Hormone Tests

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Menopause is not a single point in time when hormone production is switched off, but a gradual decline that brings an end to female fertility. During menopause, a woman’s levels of estrogen and progesterone diminish – leading to a lack of menstrual periods.

A woman is considered to be in menopause when she’s had no menstrual cycles for 12 months.

The right balance of hormones is vital to a woman’s health. But in menopause, when levels are dropping, a deficiency of one hormone can trigger a relative excess of another and result in common imbalances such as:

Men at mid-life are just as susceptible to an age-related drop in hormone production as their female counterparts. Andropause, the so-called male menopause, signifies the retreat of the key male hormone testosterone.

As a man ages, his body naturally makes less testosterone. In fact, by the time a man is in his mid-forties, testosterone levels can be down by 40%. Lifestyle factors such as excessive stress, weight gain and lack of exercise can lower levels even further – impacting stamina, drive and virility.

Men tend to notice a subtle downward shift in strength and energy first, followed by lack of enthusiasm for life’s challenges like work and competition. A man may also lose interest in sex. The hidden imbalances contributing to these factors generally include: