ANDROPAUSE

ZRT has tested over 150,000 men experiencing hormone decline. Men at mid-life are just as susceptible to an age-related drop in hormone production as their female counterparts. Andropause, the so-called male menopause, signifies the retreat of the key male hormone testosterone.

As a man ages, his body naturally makes less testosterone. In fact, by the time a man is in his mid-forties, testosterone levels can be down by 40%. Lifestyle factors such as excessive stress, weight gain and lack of exercise can lower levels even further – impacting stamina, drive and virility.

Men tend to notice a subtle downward shift in strength and energy first, followed by lack of enthusiasm for life’s challenges like work and competition. A man may also lose interest in sex. The hidden imbalances contributing to these factors generally include:

Low Testosterone

Leads to decreased stamina and libido, fatigue & erectile dysfunction

High Estrogen

Results in weight gain, increased chest and belly fat, hot flashes, night sweats & excessive need to urinate (BPH)

High Cortisol

Results in insomnia, anxiety, sugar cravings, feeling tired but wired & increased belly fat

Low Cortisol

Causes chronic fatigue, low energy, food and sugar cravings, poor exercise tolerance or recovery & low immune reserves

Thyroid Imbalance

This condition is commonly missed in men and may often mimic symptoms of low testosterone.

CardioMetabolic Issues

This includes high blood pressure and diabetes, and may mimic some symptoms of low testosterone – like fatigue or erectile dysfunction.

High DHT

Results in excessive need to urinate (BPH), hair loss, acne

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CARDIOMETABOLIC HEALTH

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in both men and women in the United States, and yet many of the risk factors for developing cardiovascular disease can be avoided or reduced. Obesity, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes are significant contributors to increased cardiovascular disease risk. With the current pandemic of COVID-19, cardiometabolic health is emerging as a major risk factor for poor outcomes to COVID-19 infection. Testing and modifying cardiometabolic risk factors with appropriate treatment can help protect the cardiovascular system from attack.

What is Cardiometabolic Risk?

Cardiometabolic risk includes disorders related to obesity and insulin resistance, which can lead to type 2 diabetes and/or heart disease. Risk factors usually appear in a cluster; when one risk factor is present, you should check for others too. According to the American Diabetes Association, diabetic people with higher blood pressure and cholesterol are more likely to be obese. Most of these patients are at risk of developing heart disease due to obesity and related metabolic problems.

Cardiometabolic risk factors

• Increased fasting insulin*
• Increased triglycerides*
• Increased C-reactive protein*
• Increased hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c)*
• Decreased HDL cholesterol*
• Increased LDL cholesterol*
• Increased VLDL cholesterol*
• Increased waist circumference
• Increased blood pressure

*Tested in ZRTs CardioMetabolic Profile in dried blood spot

Individuals with one or more of the above risk factors, even if they are not diabetic, have a greater chance of developing other problems. Testing to confirm cardiometabolic risk factors can help assess the extent of overall health risks due to serious and/or under-diagnosed conditions. Proper management of cardiometabolic risk factors can support the overall wellness picture and provide effective tools for improved lifestyle and longevity.

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HEAVY METALS & ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS

Heavy metal exposure is on the rise. Common sources include cigarettes, seafood, rice, well water & dental fillings. These toxic elements can significantly increase our risk of developing conditions like dementia, infertility, diabetes and cancer. They are also known to cause damage to the liver, kidneys and brain, as well as the cardiovascular, nervous and endocrine systems.

Essential elements are abundant, too, and only healthy when they are within optimal ranges. Nutrients like copper, iodine, magnesium, selenium and zinc are critical for enzymes that synthesize neurotransmitters and activate hormones. Bromine and lithium, while not currently classified as “essential” elements, have been shown to play a positive role in health but are also potentially toxic at excessive levels.

Why Test Heavy Metals & Essential Elements?

Getting too much, and sometimes too little, of various elements has consequences for our overall health.

