Hormone testing benefit and risks, are patients and doctors going overboard? Blood and saliva

Hormone level testing and subsequent recommendations on how much and which hormones to supplement with is a very controversial topic and few doctors will agree on all major points of the debate. Such evaluations are very expensive and may not necessarily lead to an improved outcome or health benefits.

Hormone testing for blood DHEA or saliva DHEA levels
Unless you have a medical condition which leads to very low levels of DHEA, it is very difficult to determine the appropriate dosage of DHEA supplements based on saliva or blood hormone testing. At this point we do not recommend serum evaluations for DHEA or pregnenolone unless they are interpreted by an experienced medical professional or unless there is a strong medical suspicion that symptoms are due to low hormone or DHEA levels. The interpretation of DHEA saliva testing is difficult and different labs may have different ways of testing DHEA making interpretation even more complicated (and hormone test levels could easily vary throughout the day). We do not see the reason to test for DHEA levels if the hormone is used occasionally. If a person plans to use DHEA as hormone replacement in low doses, such as 1 to 3 mg, again I do not see the need to hormone test for DHEA levels.

Should hormone testing be done?
Q. I'm seeking an expert / objective opinion on hormone testing and monitoring. Is it advisable to periodically do hormone testing when taking androgenic / pro-hormonal supplements to ensure that those levels don't go excessively high, possibly suppressing or damaging the body's endogenous hormone production? In lieu of blood or saliva hormone testing, are there symptoms of excessively high androgen levels that one can simply be aware of, and to taper dosages when those symptoms present? in lieu of hormone testing, can a cyclic dosing schedule e.g. X days on, Y days off (maybe coupled with an occasional respite period), be followed to reliably avoid shutting down endogenous production? Roughly how much 'off' time is necessary to allow the body's own hormone loops (testosterone, DHEA, estradiol, etc) to "recharge"? I'd really like to bypass the cost and inconvenience of periodic hormone testing, but won't think twice about doing it if supplementing without hormone testing presents a bona fide medical risk. Assuming recommended dosages are followed, can prolonged excessive (supplement-induced) hormone levels permanently shut down endogenous production? What is your opinion on the accuracy of blood vs. saliva hormone tests?
   A. Most of the hormones that are available over the counter such as DHEA and pregnenolone do not seem to have a feedback loop, in other words the endogenous hormone production by the body is not likely to shut down if these hormones are taken as supplementation. One has to careful assess the reason for their use of hormone supplements. Even if blood levels or saliva hormone test levels are normal, this does not mean that long term hormone related side effects are not occurring such as hair loss or thinning or cancer promotion in tissues. Blood or saliva hormone tests could be perfectly normal but harm could be occurring from hormone supplement use. Unless blood or saliva hormone test levels are very high or very low, these hormone testing results are not very useful and don't really indicate what the appropriate hormone dosage amount should be, if any.

Saliva hormone testing
Testing for hormone levels through saliva is controversial since different labs may give different results, and it is difficult to know how to interpret the results and what to recommend in terms of hormone supplementation based on these saliva hormone tests. Different doctors looking at the same data provided by these saliva hormone tests could potentially give different advice.

Human growth hormone testing
Is it necessary for the average older person to have human growth hormone testing? What does the research say? Very few people would benefit from human growth hormone testing since research cannot tell us which individuals would benefit from human growth hormone replacement.

Female hormone testing
After decades of studies regarding optimal hormones for women to take after menopause, and even after thorough female hormone testing in a particular patient, no two doctors would agree on the best course of action, dosages, and the type of hormone to be supplemented.

Saliva test for hormone level can vary between different labs and at different times of the day in the same person. It may even vary on different days. Saliva test for hormone level is not as reliable as a hormone blood test. Hormone test kits are being promoted on line as home hormone test products, and their accuracy is questionable regarding a reliable hormone level test.

Does tongkat ali increase blood levels of testosterone on hormone level blood test?
    Perhaps for a few days but we have not seen long term testing to know for sure.