Hello,
I thought it might be a useful idea for everyone to contribute to this thread with useful hormonal and/or vitamin tests they ordered through their doctor/ naturopath/ online. This is to help those who are confused about which tests to order, especially if your doctor does not specialize in hormonal imbalances, nutrient deficiencies, and other issues.
Here's my list. I will add more later because I'm in a rush right now.
- First of all, hormonal blood tests, unless you take the same tests several times a month and at different times of the day, are not very helpful. You need either saliva or urine tests (taken a few times a month) to chart your monthly hormonal fluctuations. No test is 100% accurate, so it's wise to also consider other symptoms besides acne (e.g. look up things like adrenal fatigue, estrogen dominance, zinc deficiency, etc).
- HORMONAL PANEL: Ask for a full panel, including all the thyroid tests (not just T3, also T4 and anything else available), E1 and E2 for estrogen (not just E2, that won't help if you have estrogen dominance), all the androgens/ testosterone, progesterone (very important), and a few other neglected hormones that can still cause acne but doctors rarely check them, like cortisol and prolactin. There are a few more, but I forget now... I'll post the actual names for each test when I look them up.
- VITAMINS and MINERALS: Vitamin D and zinc are the 2 common deficiencies for acne sufferers. Niacin might be another one, inositol (especially if you have PCOS), and other Bs (like B12). Check your iron, magnesium, chromium, and selenium too if you don't normally eat very healthy and/or if you have anemia (or if you are vegetarian).
- You can also get tested for celia's disease/ gluten intolerance if you have severe allergic reactions. If your reactions are not severe (i.e. no hives etc), then you can take the ALCAT test or something similar for intolerances. If you don't want to spend a lot of money, try doing a simple histamine test to see how high your histamines are compared to the average. If they are higher than average, then you either have allergies/ intolerances or mast cell disorder/ mastocytosis.
Add more below...
Bumping to add the hormone ACTH, which can affect cortisol production, estrogen, and androgens, especially when progesterone levels are low.
Also the sex steroid hormone 17-Hydroxypregnenolone.
I'm adding these becauseand then stumbled upon a
I googled the symptoms of NCAH...I wonder how many have this and have no idea about it.
Source: http://www.caresfoundation.org/productcart/pc/ncah_late_onset_cah.html
Both males and females with NCAH may show the following:
Premature development of body hair (pubic and underarm)
Body odor (young childrens perspiration normally has no odor)
Early, rapid growth spurt, but ultimately short stature as adult
Oily hair and skin
Severe acne
Mood swings
Infertility
Also, apparently doctors say the following if only the acne is treated:
What Happens if NCAH is Not Properly Diagnosed and Treated?
Missing the diagnosis of NCAH can have serious consequences. Some common consequences are:
This is another reason why I urge everyone (including myself, when I finally get better health insurance) to get tested for what might be causing your acne, rather than just treat the acne in isolation of other possible symptoms. There are other posts here and there on acne.org of people with more serious medical conditions that resolved their acne issues once they addressed their health problems.
Can you recommend an affordable and reputable online source for hormone testing?
I wish I could...I haven't used one yet. You said there aren't any good homeopaths/ integrative doctors in your town?
I've been reading the Facebook PCOS support group, and they post interesting discoveries about PCOS which can also relate to hormonal balance in general, not just PCOS. The page that's linked to the facebook group is this one: http://www.massattack.com.au/ and they do hormonal testing. They are based in Australia. The hormone tests they do are for people who want to lose weight by regulating their hormones, but I guess those hormonal tests could help with acne as well.
And here's another new test for PCOS, taken from the PCOS support group.
New blood test for PCOS
Recently published research shows that elevated levels of anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) can be used as a new diagnostic marker for PCOS (1-3). Serum levels of AHM were significantly elevated in women with PCOS (7.34ng/mL) compared to women without PCOS (2.24ng/mL) in recent studies. (1-2)
What is AMH?
Anti-Mullarian Hormone is a hormone produced by the granulosa cells of the early developing antral follicles. These are the immature eggs that wake up from their dormant state and develop into mature eggs. AMH levels are generally used to assess the ovarian reserves of a woman: the higher the levels of AMH, the more eggs a woman has left. However, as this new research shows, it can help diagnose PCOS as well.
AMH in PCOS
AMH is typically elevated in women with PCOS. Elevated levels can reduce the production of progesterone and reduce the expression of Luteinizing Hormone receptors, thus further interfering with ovulation and potentially aggravating PCOS (4), even though more research is still needed in this area to clearly establish cause and effect.
Testing for AMH
AMH levels can be tested through your GP or through specialized labs. In Australia, this test costs on average AU$60, but prices can vary per country. If you suspect you have PCOS but tests are inconclusive, ask your GP or fertility specialist about testing for AMH levels.