Who should consider heavy metals and essential elements testing? Anyone who:

• Smokes
• Has exposure to private well water or aging pipes
• Is concerned about heavy metals in foods like vegetables, rice and seafood
• Has mercury dental work
• Lives in an older home or near an industrial area
• Has thyroid-related health issues

Most Focused Assessment

ZRT’s heavy metals and essential elements testing provides the most accurate test results. Using ICP-MS, the gold standard for element analysis, allows for high specificity and sensitivity into the parts-per-trillion.

Does Sample Type Matter for Elements Testing?

Heavy metals and essential elements affect different systems of the body, so it makes sense that they can’t all be measured in the same body fluid. ZRT tests using the most scientifically appropriate medium – either urine or dried blood spot – for our elements profiles.

For example, urinary cadmium is the best measure of accumulated exposure, while blood spot assesses only recent exposure. Urine is the only appropriate medium for arsenic.

Dried Urine
ZRT’s dried urine method offers a discreet, at-home testing alternative and eliminates the hassles of all-day jug urine collection. Patients collect urine on a filter strip twice during the day. Dried strips are shelf-stable for 30 days and easy to mail back to the lab for analysis.

Dried Blood Spot
Allows testers to collect samples in the privacy of their own homes and is simple and nearly painless, avoiding a trip to the phlebotomist.

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HORMONE BALANCE: THE KEY TO HEALTH

Most hormones are produced by a group of glands known collectively as the endocrine system. Even though these glands are located in various parts of the body, they are considered one system because of their similar functions and relationship to each other.

Hormones are secreted into the bloodstream by these glands. From there, they travel to all parts of the body playing the role of chemical messengers turning specific target tissues on or off. Because they can’t be stored in the cells, hormones do their work as they pass through and then they’re gone. As a result, hormones must be made and released at the precise time they’re needed. To keep things functioning at their best, the body must constantly fine-tune hormone release to keep levels within proper limits.

Because of the complexity of these interactions, a hormonal imbalance rarely stems from only one type of hormone. More often, the problem involves a series of hormones that are out of balance. In addition, a disruption in the balance of hormones produced by one gland or set of glands can cause other glands or systems to dysfunction. Before you know it, you’re feeling miserable on multiple fronts.

How to Achieve Hormone Balance

To restore the vital balance of hormones, we first need a detailed, accurate measurement of hormone levels. Not just numbers, but an assessment that offers real meaning.

With almost 20 years of experience and results from over 10 million tests, ZRT Laboratory is a recognized leader in informative, safe and meaningful hormone testing. Our reports include customized comments specific to your lab results. We also are the only lab to offer reference ranges based on patient age, reproductive states and levels of supplementation.

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IODINE

35% of the world suffers from iodine deficiency. Knowing your level is the first step to better health. Iodine is a difficult element to get naturally in the diet, which is why much of the world has addressed iodine deficiency by fortifying foods and providing iodized salt – but iodine deficiency clearly persists in populations, including over 75 million people in the US.

Why Does Iodine Matter?

This nutritional element is essential for the synthesis of thyroid hormones. Therefore, its deficiency may contribute to hypothyroidism, goiter, pregnancy complications, and decreased IQ and cretinism in children. Even moderate deficiency has been linked with breast cancer risk and infertility.

Essential Elements

Essential elements are abundant and only healthy when they are within optimal ranges. Iodine is paramount among these, but other important elements include copper, magnesium, selenium, and zinc – which are critical for enzymes that synthesize neurotransmitters and activate hormones. Learn the full range of nutritional elements ZRT tests.

Why Test in Urine?

A convenient way to test for iodine deficiency is to measure it in urine, since more than 90% is excreted. However, a problem with urinary iodine measurements has always been in the procedure for collecting it. With most liquid urine tests, all urine produced over 24 hours must be collected – which is logistically very difficult. Upwards of 40% of people who collect urine over 24 hours do not do it correctly and miss collections.

ZRT’s dried urine method offers a discreet, at-home testing alternative and eliminates the hassles of all-day jug urine collection. Patients collect urine on a filter strip twice during the day. Dried strips are shelf-stable for 30 days and easy to mail back to the lab for analysis.

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MENOPAUSE

Since 1998, ZRT has tested the hormones of 1.25 million women around the world. Menopause is not a single point in time when hormone production is switched off, but a gradual decline that brings an end to female fertility. During menopause, a woman’s levels of estrogen and progesterone diminish – leading to a lack of menstrual periods.

