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Most Accurate Hormone Testing Method

Hormone testing is a necessary diagnostic step for many medical issues. Diseases such as hypothyroidism and chronic fatigue syndrome can be diagnosed with the aid of hormone testing. Menopause and perimenopause also show up on hormone tests. There are, however, plenty of hormone tests available on the market that will produce inaccurate results. While some cost-efficient methods of hormone testing are available for purchase from drug stores and online, the quality of such methods is negligible. Three of the most accurate methods for testing hormones are blood serum tests, urine tests and certain saliva tests.

  1. Saliva Tests

    • While saliva tests are perhaps the most widely used and least expensive of hormone tests, they are often derided as being inaccurate. Many doctors feel as though the body of research available does not support saliva testing as an effective hormone test. Certain saliva tests have demonstrated inaccuracy in the past; on the other hand, saliva tests are gaining credibility in the medical community recently as an accurate and efficient testing method. Saliva tests, which reflect hormone levels within cells, are viewed by some doctors as a better alternative to blood tests, which test hormones outside of cells.

    Urine Tests

    • A urine hormone test, also known as the 24-hour urine analysis, is used by many doctors to determine the levels of certain hormones and have a track record of being extremely accurate. Urine tests are commonly used to test levels of metabolites as a result of problems in the liver. Therefore, urine tests may not be available for certain types of hormone testing. Although a urine test is extremely precise, it is also inconvenient (urine must be collected over the course of 24 hours), and may cost more than other methods. Such tests provide a complete overview of one's hormone levels throughout the day instead of a small sample (like with blood and saliva hormone tests).

    Blood Tests

    • Routine blood tests, or serum free testing, are two very different methods of blood test. Protein-bound hormones are tested in routine tests, whereas free hormones are tested in serum free testing. Blood tests analyze the blood using RIA or ELISA assays, meaning that most blood tests are extremely sensitive and accurate. Blood hormone tests are limited in that they provide a very abbreviated view of the body's hormone levels, which can fluctuate over time. A series of blood tests is therefore one of the most accurate ways to determine hormone levels, whereas a single blood test may be rather unreliable.

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