Hello All,
Naomi writes:
<I have never heard of the saliva test, and not being medically trained, I
didn't really <understand the description of the test you included in your
post. Can you explain in layman's <terms what the test is and how it works,
for the non-medical curious minds among us. If this <is taking us to far OT,
can you answer by private email?	Hormones are measurable in saliva. 

"The knowledge that there are steroid hormones in saliva, and that they can
be measured, has been around for more than 30 years. But it is only recently
that technology has caught up with that information making it possible to
accurately determine levels of salivary hormones." 

"Until recently, steroid hormone level evaluations were carried out on blood
samples, but blood collection has its limitations. It is invasive, expensive
and difficult to time precisely. Perhaps more importantly, blood hormone
levels represent your body's total hormone content. Most blood hormones
(about 95%) are bound to specific proteins which carry them through your
bloodstream and can be considered the hormone 'storage' fraction. The other
5% represents your free hormones - those available to move easily into your
target organs and fulfill their functions. Your saliva contains these free
hormones which can be easily measured to give an accurate picture of those
hormones that are readily available to your tissue." 

"Particular hormones from the endocrine glands carry out many critical
functions. For example, the sex steroid hormones estradiol and progesterone
control the rhythm of a woman's monthly cycles. Estradiol and two weaker
estrogens, estrone and estriol, are being used increasingly in hormone
replacement therapy (HRT) to replace diminishing levels. Testosterone,
another sex steroid hormone, wakes up the libido (sex drive) while DHEA aids
in creating and maintaining lean muscle mass. The pineal hormone, melatonin
, is necessary for going to sleep at night. The adernal gland produces
cortisol, the hormone that responds to stress. Knowing and being able to
manage the levels of these hormones helps your body function properly."

(copied from Aeron labs website http://www.aeron.com/new_page_8.htm)
 
I have used saliva testing to evaluate my hormonal status since I was
diagnosed with severe osteoporosis at age 40 while nursing my daughter who
was then 5 months old. Testing these hormonal levels can identify a woman's
status regarding menopause. I take natural hormone supplements, estrogen and
progesterone, as treatment since my body for some reason does not make
enough on it's own. This allowed me to treat my dysfunctional endocrine
system without interfering with breastfeeding. Incidentally, I have
increased my bone density 23% in 4 years which is far above the gain that is
achievable with traditional medical approaches. The test is ordered by a
health care practitioner, or possibly you can also order it online and pay
for it on your own, if you would like to have your hormone levels measured.
I have a chiropractor and a naturopath MD who both use this in their
practice. If you google "hormone saliva test" you should come up with a
number of labs that do such testing. It involves using a kit of test tubes
to provide saliva sample at the same time of day every 2 or 3 days depending
on where you are in your menstrual cycle. After spitting into the tube you
cap it and freeze it immediately. At the end of the month you mail them to
the lab for testing. Each of the samples is tested for the relevant
hormones. This provides you and/or your clinician with a picture of the
hormone levels and fluctuations which occur over a month. In order to
accurately evaluate the levels it also helps to know a bit about normal
hormone levels. For instance, lactating women naturally have lower estrogen
levels in the first several months postpartum. Once menses return estrogen
levels change also. 

I hope gives you a better understanding and this isn't too much OT,
listmothers? 
Judy Gutowski, BA, IBCLC, RLC

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