A woman is considered to be in menopause when she’s had no menstrual cycles for 12 months.

The right balance of hormones is vital to a woman’s health. But in menopause, when levels are dropping, a deficiency of one hormone can trigger a relative excess of another and result in common imbalances such as:

Estrogen Dominance or Low Progesterone

Results in mood swings, migraines, fat gain in hips and thighs

Low Estrogen or Fluctuations of Estrogen

Triggers hot flashes, night sweats, palpitations, foggy thinking, memory lapse & vaginal dryness

Low Testosterone or DHEA

Leads to decreases in bone or muscle mass, metabolism, energy, strength, stamina, exercise tolerance & libido

High Cortisol

Results in insomnia, anxiety, sugar cravings, feeling tired but wired & increased belly fat

Low Cortisol

Causes chronic fatigue, low energy, food and sugar cravings, poor exercise tolerance or recovery & low immune reserves

Neurotransmitter Imbalance

Changes in estrogen and progesterone levels can impact neurotransmitter levels. For instance, a drop in estrogen can result in a drop in serotonin.

Thyroid Imbalance

Changes in estrogen levels can lead to thyroid symptoms like slowed metabolism and always feeling cold. In fact, many women experiencing menopause will be diagnosed with hypothyroidism.

Low Vitamin D

Sufficient levels of Vitamin D, estrogen and testosterone are important for maintaining bone health in the menopause years.

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MENSTRUAL CYCLE MAPPING

A month-long assessment of a woman’s key reproductive hormones. Evidence shows that hormonal imbalances can be the root cause of many chronic health issues, and imbalances that affect a woman’s menstrual cycle are no exception.

Conditions that can be influenced by a woman’s menstrual hormones include premenstrual syndrome (PMS), premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and infertility. Out-of-balance levels can contribute to symptoms such as migraines, mood swings, and heavy bleeding or painful periods.

When hormone testing conducted on a single day during the luteal phase doesn’t provide enough diagnostic information, a month-long hormone assessment can be helpful. This detailed, multi-point map provides a complete picture of a woman’s levels over the course of one menstrual cycle resulting in the ability to create more precise treatment plans.

Menstrual cycle mapping can by key to assessing conditions such as:

Luteal Phase Defect:
Women suffering luteal phase defect tend to have lower LH and estrogen peaks, indicating “weak” ovulation, for example if the follicle producing the egg did not mature properly. The usual peak in progesterone levels during the luteal phase is much lower than normal and starts to decline approximately 7 days prior to the start of the next period, which comes several days earlier than expected. Luteal phase defect is one of the most common causes of infertility.

Anovulation:
When ovulation does not occur, LH levels are consistently elevated. Estrogen levels are consistent and lower as compared to an ovulatory cycle and progesterone levels are consistently low. Testing helps providers find out if a woman has an adequate LH surge to induce ovulation and takes away the guesswork as to when they are entering their luteal phase.

Premenstrual Syndrome:
Cyclic hormone-related symptoms can include the constellation of symptoms known as Premenstrual Syndrome – PMS – that may include severe headaches. Testing highlights estrogen or progesterone deficiency or excess at key points in the cycle and helps get to the root of these hormone-related symptoms.

Who Can Benefit from Menstrual Cycle Mapping?

This testing is ideal for cycling women who are interested in knowing key hormone levels throughout the month – either as a way of getting to the root of difficult menstrual symptoms, assessing cases of PMS/PMDD or learning more about their fertility.

This testing is not designed for women who are on birth control, supplementing with hormones or post menopausal.

Women who are interested in this test for assessing fertility may also consider ZRT’s Fertility Profile. While Menstrual Cycle Mapping reveals three hormone levels that can pinpoint the time of ovulation, the Fertility Profile identifies a broader array of 12 tests that help assess imbalances or conditions that affect whether a woman can get and stay pregnant.

Those who want the most comprehensive picture of fertility hormone levels should ask their health care provider about using both profiles in combination.

