Hormone replacement therapy

Suzanne Somers’ books say only blood tests can determine which hormones we need. Is that true?

Q: In her books, Suzanne Somers says you have to get blood work done to determine exactly which hormones you need. Is this only for more severe cases? Is this what you do in your clinic?

A: At our clinic we routinely update blood hormone panels, whether a woman’s symptoms are mild or severe. But we individualize the timing depending on a woman’s particular situation.

Ideally, we advise all women to get a baseline hormone panel done. You can then have additional hormone testing as symptoms dictate. It’s just so useful to have that data over time, to help maintain your individual hormonal balance as your life circumstances change.

In addition to hormone blood tests, we also use salivary hormone testing in some cases at our clinic. But as general advice to our readers, we would caution that there seem to be fewer practitioners experienced in interpreting the results of salivary tests.

Visit Women’s International Pharmacy for more information on hormone testing labs and finding a practitioner who can assist you.

Alternatively, you can arrange a phone consultation or become a patient of our clinic. For information on making an appointment, click here or call 1-800-340-5382. Office hours are 8:00 AM–12 noon and 1:00–4:00 PM ET, Monday–Friday.

Return to:

• FAQ’s on bioidentical hormones and other forms of HRT
• An intro to HRT and alternatives

Related to this article:

References & further reading on bioidentical hormones and other forms of HRT

 

Original Publication Date: 12/07/2006
Last Modified: 02/16/2010
Principal Author: Marcy Holmes, NP, Certified Menopause Clinician