ZRT Laboratory (Salivary Steroids)
Saliva
Performed by: ZRT Laboratory
Steroid hormones in the bloodstream are 95-99% bound to carrier proteins, and in this form are unavailable to target tissues. Saliva testing measures the amount of hormone available to target tissues – the bioavailable amount. For this reason, saliva testing better relates to specific symptoms of excess or deficiency, and is a good option for monitoring hormone therapy.
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Biomarkers included in this panel:
11-deoxycortisol is an adrenal hormone. It is the end product of 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17OHPg) through 21-hydroxylase synthesis and is the immediate precursor of cortisol. Levels of these cortisol precursors and the enzymes that stimulate cortis
Learn moreThe hormone 17-hydroxyprogesterone is produced by the adrenal glands. 17-OHPg is converted to cortisol, which is released in varying amounts, but at particularly high levels during times of physical or emotional stress. A cortisol deficiency can occu
Learn more7-keto DHEA (also known as 7-oxo DHEA) is a steroid produced by metabolism of DHEA. It is not directly converted to testosterone or estrogen. 7-keto DHEA is rapidly absorbed when given as a supplement and converted to its sulfate derivative. It
Learn moreAldosterone is a mineralcoritcoid and a hormone. It allows the transport of sodium across the cell membrane. This is especially important in the kidney (distal tubule). Because of its function, aldosterone is important in blood pressure regulation an
Learn moreAllopregnanolone, also known as brexanolone, is a medication and a naturally produced steroid that acts on the brain. Allopregnanolone possesses a wide variety of effects, including, in no particular order, antidepressant, anxiolytic, stress-reducing
Learn moreAnastrozole is a medication that inhibits the enzyme aromatase to suppress testosterone conversion to estrogens. Anastrozole is used in combination with other treatments for suppressing testosterone conversion to estrogens. It can be used in combi
Learn moreAndrostenedione is secreted predominantly by the adrenal gland and production is controlled, in part, by adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). It is also produced in the testes and ovaries from DHEA-S. It is a weak androgen and an intermediate in the&n
Learn moreCorticosterone, also known as 17-deoxycortisol, is a steroid hormone of the corticosteroid type produced in the cortex of the adrenal glands. Corticosterone has multiple effects on memory. The main effects are seen through the impact of stress on emo
Learn moreCortisol is produced by the adrenal glands in response to stressors, both daily (e.g. waking up, low blood sugar) and unusual (e.g. emotional upset, infections, injury, surgery). Cortisol levels are highest in the morning, and then drop steadily thro
Learn moreUnder the direction of the hypothalamus and pituitary, and controlled by a negative feedback loop, the zona fasciculata of the adrenal cortex is stimulated to produce cortisol in response to circadian peaks and troughs in ACTH synthesis in addition t
Learn moreCortisol is produced by the adrenal glands in response to stressors, both daily (e.g. waking up, low blood sugar) and unusual (e.g. emotional upset, infections, injury, surgery). Cortisol levels are highest in the morning, and then drop steadily thro
Learn moreCortisol is produced by the adrenal glands in response to stressors, both daily (e.g. waking up, low blood sugar) and unusual (e.g. emotional upset, infections, injury, surgery). Cortisol levels are highest in the morning, and then drop steadily thro
Learn moreSalivary cortisone is an inert form of cortisol, as is estrone to estradiol. Simultaneous testing for cortisol and cortisone assists in diagnosing acquired or inherited abnormalities of 11β-hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase, affecting the cortiso
Learn moreDehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a hormone produced by the adrenal glands, is the precursor for estrogens and testosterone, and is therefore normally present in significantly greater quantities than all the other steroid hormones. It is mostly found in
Learn moreDehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a hormone produced by the adrenal glands, is the precursor for estrogens and testosterone, and is therefore normally present in significantly greater quantities than all the other steroid hormones. It is mostly found in
Learn moreLevels of DHEA-S reflect adrenal gland function. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a hormone produced by the adrenal glands, is the precursor for estrogens and testosterone, and is therefore normally present in significantly greater quantities than a