I still do not have access to a naturopath, and my doctor has no suggestions for me since spiro stopped working, except to go back on birth controlwhich is my LAST resort.
Let me know if you find anything about mail-in hormone testing for Canadians. There are many options for Americans, even right from amazon; however, these are not available in Canada.
Can you recommend an affordable and reputable online source for hormone testing?
I wish I could...I haven't used one yet. You said there aren't any good homeopaths/ integrative doctors in your town?
I've been reading the Facebook PCOS support group, and they post interesting discoveries about PCOS which can also relate to hormonal balance in general, not just PCOS. The page that's linked to the facebook group is this one: http://www.massattack.com.au/ and they do hormonal testing. They are based in Australia. The hormone tests they do are for people who want to lose weight by regulating their hormones, but I guess those hormonal tests could help with acne as well.
And here's another new test for PCOS, taken from the PCOS support group.
New blood test for PCOS
Recently published research shows that elevated levels of anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) can be used as a new diagnostic marker for PCOS (1-3). Serum levels of AHM were significantly elevated in women with PCOS (7.34ng/mL) compared to women without PCOS (2.24ng/mL) in recent studies. (1-2)
What is AMH?
Anti-Mullarian Hormone is a hormone produced by the granulosa cells of the early developing antral follicles. These are the immature eggs that wake up from their dormant state and develop into mature eggs. AMH levels are generally used to assess the ovarian reserves of a woman: the higher the levels of AMH, the more eggs a woman has left. However, as this new research shows, it can help diagnose PCOS as well.AMH in PCOS
AMH is typically elevated in women with PCOS. Elevated levels can reduce the production of progesterone and reduce the expression of Luteinizing Hormone receptors, thus further interfering with ovulation and potentially aggravating PCOS (4), even though more research is still needed in this area to clearly establish cause and effect.Testing for AMH
AMH levels can be tested through your GP or through specialized labs. In Australia, this test costs on average AU$60, but prices can vary per country. If you suspect you have PCOS but tests are inconclusive, ask your GP or fertility specialist about testing for AMH levels.
I might have an idea. I follow High on Health on facebook, and she gives skype consultations about acne problems. Then she recommends supplements & diet based on your status. How about that? Fran, the owner of the website, is reliable, as far as I know, and also certified. I used to watch her videos on youtube.
Why not try that??? And maybe also when you have the skype appointment, do it with makeup-free skin so she can really see what your issues are and give you feedback.
http://highonclearskin.com --> click on Get Help to see the options she offers.
I still do not have access to a naturopath, and my doctor has no suggestions for me since spiro stopped working, except to go back on birth controlwhich is my LAST resort.
Let me know if you find anything about mail-in hormone testing for Canadians. There are many options for Americans, even right from amazon; however, these are not available in Canada.
brenmc, on 18 Oct 2014 - 03:19, said:
Thanks WishClean! I'll definitely check this out. Steph from Epic Beauty Guide has also been helping me via email. But it would be fantastic to have a face-to-face chat with a professional who understands acne.
I might have an idea. I follow High on Health on facebook, and she gives skype consultations about acne problems. Then she recommends supplements & diet based on your status. How about that? Fran, the owner of the website, is reliable, as far as I know, and also certified. I used to watch her videos on youtube.
Why not try that??? And maybe also when you have the skype appointment, do it with makeup-free skin so she can really see what your issues are and give you feedback.
http://highonclearskin.com --> click on Get Help to see the options she offers.
I still do not have access to a naturopath, and my doctor has no suggestions for me since spiro stopped working, except to go back on birth controlwhich is my LAST resort.
Let me know if you find anything about mail-in hormone testing for Canadians. There are many options for Americans, even right from amazon; however, these are not available in Canada.
brenmc, on 18 Oct 2014 - 03:19, said:
To update this thread: I would also recommend an alternative treatment. I recently tried a full body scan (non-invasive) using electromagnetic poles to measure the body's energy and detect possible deficiencies and imbalances. This scan confirmed some issues traditional tests had confirmed, so it's relatively reliable. It also helped me confirm some digestive & inflammation issues. I will try to find an article on it to give you more information. it's usually performed by naturopaths and integrative practitioners. No idea what the English name is though :/
Online saliva hormone testing
Online saliva hormone testing
Thanks, good to know! If anyone has tried these, let us know here.
Also, it would be useful to add some reliable allergy testing/ intolerance sites or practitioners. The most indicative test would be one that tests your sensitivities (rather than full blown allergies, which are more rare). You can start by measuring your histamines through a blood test. If you are shown as "reactive", then you can take it from there.
Online saliva hormone testing
Ah, I see you already found Dr. Lee's website. I was going to add a link to that today. To me, that seems like the best option, plus they ship outside the US too.
To add to hormones to check: DHEA-S --> stress triggered hormone that can aggravate acne.