This panel contains the following tests:

Sex Hormones - An imbalance can impact your ability to lose and maintain your weight.

• DHEA-S
• Free and Total Testosterone
• Estradiol (E2)
• Progesterone

Thyroid Hormones - A complex relationship exists between your thyroid, metabolism, and weight.

• TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone)
• Free T3
• Free T4
• Reverse T3

Stress Hormones - High levels of stress can trigger your body to store additional belly fat.

• Cortisol

Insulin Resistance Markers - When insulin levels are chronically high and body becomes resistant to insulin, fat storage can be further increased.

• Insulin
• Ferritin
• Hemoglobin A1C

Inflammation and General Health Markers - Inflammation, anemia, and vitamin D status are all important weight loss markers.

• Complete Metabolic Panel
• Lipid Panel
• CBC (Complete Blood Count)
• Vitamin D 25-hydroxy
• C-Reactive Protein (high sensitivity)

Sample Report

Since hunger, cravings, stress, and energy are all sensations that are managed by our hormones - balancing them should be the first step in everyone's weight loss regimen. In this age of technology, there are all kinds of resources to track your calorie intake and output, help with an exercise routine, and nutrition guides to follow. Life Extension® offers you a blood test to help get the hormonal balance part of your weight loss equation right. Armed with the results, you will be on your way to optimizing those hormones that effect your ability to lose weight.

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. Ideally, cortisol should be checked in the morning around 8 AM.

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.