Mental Vitality

Estradiol (estradiol-17 beta, E2) is part of an estrogen that is a group of steroids that regulate the menstrual cycle and function as the main female sex hormones. Estrogens are responsible for the development of female sex organs and secondary sex characteristics and are tied to the menstrual cycle and pregnancy. They are considered the main sex hormones in women and are present in small quantities in men. Estradiol (E2) is the predominant form of estrogen and is produced primarily in the ovaries with additional amounts produced by the adrenal glands in women and in the testes and adrenal glands in men. Estradiol levels are used in evaluating ovarian function. Estradiol levels are increased in cases of early (precocious) puberty in girls and gynecomastia in men. Its main use has been in the differential diagnosis of amenorrhea – for example, to determine whether the cause is menopause, pregnancy, or a medical problem. In assisted reproductive technology (ART), serial measurements are used to monitor follicle development in the ovary in the days prior to in vitro fertilization. Estradiol is also sometimes used to monitor menopausal hormone replacement therapy.

Serum progesterone is a test to measure the amount of progesterone in the blood. Progesterone is a hormone produced mainly in the ovaries. In women, progesterone plays a vital role in pregnancy. After an egg is released by the ovaries (ovulation), progesterone helps make the uterus ready for implantation of a fertilized egg. It prepares the womb (uterus) for pregnancy and the breasts for milk production. Men produce some amount of progesterone, but it probably has no normal function except to help produce other steroid hormones.

This test measures the amount of triiodothyronine, or T3, in the blood.

The free T4 test is not affected by protein levels. Since free T4 is the active form of thyroxine, the free T4 test is may be a more accurate reflection of thyroid hormone function.

A testosterone test measures the amount of the male hormone, testosterone, in the blood. Both men and women produce this hormone. In males, the testicles produce most of the testosterone in the body. Levels are most often checked to evaluate signs of low testosterone: In boys -- early or late puberty and in men -- impotence, low level of sexual interest, infertility, thinning of the bones In females, the ovaries produce most of the testosterone and levels are most often checked to evaluate signs of higher testosterone levels, such as: decreased breast size, excess hair growth, increased size of the clitoris. irregular or absent menstrual periods and male-pattern baldness or hair thinning.

A TSH test is a lab test that measures the amount of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in your blood. TSH is produced by the pituitary gland. It tells the thyroid gland to make and release thyroid hormones into the blood.

Vitamin B12 is part of the B complex of vitamins and measurea the levels of vitamin B12 in the liquid portion of the blood, the serum or plasma, to detect deficiencies. Cobalamine, or vitamin B12, is found in animal products such as red meat, fish, poultry, milk, yogurt, and eggs and is not produced in the human body. In recent years, fortified cereals, breads, and other grain products have also become important dietary sources of B12. Vitamin B12 is necessary for normal RBC formation, tissue and cellular repair, and DNA synthesis. B12 is important for nerve health. A deficiency in B12 can lead to macrocytic anemia. Megaloblastic anemia, a type of macrocytic anemia, is characterized by the production of fewer but larger RBCs called macrocytes, in addition to some cellular changes in the bone marrow. B12 deficiency can lead to varying degrees of neuropathy, nerve damage that can cause tingling and numbness in the affected person's hands and feet.

Vitamin D comes from two sources: endogenous, which is produced in the skin on exposure to sunlight, and exogenous, which is ingested in foods and supplements. The chemical structures of the types of vitamin D are slightly different, and they are named vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol, which comes from plants) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol, which comes from animals). The D2 form is found in fortified foods and in most vitamin preparations and supplements. Vitamin D3 is the form produced in the body and is also used in some supplements. Vitamin D2 and D3 are equally effective when they are converted by the liver and the kidney into the active form, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D.