Most Convenient Method for Month-Long Testing

ZRT’s dried urine method offers a simple method for collecting samples at home over a 30-day period. Patients collect urine on a filter card every other morning and let them dry. Dried cards are stable at room temperature, as well as being easy to store and send back to the lab for analysis. No refrigeration or freezing is necessary.

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NEUROTRANSMITTERS

Learn if you’re in the 86% of Americans who have suboptimal neurotransmitter levels. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers used by the nervous system to relay information from one nerve to another.

Optimal neurotransmitter balance is required to maintain proper health. Imbalances can cause the brain and the body to be over- or under-stimulated, producing neurological or psychological symptoms.

An Unmatched Collection of Tests

ZRT has determined that while parent neurotransmitters are helpful in assessing precursor availability, interpreting results based on those levels alone can result in undertreatment, treatment of the wrong part of the system, or overtreatment with direct precursors. It’s only by looking at the parent neurotransmitters with downstream metabolites that you can tell whether there is a systemic pattern.

Given the importance of these levels to correct interpretation of neurotransmitter results and subsequent treatment plans, ZRT Laboratory includes a range of 14 neurotransmitters and metabolites in its testing. This essential collection of tests is available only from ZRT – and not from any other lab.

How a Dysregulated Nervous System Impacts Health

Genetics, environment, chemicals and nutritional deficiencies are a few factors that can impact neurotransmitter production. Once out of balance, the nervous system begins to compensate – which, in time, can lead to neurological or psychological symptoms.

Some of the more common psychological conditions today are known to be accompanied by neurotransmitter imbalances. However, it’s also possible for individuals to present with similar symptoms yet have unique foundational imbalances. Testing helps clarify these root issues.

Common neurotransmitter-related causes of health issues often involve the following scenarios:

Anxiety & Depression

Neurotransmitter imbalances are often associated with anxiety and depression, specifically Glutamate (panic attacks), PEA, Histamine, Serotonin, as well as Epinephrine & Norepinephrine. Learn how Epinephrine & Norepinephrine affect chronic stress.

Chronic Fatigue

An imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters can lead to persistent fatigue.

Impulsivity

GABA, Dopamine and Serotonin are three chemical messengers commonly linked to disorders like ADD, ADHD & OCD.

Insomnia

Imbalances in Glutamate, Histamine, Dopamine, GABA and Serotonin are often linked to sleep disturbances and insomnia.

PMS or PMDD

Imbalances in Serotonin, Dopamine, Norepinephrine and GABA are often involved in cases of PMDD (pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder) and severe PMS.

A Dynamic Duo: Testing Hormones with Neurotransmitters

In the neurological system, hormones are synergistic with neurotransmitters – modulating their production, signaling and metabolism. Because of this complex interplay, testing hormones and neurotransmitters together is an ideal way to generate a more precise clinical assessment.

This combined testing gives practitioners a diagnostic edge over the traditional psychological inventory and offers the advantage of zeroing in on which therapies are best suited for individual patients – cutting down on the time-consuming process of trial-and-error for identifying treatment options.

Testing Elements with Neurotransmitters

Heavy metals are damaging to brain health. They disrupt neurotransmitter function and create oxidative stress that is detrimental to nerve cells, contributing to mood disorders, poor memory and dementia. Identifying exposure to heavy metals may be key to assessing and treating mood disorders and preventing neurodegenerative diseases.

In contrast, nutritional elements are generally protective for brain health. Lithium acts directly on the brain by slowing the progression of dementia and stabilizing mood, while elements like iodine and selenium act indirectly by supporting healthy thyroid and brain function.

Most Complete Neurotransmitter Testing

ZRT is the only lab to offer a 24-hour equivalent in four easy collections – resulting in a more accurate assessment of individual neurochemistry.

Most Convenient Method for Urine Testing

ZRT’s dried urine method offers a discreet, at-home testing alternative and eliminates the hassles of all-day jug urine collection. Patients collect urine on a filter strip up to four times during the day. Dried strips are shelf-stable for 30 days and easy to mail back to the lab for analysis.

