In response to increasing demands from an aging population and a great deal of scientific information, healthcare providers are recommending hormonal supplementation to help maintain vitality and quality of life. When it comes to hormone replacement dosages, one size does not fit all. The way each person responds to replacement hormones is unique. What works well for one may be too much or too little for another. If a decision to begin HRT is made, a saliva hormone test can be an important guide for determining how much hormone should be taken.
Testing can indicate physiologic benefit.
For example, if a healthcare provider has prescribed a particular estrogen preparation and dosage, it is important to know whether the dose is correct. Too little estrogen will not address short term symptoms or give long term protection. A wide variety of HRT compounds, doses and delivery systems is currently available. Pharmaceutical companies recently added natural hormone supplements to their synthetic and animal-derived products.