Learn moreDihydrotestosterone is an endogenous androgen that is formed from testosterone via 5α-reductase activity in certain tissues including the prostate gland, seminal vesicles, epididymis, skin, hair follicles, liver, and brain. DHT, relative to
Learn moreEstradiol, the most potent of the three primary estrogens (estradiol, estrone, and estriol), plays an essential role in maintaining the health of nearly every tissue in the body, in particular the reproductive tissues, brain, skin, bone, liver,
Learn moreEstradiol is the predominant, and the most potent, circulating estrogen. Bioavailable estradiol, which represents about 2% of the total protein-bound estradiol in the bloodstream , exits the bloodstream in capillary beds and enters target cells
Learn moreEstriol is the weakest of the three major naturally-occurring estrogens in women. It is a product of the metabolism of estrone and estradiol and is excreted in the urine in greater amounts than estradiol. Because of its weak estrogenic activity, estr
Learn moreEstriol is the weakest of the three major naturally-occurring estrogens in women. Estriol is a product of the metabolism of estrone and estradiol. Because of its weak estrogenic activity, estriol is sometimes preferred for intravaginal use as an a
Learn moreEstrone is one of three main circulating estrogens in humans. Like estradiol, estrone is secreted by the ovaries, but it is also predominantly produced in peripheral tissues by the action of aromatase on its precursor androstenedione. Its estrogenic
Learn moreProduced by the ovaries, the estrone hormone is one of three types of estrogen, and it is one of the major hormones found in the bodies of postmenopausal women. While research into estrone function is still ongoing, since it is the least powerful of
Learn moreEthinyl estradiol is an estrogen receptor agonist commonly used in combined oral contraceptives. It is a synthetic derivative of estradiol. In the liver it stimulates the synthesis of SHBG, increasing SHBG levels by 2- to 4-fold in women, which has t
Learn moreFinasteride is a 5α-reductase inhibitor used to block the formation of the potent androgen DHT from its precursor, testosterone. It is used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia as well as male pattern baldness in men and women, and excessive f
Learn moreLetrozole is an aromatase inhibitor used as an adjuvant treatment for hormone-dependent breast cancer. It inhibits peripheral estrogen production in fat tissues, where it prevents the conversion of testosterone into estradiol. It has similar safety a
Learn moreMelatonin is a hormone that is produced from the pineal gland in a circadian pattern and plays a role in the initiation of sleep. The production and release of this hormone is connected to the time of day, ideally increasing when it is dark and de
Learn morePregnenolone sulfate is a neurosteroid that enhances the glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-receptor function and inhibits receptors for glycine, GABA, thereby regulating the excitation-inhibition balance in the CNS. It enhances learning and me
Learn moreProgesterone is manufactured in the ovaries at about 10-30 mg of progesterone each day during the latter half of the menstrual cycle (luteal phase). Younger women with regular cycles generally make adequate progesterone, consistent with their having
Learn moreProgesterone’s primary function during the menstrual cycle is to induce a secretory endometrium ready for implantation of a fertilized egg. Levels therefore increase during the luteal phase of the cycle after ovulation. If no implantation occur
Learn moreProgesterone’s primary function during the menstrual cycle is to induce a secretory endometrium ready for implantation of a fertilized egg. Levels therefore increase during the luteal phase of the cycle after ovulation. If no implantation
Learn moreOptimal: 100-500 when E2 1.3-3.3 pg/mL
Learn moreThis ratio is helpful when both E2 and Pg are within range, yet the patient continues to have symptoms. It is not expected to be normal or used clinically when either E2 and/or Pg are outside of their expected ranges or if the patient does not have c
Learn moreIn men, levels of testosterone begin to decline with age, usually beginning around the mid-40s. The decline in testosterone production by the testes can be more precipitous in some men than others. Excessive weight gain, stress, lack of exercise,
Learn moreTestosterone levels in saliva are an accepted method for assessment of hypogonadism in men. In women, high testosterone, often caused by ovarian cysts, leads to conditions such as excessive facial and body hair, acne, and oily skin and hair. Low test
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