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SLEEP DISTURBANCES

60 million suffer symptoms of insomnia. Find out whether hormones contribute to your sleep loss. In a perfect world, the master stress hormone cortisol should be in sync with the master sleep hormone melatonin. Each hormone counter-balances the other in a precise rhythm – when cortisol is high melatonin should be low, and when melatonin is high cortisol should be low.

For many, this rhythm is out of balance. With an estimated 60 million Americans suffering from some degree of sleep loss, it’s surprising that many are still unaware of the connection between hormones and sleep.

See how diurnal curves of cortisol and melatonin affect sleep and how diurnal epinephrine and norepinephrine aid in assessing the stress response affecting sleep.

The Downside of Chronic Sleep Loss

According to the Department of Health & Human Services, over a third of U.S. adults report daytime sleepiness so severe it interferes with work, decision making and social functioning.

In fact, depression, obesity and diabetes are just three of the long term consequences of sleep deprivation – defined as six or fewer hours per night.

Common hormone-related causes of sleep loss often involve the following scenarios:

High Cortisol

Results in insomnia, anxiety, sugar cravings, feeling tired but wired & increased belly fat

Low Melatonin

Results in excessive fatigue, depression, anxiety & insomnia

Neurotransmitter Imbalance

Changes in sex steroid hormone levels during menopause can impact neurotransmitter levels, leading to recurring sleep issues.

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STRESS & ADRENAL HORMONES

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 our response to the stress of everyday living

DHEA
One of the most abundant hormones in the body, and a precursor to estrogens and testosterone; also balances some of the negative effects of high cortisol

Epinephrine / Norepinephrine
Neurotransmitters that mobilize the body’s natural “fight or flight” response in an emergency

Patients can conduct a saliva cortisol test or a urine cortisol test to assess adrenal hormones. This involves collecting four non-invasive samples over the course of one day, from which ZRT is able to generate results with a diurnal cortisol curve. This four-point graph reveals cortisol levels throughout the day and allows health care providers to pinpoint issues with adrenal gland function.

Diurnal cortisol curves – understanding HPA axis dysfunction

Diurnal curves for chronic stress – understanding epinephrine and norepinephrine patterns

Adrenal glands that are in balance produce adequate amounts of hormones to power us through the day. These hormones impact just about every process in the body, from energy production and immune activity to cellular maintenance and repair. They are key regulators of glucose, insulin and inflammation, and play a major role in bone and muscle building, mood and mental focus, stamina, sex drive and sleep cycles.

Adrenal glands that are out of balance can lead to:

High Cortisol

Results in insomnia, anxiety, sugar cravings, feeling tired but wired, increased belly fat & bone loss

Low Cortisol

Causes chronic fatigue, low energy, food and sugar cravings, poor exercise tolerance or recovery & low immune reserves

DHEA

Out of balance adrenals can lead to high or low DHEA.

Ideal Ways to Assess Adrenal Hormones

Saliva testing has long been used as an accurate and reliable method for measuring cortisol because it’s simple and non-invasive, and patients can collect these samples multiple times per day. It’s easy to assess DHEA in these samples too.

A newer method that’s just as reliable as saliva testing has also been gaining ground – dried urine testing. Studies show that urine is just as effective for measuring cortisol and DHEA levels, and it’s also simple enough for patients to collect multiple times per day.

Due to the nature of the sample collection, there are some difference between saliva and urine testing for diurnal cortisol.

The added benefit to dried urine testing is that epinephrine and norepinephrine can be measured at the same time, so patients who want a complete adrenal assessment can now get all four key markers together.

Cortisol Awakening Response

The Cortisol Awakening Response – also called CAR – reveals more detailed clues that help in assessing adrenal hormone/HPA Axis dysfunction. This testing is often useful for cases of PTSD, major depression, chronic fatigue syndrome and other severe stress conditions.

During a normal cortisol awakening response, adrenal hormone levels should increase 50% in the first 30 minutes after waking for the day and then begin to progressively drop through the afternoon and evening. To capture this response, three – rather than one – morning saliva collections are needed to properly chart the diurnal cortisol curve.

