Saliva and Dried Blood Spot Testing.
Minimally-invasive home test kit.
Page 2
Testosterone therapy is also not recommended for
patients with signs of benign prostatic hypertrophy
(BPH) or prostate cancer. While it is now known that
testosterone itself does not cause either of these, it is
thought to have the potential to exacerbate the problem
when already present. This may in fact be a result of
local aromatase production in prostate tumors, which
increases local conversion of testosterone to estradiol,
which in turn stimulates tumor growth4
. Research now
indicates a complex relationship between estrogens
and androgens in the etiology of prostate cancer5
, while
serum levels of individual endogenous sex hormones
have been found to be unrelated to prostate cancer
risk6
. Studies show that estrogens play both adverse
and beneficial roles mediated by different types of
estrogen receptor7
. Testosterone’s effects on the
prostate are mediated by its more active metabolite,
dihydrotestosterone (DHT), produced by the action of
5-alpha reductase type II (5-alpha reductase type I is
the predominant form in the skin, and is responsible
for the local action of DHT on hair follicles leading to
the development of male pattern baldness). Prostate
growth can be controlled by 5-alpha reductase
inhibitors, and these may also have a role in prostate
cancer prevention and treatment8
.
The Hormones Tested in our Male
Profiles and Why
Estradiol is tested because too much of it, relative to
testosterone levels, suppresses testosterone receptors
in target tissues and eventually leads to feminizing
effects in men, such as breast enlargement. In healthy
young men, testosterone is at its highest level and
estradiol is very low. However, as men age, this
shifts to a higher estradiol/testosterone ratio. Even if
testosterone levels are normal, symptoms can indicate a
functional testosterone deficiency because of the effects
of higher than normal estradiol levels.
There are several mechanisms by which relative levels
of estradiol and testosterone can change. Weight
gain, whether or not this results from low testosterone,
results in increased production of aromatase in fat
cells, which converts testosterone to estradiol. Rising
estradiol levels also cause the liver to produce more
SHBG, which has a greater affinity for testosterone than
estradiol. This acts to suppress further the amount of
circulating free testosterone. Estradiol also decreases
luteinizing hormone (LH) production by negative
feedback on the pituitary gland, which in turn acts to
decrease testicular testosterone production. High
estradiol levels can be controlled by weight reduction to
decrease the amount of aromatase-producing adipose
tissue. There are nutritional and pharmaceutical
approaches to aromatase inhibition.
Progesterone is present in men but at a much lower
level than found in premenopausal women. Some men
supplement with topical progesterone to help with sleep,
to support adrenal cortisol production (progesterone is
a cortisol precursor), and to counterbalance the effects
of estrogens on the prostate. It has also been used as
a mild antiandrogen in patients with BPH and to reduce
male pattern baldness, because of its competition with
testosterone and DHT for androgen receptors. Salivary
progesterone levels can, therefore, be useful to monitor
supplementation.
Testosterone is the primary indicator of male
hypogonadism and andropause. Many things can
contribute to low testosterone levels, including high
cortisol levels and high estrogen levels, as described
above. Testosterone production in the testes is
controlled by the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis,
and so dysfunctions of the hypothalamus or pituitary
can affect levels, as well as the negative feedback
effect of estradiol on LH levels to suppress testosterone
production.
SHBG binds and transports both testosterone and
estrogens in the bloodstream, and it therefore regulates
the relative amounts of free and bound hormone and
consequently their bioavailability to target tissues.
SHBG is a protein produced by the liver in response
to exposure to any type of estrogen. Testosterone
binds about three times more tightly to SHBG than
does estradiol, so this increase in SHBG as a result of
estrogen exposure causes the relative proportion of
Innovating Hormone Testing
PROVIDER DATA SHEET
Page 3
bioavailable testosterone to estradiol to decrease even
further, exacerbating the symptoms of testosterone
deficiency.
Many factors, in addition to estrogen exposure, can
affect SHBG levels9
. Thyroid hormone increases
SHBG production, whereas insulin, on the other hand,
decreases SHBG levels. In young men, testosterone
levels are usually high and SHBG low, making most
of the testosterone bioavailable. However, as men
age, gain weight, and their estrogen levels increase,
SHBG also rises, decreasing bioavailable testosterone.
Measuring SHBG in blood provides an indication
of the overall exposure to estrogens, as well as the
bioavailable (free) fraction of testosterone (calculated
from the ratio of testosterone to SHBG).
PSA is a measure of prostate health and high levels can
indicate the presence of BPH or advancing prostate
cancer. As prostate cells start to become crowded, they
produce PSA, which acts to suppress angiogenesis and
therefore reduce the blood supply to the surrounding
tissue to prevent it from further growth. High levels are
therefore seen only as a result of growth that is fairly
rapid. It is important to test PSA levels prior to starting
testosterone therapy, as a sharp increase in PSA can
indicate prostate problems.
DHEA is a precursor for the production of estrogens
and testosterone, and is therefore normally present in
greater quantities than all the other steroid hormones. It
is mostly found in the circulation in its conjugated form,
DHEA sulfate (DHEA-S). Its production, which occurs
in the adrenal glands, declines gradually with age.
Like cortisol, it is involved with immune function and a
balance between the two is essential. Low DHEA can
result in reduced libido and general malaise.
Cortisol is an indicator of adrenal function and exposure
to stressors. Under normal circumstances, adrenal
cortisol production shows a diurnal variation and is
highest early in the morning, soon after waking, falling to
lower levels in the evening. Normal cortisol production
shows a healthy ability to respond to stress. Low
cortisol levels can indicate adrenal fatigue (a reduced
ability to respond to stressors), and can leave the body
more vulnerable to poor blood sugar regulation and
immune system dysfunction. Chronically high cortisol is
a consequence of high, constant exposure to stressors,
and this has serious implications for long-term health,
including an increased risk of cancer, osteoporosis, and
possibly Alzheimer’s disease10.
Free T4, free T3, TSH, and TPOab tests can can
indicate the presence of an imbalance in thyroid
function, which can cause a wide variety of symptoms,
including feeling cold all the time, low stamina, fatigue
(particularly in the evening), depression, low sex drive,
weight gain, and high cholesterol.
Which Profile?
Comprehensive Saliva and Blood Spot Profiles
For an initial evaluation of overall hormonal status, we
strongly recommend the most comprehensive profiles
using both saliva and blood spot collection, which give
you the “big picture” of where the hormones may be
unbalanced.
Comprehensive Male Profile I
Saliva tests: E2, T, DS, Cx4
Blood spot tests: PSA, fT4, fT3, TSH, TPOab
Comprehensive Male Profile II
Saliva tests: Cx4
Blood spot tests: E2, T, SHBG, DS, PSA, fT4, fT3,
TSH, TPOab
Saliva Profiles
Saliva Profile I
E2, Pg, T, DS, morning C
Saliva Profile II
E2, Pg, T, DS, Cx2 (morning and night)
Saliva Profile III
E2, Pg, T, DS, Cx4 (diurnal)
Note: Saliva profiles do not include thyroid hormones or PSA and are not
recommended for sublingual hormone users.
Blood Spot Profiles
Male Blood Spot Profile I
E2, T, SHBG, DS, PSA, C
Male Blood Spot Profile II
E2, T, SHBG, DS, PSA, C, fT4, fT3, TSH, TPOab
Note: Blood spot profiles assess only waking cortisol - only a single
a.m. sample is collected. Best choice for sublingual hormone users
or individuals having problems collecting saliva, and for assessment of
PSA levels