 weeks. Women’s risk of pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes rises markedly in perimenopause and postmenopause as oestrogen’s insulin-sensitising effects are lost; HbA1c contextualises the fasting insulin result with medium-term blood sugar trajectory.
• HDL Cholesterol: The protective cardiovascular fraction directly supported by oestradiol. HDL falls significantly with oestrogen decline, insulin resistance, and elevated cortisol — a triple impact in perimenopausal women that is directly measurable alongside the hormone panel here.
• Triglycerides: Elevated by cortisol, insulin resistance, and oestrogen decline simultaneously — three pathways all assessed in a single saliva sample by this test. Triglycerides often rise before LDL changes and are a primary cardiometabolic risk marker particularly relevant for perimenopausal, postmenopausal, and PCOS women.
• Total Cholesterol: Provides overall lipid context. Rising total cholesterol in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women is a direct, predictable consequence of declining oestradiol — a hormonal event best assessed alongside the oestrogen levels this panel measures directly.
• hsCRP (High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein): The gold standard systemic inflammation marker and a stronger independent predictor of cardiovascular disease in women than LDL cholesterol. Elevated hsCRP in women reflects the convergence of cortisol dysregulation, insulin resistance, visceral fat, oestrogen decline, and progesterone deficiency — all five directly assessed by this panel.

Who Should Consider This Test?

This test is particularly relevant for women who experience:

• Persistent fatigue or exhaustion that does not improve with sleep or rest
• Unexplained weight gain or difficulty losing weight, particularly around the abdomen
• Sugar cravings, energy crashes, or afternoon slumps
• Elevated cholesterol or triglycerides on previous testing
• Blood sugar irregularities, a history of gestational diabetes, or pre-diabetes
• PMS, heavy, irregular, or absent periods
• Breast tenderness, bloating, or mood swings in the second half of the cycle
• Perimenopausal or menopausal symptoms: hot flushes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, low mood
• Low libido or reduced sexual interest
• Brain fog, poor concentration, or memory issues
• Anxiety, irritability, or emotional volatility
• Insomnia, night waking, or unrefreshing sleep
• Chronic stress or burnout
• Diagnosed or suspected PCOS or oestrogen dominance
• Currently on HRT or the contraceptive pill and wanting to monitor hormonal and metabolic markers
• Family history of diabetes, heart disease, or metabolic syndrome
• Women over 35 wanting a comprehensive hormonal and cardiometabolic health baseline

Key Features

• 13-marker combined saliva LCMS hormone and cortisol panel plus blood spot cardiometabolic panel
• Saliva LCMS — the gold standard for bioavailable sex hormone and cortisol measurement in women
• All three oestrogens (E1, E2, E3) for complete oestrogen metabolism and dominance assessment
• Cortisol measured by LCMS for free, bioavailable accuracy — directly linked to all six cardiometabolic markers
• Six cardiometabolic markers — fasting insulin, HbA1c, HDL, triglycerides, total cholesterol, hsCRP
• Results within 3–5 working days after lab receipt
• Expert analysis by a Hormone Specialist PhD Doctor
• Clear graphical and numerical results with personalised commentary
• All-inclusive price — laboratory fees included, no hidden costs
• Valid for 12 months from purchase

How It Works

1. Order the kit online — delivered directly to your door.
2. Collect your saliva sample for the full LCMS hormone and cortisol panel, and your blood spot sample via a simple finger-prick for the cardiometabolic panel, following the detailed instructions provided. Guidance on optimal cycle timing and morning collection for cortisol accuracy is included.
3. Post your samples to the lab using the return instructions included in your kit.
4. Receive your results within 3–5 working days, with specialist commentary and clear next-step guidance.

What Your Report Includes

• All 13 marker results with female-specific reference ranges
• Visual charts for all six sex hormones, cortisol, and all six cardiometabolic markers
• Clinical interpretation of how your oestrogens, progesterone, cortisol, DHEAS, and cardiometabolic markers interact as an integrated female hormonal-metabolic system
• Oestrogen-progesterone dominance ratio analysis
• Cortisol-driven metabolic impact assessment — connecting your cortisol level to insulin resistance, triglycerides, HDL, and hsCRP
• Insulin resistance pattern assessment (fasting insulin + HbA1c)
• Cardiovascular risk profile in full female hormonal context (HDL, triglycerides, cholesterol, hsCRP)
• Specialist commentary by a Hormone Specialist PhD Doctor
• Personalised next-step recommendations

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this test measure?

Oestradiol (E2), Oestriol (E3), Oestrone (E1), Progesterone, Testosterone, DHEAS, Cortisol (saliva LCMS) plus Fasting Insulin, HbA1c, HDL Cholesterol, Triglycerides, Total Cholesterol, and hsCRP (blood spot) — 13 markers in total.

Why should women test hormones and cardiometabolic markers together?

In women, sex hormones and cardiometabolic health are mechanistically inseparable. Oestradiol protects HDL and suppresses cardiovascular inflammation; its decline directly raises cardiovascular risk. Cortisol drives insulin resistance and visceral fat while suppressing progesterone. Testing both systems together reveals whether cardiometabolic symptoms are driven by hormonal root causes — something neither system can determine when tested alone.

When in my cycle should I collect my sample?

Guidance on optimal cycle timing is included in your kit. For most women, collection in the luteal phase (days 19–21 of a 28-day cycle) provides the most clinically meaningful progesterone and oestrogen values alongside the metabolic markers. Morning collection is recommended for optimal cortisol accuracy.

Can I use this test if I am on HRT or the contraceptive pill?

Yes. HRT and the contraceptive pill significantly affect oestrogen, progesterone, HDL, triglycerides, and insulin sensitivity — which is precisely why monitoring both hormonal and cardiometabolic markers together is more informative than standard blood tests for women on hormonal treatment. Follow the timing guidance in your kit.

Is this test suitable for women with PCOS?

Yes — this test is particularly valuable for women with PCOS. PCOS is fundamentally a condition of insulin resistance, androgen excess, and oestrogen-progesterone imbalance — all directly assessed by this panel. Fasting insulin is often the most clinically important marker in PCOS and is measured alongside the full sex hormone and cortisol profile.

When will I get my results?

Within 3–5 working days after your samples reach the laboratory.

Are there hidden costs?

No. Laboratory analysis and specialist review are fully included. You are responsible for postage to the lab.

How long is the kit valid?

12 months from purchase.

Why We Partner with ZRT Laboratory

At Hormone Lab UK, every home test kit is analysed by ZRT Laboratory, a globally recognised, CLIA-certified diagnostic and research laboratory specialising in hormone testing, thyroid testing, fertility testing, adrenal function, neurotransmitter analysis, cardiometabolic health, heavy metals, and wellness testing. Founded in 1998 by renowned biochemist and breast cancer researcher Dr. David Zava, PhD, ZRT has become one of the world’s leading laboratories for advanced functional health testing.

With more than 11 million laboratory tests performed and healthcare professionals in over 96 countries relying on its expertise, ZRT is recognised for scientific excellence, analytical accuracy, and continuous innovation. The laboratory pioneered at-home saliva hormone testing, introduced the first commercially available dried blood spot (DBS) hormone tests, and developed Dried Urine Testing (DUTS), helping make advanced laboratory diagnostics more accessible and clinically meaningful.

Every sample is analysed using state-of-the-art LC-MS/MS and ICP-MS technology under rigorous quality control standards. ZRT collaborates with the CDC, NIH, and leading universities, supporting ongoing research and advances in laboratory medicine.