As a guy who may be busy with personal and professional responsibilities, it’s easy to dismiss those times when you feel more fatigued, are not in the mood in the bedroom, or start to think your hair is getting too thin for your liking. Yet rather than assume all is still well, you may want to use a hormone test kit to see if everything is still in balance. If this is part of your plan, here are some benefits and limitations to keep in mind.
It’s Only a Partial Picture
While test kits for checking your hormonal balance can provide you with results that can give you a general idea of how your hormones are doing, the results are usually only a partial picture of what may be happening inside your body. Should you use a test kit that has you provide a blood sample for analysis, the test itself won’t be able to reveal the percentage of hormones within your bloodstream and also won’t be able to show you how metabolites are helping or hurting your body’s ability to produce hormones such as testosterone.
Saliva May be Too Simple
When using a hormone balance test kit that relies on a saliva sample, your test results may not be as accurate as you would like. Even if you follow the test kit’s instructions, saliva samples can vary in terms of their results. Thus, if you take a saliva test two days in a row at the same time and in the same manner, you may have one test indicating your hormones are balanced and the other one saying the opposite. Though known for being a good starting point if you suspect you have a hormonal imbalance, it’s best if you take this type of test and then schedule a visit with your doctor to get in-depth testing for comparison of the results.
Testing in the Comfort of Your Home
If you just don’t like going to the doctor or are embarrassed about certain problems you may be experiencing, such as erectile dysfunction or a diminished sex drive, using a test kit to check your hormonal balance will let you start to get answers to your problems in the comfort and privacy of your own home. This can be a great way to get the process going in regards to helping you find out what’s going on with your hormones since it’s always possible an underlying health condition could be what’s making you more tired or not your usual self in the bedroom.
Your Results are Reviewed by Doctors
The most reputable test kits used for checking hormonal balances are always reviewed by doctors who are affiliated with the test kit manufacturing company and the lab where your test sample is analyzed. This is crucial since it can allow a doctor to get in touch with you should your test results yield numbers that may be highly unusual or indicate an underlying medical condition may be present. In many instances, men such as yourself may be more comfortable speaking initially to a doctor in this manner. After doing so, you may be more inclined to get examined by your family doctor so that a specific treatment plan can be started as quickly as possible.
Tests are Relatively Inexpensive
When you think of any type of medical test, you probably assume you’ll be spending a big chunk of your budget. However, test kits for checking your hormones are affordable enough so that they can be purchased by almost anyone. A basic saliva test can be as little as $50, while a more sophisticated blood sample test that checks for total and free testosterone, thyroid hormones, and other important hormones may only be around $250 at the most. Though the tests are usually not covered by health insurance, you can use funds from your HSA or FSA to pay for the kits.
Bottom Line
Now that you know more about the benefits and limitations associated with hormone test kits, don’t put off using them to help you learn more about your health. By using these in conjunction with your doctor’s testing and advice, your testosterone and other hormones may soon be at their best.
