Description

A female hormone panel measures the levels of hormones in a woman's blood to identify imbalances and diagnose health issues.

This panel includes the following test:

Cortisol AM

Estradiol

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH)

Free T3

Free T4

Growth Hormone

Hemoglobin

Insulin

Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1)

Prolactin

Progesterone

Testosterone with Sex binding globulin (SHBG)

Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)

Vitamin D

Fasting not required.

Additional information about each test is listed below:

Cortisol is a hormone that can affect estrogen levels in women, which can lead to hormonal imbalances and other health issues. 

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a hormone that helps maintain hormonal balance in women's bodies. It's produced by the adrenal glands and liver, and is a precursor to the sex hormones estrogen and androgen. 

Estradiol is a female sex hormone that helps regulate the menstrual cycle, reproductive system, and other bodily functions. It's also known as estrogen (E2). 

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) are hormones produced by the pituitary gland that control the menstrual cycle and reproductive processes in females. 

"Free T3" is a thyroid hormone, specifically triiodothyronine (T3), which plays a crucial role in regulating the body's metabolism, impacting functions like energy production, heart rate, body temperature, and overall cell activity, essentially controlling how quickly the body uses energy; it is considered the active form of thyroid hormone and is important for females as it influences various bodily processes including brain function, muscle control, and bone health. 

"Free T4" is a crucial hormone for females because it directly reflects the amount of active thyroid hormone circulating in the bloodstream, essentially indicating how well the thyroid gland is functioning and impacting vital bodily processes like metabolism, heart rate, body temperature, and brain function; imbalances in free T4 can lead to symptoms like fatigue, weight changes, mood swings, and irregular menstrual cycles, making it important to monitor for proper thyroid health. 

GH, as its name suggests, is obligatory for growth and development. It is, however, also involved in the processes of sexual differentiation and pubertal maturation and it participates in gonadal steroidogenesis, gametogenesis and ovulation. It also has additional roles in pregnancy and lactation.

Hemoglobin levels in women are affected by sex hormones like estrogen and androgens. Hemoglobin levels are usually lower in women than in men. 

Insulin, while not technically a "female hormone" as it is produced by the pancreas in both genders, plays a crucial role in regulating blood sugar levels by facilitating the uptake of glucose from the bloodstream into cells, essentially acting as the key to allow sugar to enter cells and be used for energy; this function is vital for maintaining proper metabolic function in females as well as males. 

Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) is a hormone that helps with growth and development in women. It's produced in the liver, skeletal muscles, and other tissues. 

Progesterone is a hormone that plays a key role in the menstrual cycle and pregnancy. It's produced in the ovaries and adrenal glands.

Testosterone with Sex binding globulin (SHBG) in relation to the female hormone testosterone acts as a carrier protein, binding to testosterone molecules in the bloodstream and regulating how much of this hormone is actually available to be used by the body's tissues, essentially controlling the "bioavailable" testosterone level; this is crucial for managing hormonal balance in women, preventing excessive androgenic effects from circulating testosterone. 

Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) is a hormone that helps regulate the thyroid gland and metabolism. TSH levels can vary based on age, sex, and other factors. 

Vitamin D helps regulate estrogen and progesterone levels in women, which can impact fertility, menstrual cycles, menopause, and pregnancy.