Advanced woman hormone panel

Luteinising Hormone (LH) is produced by the pituitary gland and is important for male and female fertility. It governs the female menstrual cycle, peaking before ovulation, while in male bodies, it stimulates the production of testosterone.

Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) is produced in the pituitary gland and is important for the production of eggs by the ovaries and the production of sperm by the testes. In the first half of the menstrual cycle, FSH stimulates the enlargement of the follicles in the ovaries. Each of these follicles will help to increase oestradiol levels.

Testosterone is a hormone that causes male characteristics. Testosterone is produced in the male testes, and in much smaller amounts, in the female ovaries.  Although female bodies have much lower amounts of testosterone, it is important for many of the same reasons, playing a role in libido, the distribution of muscle and fat and the formation of red blood cells.

Oestradiol is a female steroid hormone, produced in the ovaries, and to a much lesser extent, in the male testes. Female oestradiol levels decline with age, culminating with menopause when the ovaries stop producing eggs.

Prolactin is a hormone which is produced in the pituitary gland and plays a role in reproductive health. Its primary purpose is to stimulate milk production after childbirth, therefore during pregnancy and breastfeeding, prolactin levels can soar.

The free androgen index (FAI) is a calculation used to determine the amount of testosterone which is free (unbound) in the bloodstream. The FAI is a calculation based on the ratio of testosterone and SHBG and is a measure of the amount of testosterone that is available to act on the body's tissues.

This test looks for antibodies to thyroglobulin, a protein which is specific to the thyroid gland. Under normal circumstances it does not enter the bloodstream, but if your thyroid is inflamed or under attack from the body's own immune system, then thyroglobulin can be secreted and antibodies detected.

Thyroid peroxidase is an enzyme which is produced in the thyroid gland and is important for converting T4 to the biologically active T3. This test looks for antibodies to thyroid peroxidase which indicates that the body's immune system is attacking the thyroid gland and impairing its function.

Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) is produced by the pituitary gland and stimulates the thyroid gland to produce the two thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). All these levels are normally held in tight balance through negative feedback loops.

Most of the sex hormones - testosterone, oestrogen and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) - found in your blood are bound to Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) which means that they are unavailable to your cells. Measuring the level of SHBG in your blood gives important information about your levels of free or unbound hormones which are biologically active and available for use.

Thyroxine (T4) is one of two hormones produced by the thyroid gland. It works to speed up the rate of your metabolism. Most T4 is bound to carrier proteins in the blood, but it is only the free, or unbound T4 that is active in the body, which is measured in this test.

Triiodothyronine (T3) is the more active of the two thyroid hormones produced by the thyroid gland. Most T3 is bound to protein in the blood. Free T3 measures the level of T3 that is free, or unbound to protein, and is available to regulate metabolism.