This panel contains the following tests:

Stress Hormones:

• Cortisol AM/PM
• DHEA-S

Thyroid Function:

• Free T3

Metabolism Markers:

• Glucose
• Insulin
• Lipid Panel

Sex Hormones:

• Progesterone

Sample Report

Stress can be caused from numerous sources such as job demands, relationship conflicts, hectic schedules, and illnesses. Your adrenal glands are responsible for helping your body to cope with stress. When too much stress is placed on our body, damaging effects can be manifested through a whole host of different symptoms.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself:

• Are you gaining weight around the middle that just won't come off?
• Do you have problems sleeping and wake up tired all the time?
• Do you need coffee to get you going in the morning?
• Are you getting sick more than usual?
• Feeling depressed?
• Memory problems?

If the answer to any of these questions is "yes", stress may be the underlying cause.

Instructions

This test may be done fasting or 2-6 hours after eating. Both ways provide valuable information, though 2-6 hours after a meal provides a more realistic assessment of the state of your blood in everyday life. Stay hydrated and take your medications as prescribed. If you are supplementing with any hormones, we suggest taking them approximately 2 hours prior to having your blood drawn to see peak levels. Hormones are best drawn between 8-10 AM. Hormonal contraceptives can interfere with progesterone and estrogen results. This panel requires two blood draws. Since cortisol levels normally fluctuate throughout the day, a blood level is checked in the morning around 8 AM and again in the afternoon around 4 PM.

Pre-menopausal women: For a 28 day cycle, blood should be drawn on day 21 (day 1 is the day that bleeding begins). For longer or shorter cycles, count 8 days back from the day your next menstruation would start.

Post-menopausal women: Blood can be drawn any day of the month.