Cortisol Awakening Response Sample Collection

6-Tube Collection: Six cortisol collections in 24 hours is the most common method for assessing CAR. Start saliva collection within five minutes of waking for the day, followed by a second sample at 30 minutes, and a third sample at 60 minutes. The rest of the diurnal rhythm can be assessed at the normal time intervals – noon, evening and night (shown below).

4-Tube Collection: Alternately, CAR can be assessed with four cortisol collections in 24 hours. When using this method, collect a sample immediately upon waking, 30 minutes after waking, then at noon or evening, and night.

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THYROID IMBALANCE

30 million adults suffer from thyroid imbalance. Don’t let dysfunction go undiagnosed. The thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland that sits behind and below the Adam’s apple. A wide range of factors from hormone imbalances to mineral deficiencies and environmental pollutants can interfere with thyroid production, leading to health problems.

Dysfunction is Notoriously Under-Diagnosed

The American Thyroid Association estimates that as many as 60% of people with thyroid disease are not aware of it. Statistics show that women are seven times more likely than men to develop thyroid problems, facing as much as a one in five chance of developing a problem particularly during the peri-menopause years when hormones start to fluctuate.

Thyroid disease or dysfunction can explain a wide variety of symptoms. Do these sound familiar?

Hypothyroidism

• Weight gain or inability to lose weight despite exercise and diet
• Feeling cold all the time (when others don’t)
• Low energy and stamina, especially in the evening
• Memory lapses or slow/fuzzy thinking
• Dry, thinning, itchy skin
• Dry or brittle hair and nails
• Hair loss
• Irregular bowel habits
• Menstrual irregularities

Hyperthyroidism

• Sudden or significant weight loss
• Rapid or irregular heartbeat
• Sweating
• Nervousness or irritability

Levels of key thyroid hormones can indicate whether there is a thyroid imbalance. These include:

TSH

Produced by the pituitary gland, TSH acts on the thyroid gland to stimulate production of the thyroid hormone thyroxine (T4).

Free T4 – Thyroxine

The predominant hormone produced by the thyroid gland, T4 is converted to its active form, T3, within cells.

Total T4 – Thyroxine

Total T4 includes both free T4 and protein-bound T4, and is an indicator of the thyroid gland’s ability to synthesize, process and release T4 into the bloodstream.

Free T3 – Triiodothyronine

T3 is the active thyroid hormone that regulates the metabolic activity of cells.

TPOab – Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies

Thyroid peroxidase is an enzyme involved in thyroid hormone production. The body produces antibodies, including TPOab, that attack the thyroid gland in autoimmune thyroiditis and Hashimoto’s. Testing TPOab levels can diagnose these conditions.

Tgbn – Thyroglobulin

A protein rich in tyrosine, the residues of which when bound to iodine become the building blocks of T3 and T4. If iodine levels are low, thyroglobulin accumulates, thus high levels indicate insufficient iodine for healthy thyroid function.

URINE HORMONES & ESTROGEN METABOLITES

Hormones that don’t break down properly in the body can increase the risk for certain cancers – like breast cancer. Urinary hormone metabolites testing provides a unique diagnostic view that no other hormone testing offers.

Because it assesses both parent hormones and their corresponding metabolites, it reveals how the body is breaking down key hormones like estrogens, progestogens, androgens, cortisol and melatonin.

This testing gives insight into whether we are fully detoxifying our hormones, which is important because some hormones can be carcinogenic if they don’t break down properly – leaving us more at risk for a variety of diseases, like cancer.

Why the Focus on Estrogen Metabolism?

A growing conversation in the medical community centers on estrogen metabolism and the risk for hormone-driven cancers. With every published study, there is increasing evidence that the amount of estrogen we make and how our bodies process (metabolize) this estrogen has significant implications for cancer risk. In women, this is breast cancer. In men, it’s prostate cancer.

Measuring hormone levels, as well as the resulting by-products (metabolites) is a simple, non-invasive way to better understand our risks.

