Saliva
Testing
How accurate is Saliva Testing?
Saliva testing has been used in scientific testing for decades and
has been shown to be highly accurate. The World Health Organization has
used this method of hormone testing in worldwide comparisons of breast
cancer among women living in industrialized vs. non-industrialized
countries. Many studies in the scientific literature have shown a strong
correlation between the levels of steroid hormones in the blood stream
and the "bio-available" (free) levels of steroid hormones in saliva
Saliva testing is the most reliable way to measure free, bio-available
hormone activity- those hormones actually doing their job at the cell
level. Most blood tests do not measure "bio-available" hormone levels.
In addition, saliva hormone testing more accurately reflects tissue
uptake and response of hormones delivered (topically) through the skin,
in creams, gels, or patches. Blood and urine assays significantly
underestimate hormones delivered topically, often resulting in
overdosing. When a person does the testing, we ask him/her to fill out a
listing of symptoms according to severity; we also ask for information
about menstrual history and current hormone usage so as to set the
expected ranges. When the final report is put together symptoms are
classified according to the category of hormone imbalance they fall into
and are correlated with tested hormone levels. In the rare case that
test results do not correlate with symptoms, the test is repeated for
accuracy