shootmeagain
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I wanted some advice from the brain-trust here concerning lab testing. Not so much the how and if, but the what.
That is, I can get some lab work this week fairly inexpensively, but I am unsure which tests are best to have.
In simply layman's terms, I want to check the following:
Also, it seems that the liver health test they offer pretty well covers what I need. It says, "This test checks the basic functioning of the liver. It includes albumin, alkaline phosphatase, ALT (SGPT), AST (SGOT), bilirubin, total bilirubin, and protein. See each item for further detail."
Where I get a little confused about what I need is when we get into looking at the sex hormones. I guess this is because these tests are administered for so many different purposes so there are many different possible profiles.
What I am looking at is, for estrogen levels I can either have:
(1) Estradiol test
(2) Estrone test
(3) Estrogens, total
The 2nd test seems to be more for women and in particular, as a test for ovarian cancer. Though it does mention that this test is sometimes given to men when testicular cancer is suspected. In any case, it is not what I'm looking for.
That leaves estradiol and the total estrogens test.
For the estrogens test it says: "Total estrogens may be used to evaluate for an ovarian estrogen-producing tumor in the premenarcheal and postmenopausal female, or to evaluate estrogen excess in males."
For estradiol, some of the blurb about the test says: "The male testes produce a small amount of estradiol. Elevated levels in males can lead to gynocomastia (breast tenderness or soreness). Increased body fat that can deactivate male androgens may cause increased estradiol levels in males."
It seems to me that either might fit the bill. I'm not looking to a test to help me ward off gyno or anything. I know how to watch for those signs and will be doing these tests pre and post cycle, not on, so that info would be useless in that regard... but is it not still the estradiol level that I need to know? To see that my system gets back to normal after a cycle? etc.
The same confusion exists for me on the testosterone side of things, though to a lesser extent as I believe I know the answer.
For testosterone, I have essentially two options as well:
(1) Testosterone, total serum
(2) Testicular profile
The first one seems to just be a 'total' testosterone test, without any breakdown as to free or bound or other factors. This may be sufficient. I wish that it was because the testicular profile test is much more expensive.
The testicular test says: "This set of tests include Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH); luteinizing hormone (LH); testosterone, total and free. The Testicular Function Profile is a set of tests designed to check the proper functioning of the testes. Results that are out of range can help identify reasons for infertility or low male hormone levels. "
That sounds to me like what I need for that to be worthwhile. Though, like I said, I wish the less expensive total testosterone test would be sufficient.
Any suggestions or information for me on these sorts of tests and which to do and what to look for?
That is, I can get some lab work this week fairly inexpensively, but I am unsure which tests are best to have.
In simply layman's terms, I want to check the following:
- Test levels
- Estrogen levels
- Liver health
- Cholesterol levels
Also, it seems that the liver health test they offer pretty well covers what I need. It says, "This test checks the basic functioning of the liver. It includes albumin, alkaline phosphatase, ALT (SGPT), AST (SGOT), bilirubin, total bilirubin, and protein. See each item for further detail."
Where I get a little confused about what I need is when we get into looking at the sex hormones. I guess this is because these tests are administered for so many different purposes so there are many different possible profiles.
What I am looking at is, for estrogen levels I can either have:
(1) Estradiol test
(2) Estrone test
(3) Estrogens, total
The 2nd test seems to be more for women and in particular, as a test for ovarian cancer. Though it does mention that this test is sometimes given to men when testicular cancer is suspected. In any case, it is not what I'm looking for.
That leaves estradiol and the total estrogens test.
For the estrogens test it says: "Total estrogens may be used to evaluate for an ovarian estrogen-producing tumor in the premenarcheal and postmenopausal female, or to evaluate estrogen excess in males."
For estradiol, some of the blurb about the test says: "The male testes produce a small amount of estradiol. Elevated levels in males can lead to gynocomastia (breast tenderness or soreness). Increased body fat that can deactivate male androgens may cause increased estradiol levels in males."
It seems to me that either might fit the bill. I'm not looking to a test to help me ward off gyno or anything. I know how to watch for those signs and will be doing these tests pre and post cycle, not on, so that info would be useless in that regard... but is it not still the estradiol level that I need to know? To see that my system gets back to normal after a cycle? etc.
The same confusion exists for me on the testosterone side of things, though to a lesser extent as I believe I know the answer.
For testosterone, I have essentially two options as well:
(1) Testosterone, total serum
(2) Testicular profile
The first one seems to just be a 'total' testosterone test, without any breakdown as to free or bound or other factors. This may be sufficient. I wish that it was because the testicular profile test is much more expensive.
The testicular test says: "This set of tests include Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH); luteinizing hormone (LH); testosterone, total and free. The Testicular Function Profile is a set of tests designed to check the proper functioning of the testes. Results that are out of range can help identify reasons for infertility or low male hormone levels. "
That sounds to me like what I need for that to be worthwhile. Though, like I said, I wish the less expensive total testosterone test would be sufficient.
Any suggestions or information for me on these sorts of tests and which to do and what to look for?