When is it a good idea to consider urinary hormone metabolite testing? In cases where someone has:

• Family history of hormone-dependent cancers – like breast or prostate cancer
• Normal saliva cortisol levels but still experiencing symptoms of adrenal dysfunction
• Symptoms of hormonal imbalance such as weight gain and insomnia
• Symptoms of PCOS, such as acne and excess facial hair
• Symptoms of menopause and ready to begin hormone replacement therapy
• Symptoms of estrogen dominance while on physiological replacement dosages of therapy

Info Guide: Estrogen Metabolites

Most Complete Urine Hormone Testing

While other labs offer similar testing, ZRT’s urine hormone testing is the most complete available.

More Tests:
With 44 unique markers, ZRT’s urine hormone profiles are more comprehensive than any other lab’s.

More Estrogens:
ZRT assesses a total of 13 estrogens, including 2-Methoxy and 2-Hydroxy, 4-Hydroxy and 4-Methoxy and 16a-Hydroxy estrogens. We test more 4-Hydroxy metabolites than any other lab.

More Androgens:
ZRT assesses a total of 8 androgens, which is more than most labs offer.

BPA:
ZRT is one of few labs to include an assessment of BPA in its urine hormone testing.

Diurnal Cortisol:
ZRT provides diurnal patterns for both cortisol and cortisone, which help get to the root of stress-related issues. It’s also ideal for those unable to collect a saliva sample for diurnal cortisol.

Diurnal Melatonin:
Diurnal Melatonin: ZRT is the only lab to include a diurnal pattern for melatonin, which helps evaluate sleep-related issues.

Most Convenient Method for Urine Testing

ZRT’s dried urine method offers a discreet, at-home testing alternative and eliminates the hassles of all-day jug urine collection. Patients collect urine on a filter strip at four time points during the day. Dried strips are shelf-stable for 30 days and easy to mail back to the lab for analysis.

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VITAMIN D

Many are unaware that vitamin D is not officially a vitamin – but actually a prohormone. In fact, we make most of our vitamin D when our skin is exposed to sunlight.

Statistics show a third of Americans have insufficient levels of vitamin D, with a leading cause being lack of sun exposure. This is common in northern climates where people don’t spend as much time outdoors, but studies indicate that even people in sunnier regions are often deficient due to concerns about the ill effects of too much sun.

Why the Concern About Low Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is important because it has a complex regulatory effect upon calcium in our bodies and in the mineralization of our bones. But that’s only skimming the surface of its function. Additional research shows vitamin D can play a protective role against certain cancers, development of diabetes and heart disease.

Vitamin D deficiencies are associated with hyperinsulinemia and increased belly fat, as well as contributing to psoriasis and acne. Additionally, sufficient levels of vitamin D, estrogen and testosterone are important for maintaining bone health in the menopause years.

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WEIGHT MANAGEMENT

Weight gain & obesity affect 69% of us. Testing can reveal whether hormones are the root cause of your weight gain. Many know that maintaining an ideal weight is difficult despite the best efforts with diet and exercise. What most don’t know is that an undetected hormone imbalance can be the missing link – sabotaging our hard work to stay slim.

The Weight Management kit is ideal for women or men struggling with weight issues, menopause or andropause, women with polycystic ovaries, and anyone wanting to get to the root of general health concerns.

What’s the Connection Between Hormones and Weight?

Hormones are key players in regulating weight, metabolism, blood sugar, insulin, and when and where the body stores fat. As we age, shifting hormones trigger numerous symptoms of imbalance – including unexplained weight gain.

Common hormone-related causes of weight gain often involve the following scenarios:

Estrogen & Progesterone Imbalances

Result in weight gain in hips and thighs, water retention & sluggish metabolism

Low Testosterone or DHEA

Lead to decreased lean muscle and increased body fat, decreased metabolic rate & abdominal obesity

High Cortisol

Results in insomnia, anxiety, sugar cravings, feeling tired but wired & increased belly fat

Low Cortisol

Causes chronic fatigue, low energy, food and sugar cravings, poor exercise tolerance or recovery & low immune reserves

Vitamin D3 deficiency

Associated with hyperinsulinemia & increased belly fat

High TSH

Leads to hypothyroidism, low metabolic rate & obesity

High Insulin

Indicative of insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome & abdominal obesity

High HbA1c

Predictive of type 2 diabetes