What does the Women's Health+ profile assess?

Women's Health+ uses a non-invasive salivary and urinary collection to provide direct assessment of sex hormone levels and cortisol rhythm, how estrogens are being metabolized and detoxified, and a functional nutrition assessment via urinary organic acids. An optional buccal swab assesses genetic single-nucleotide polymorphisms that can impact detoxification and methylation capacity.

Why measure hormones in saliva rather than blood?

Steroid hormones are synthesized from cholesterol and are fat-soluble, so in water-based blood most travel bound to carrier proteins such as sex hormone binding globulin. Bound hormones cannot cross cell membranes and are not biologically active, and serum assays report the total of bound plus unbound. It is the unbound free fraction that crosses into tissues and into saliva, so salivary measurement of unbound active hormones offers more clinical relevance in a symptomatic patient.

What does the urine sample add?

Bioavailable hormones are absorbed into tissues, utilized, then metabolized, detoxified and made water-soluble for excretion. As a major route of excretion, urine directly reveals those metabolism and detoxification pathways, distinguishing potentially harmful metabolites such as 4-hydroxy and 4-methoxy from protective ones such as 2-hydroxy and 2-methoxy, which matters for assessing disease risk including cancer risk. The urine sample is also used for organic acid assessment.

How do organic acids relate to hormonal health?

Hormone production and metabolism require nutrient cofactors including B-vitamins and minerals, such as those within methylation pathways, and risk-reducing detoxification and elimination mechanisms can be impacted by oxidative stress, toxins and poor gut health. Organic acids screen these factors and can reflect functional nutrient need at a cellular and biochemical level even when serum levels are normal. Genova's literature-based proprietary algorithm uses this data to generate patient-specific nutrient recommendations within the report.

Which genomic SNPs are available on Women's Health+?

The optional cheek swab add-on includes Apolipoprotein E for cholesterol regulation, Cytochrome P450 1B1 and 1A1 for detoxification, and MTHFR and COMT for methylation. While SNPs themselves are unchanging, epigenetic factors such as environment, lifestyle and nutrition can shift their impact, and results include result-specific commentary on health implications and clinical management considerations.

Who is a candidate for Women's Health+ testing?

Women's Health+ is a valuable clinical tool for essentially anyone: those with chronic multi-system symptoms, those striving for performance optimization, those trying to conceive, those navigating perimenopause or menopause, and those seeking hormonal clarity and support including hormone replacement therapy.

Can Women's Health+ be used for patients on HRT?

Yes. The reference ranges are interpreted with age and sex in mind and are derived from a carefully screened healthy population that includes people both on and not on hormone replacement therapy, so the ranges are designed to reflect healthy, real-world physiology.

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Women's Health+: The Intersection of Whole-System Health

Q: How does Women's Health+ compare to dried-urine hormone panels?

The estrogen metabolites will feel familiar to anyone already using dried-urine panels, but urine cannot reflect what is bioavailable in the tissues because it is technically waste. Low urinary metabolites could mean low circulating hormone, a blocked metabolic pathway, or tissues simply using what they need without excreting the rest, and you cannot tell which without direct hormone measurement. Women's Health+ combines the bioavailable salivary assessment with the metabolite urinary assessment, plus organic acids, in one report.

Connecting Hormones, Estrogen Metabolism, Detoxification, Genomics, and Nutrition in a Single Profile

Genova's Women's Health+ profile goes beyond just hormones or hormone metabolites, connecting multiple dimensions of health within a single integrated profile. With a non-invasive salivary and urinary collection, the Women''s Health+ provides direct assessment of sex hormone levels and cortisol rhythm, how estrogens are being metabolized and detoxified, as well as a functional nutrition assessment. An optional buccal swab provides assessment for genetic single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that can impact detox capacity. The multifactorial nature of women's health and optimization requires a multifactorial assessment.

Why Saliva and Urine?

Hormones can be measured in multiple sample types including blood, urine, and saliva. Beyond convenience of collection, salivary and urinary assessments offer nuanced clinical relevance. For context to this nuance, let's briefly revisit the biochemical properties of our steroid hormones - bear with us here, it'll be quick and painless!

Steroid hormones (cortisol, androgens, estrogen, progesterone) are synthesized from cholesterol which makes them fat-soluble. Because blood is water-based, most hormones travel bound to a carrier protein, such as sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). However, bound hormones cannot cross cell membranes and are not biologically active. Serum assessments measure the total hormone levels: the bound and unbound.

It is the unbound (free) fraction that is biologically active because it can cross the cell membranes into the tissues and into the saliva. Measuring unbound active hormones in saliva offers more clinical relevance in a symptomatic patient.

Blood vs Saliva Samples Key Takeaways

Serum levels capture total hormone concentrations (bound + unbound).
Saliva reflects the unbound, bioavailable hormone levels.

Let's talk about urine. The bioavailable hormones are absorbed into the tissues, utilized, and then need to be metabolized, detoxified, and made water-soluble for safe excretion. Certain metabolites may be harmful (i.e. 4-hydroxy and 4-methoxy metabolites) or protective (i.e. 2-hydroxy and 2-methoxy metabolites), and are important for assessing disease risk, such as cancer risk. As a major route of excretion, urine provides a non-invasive matrix for directly assessing these hormone metabolism and detoxification pathways.

Women's Health+ also utilizes the urine sample for organic acid assessment. These functional markers capture needs for antioxidants, B-vitamins, energy production and detox support, and can screen for gut imbalance signals, oxidative stress, and toxin exposures. Organic acids can reflect a functional need for these nutrients on a cellular and biochemical level, even despite normal serum levels. Genova's literature-based proprietary algorithm uses this data to synthesize patient-specific nutrient recommendations.

Urine Sample Key Takeaways

Urinary hormone metabolites provide insight into hormone metabolism and disease risk.
Urinary organic acids capture functional nutrient needs and screen for gut imbalances, oxidative stress, and toxins. These markers provide data for literature-backed, personalized nutrient recommendations built into the Women&'s Health+ report.

How Does Women's Health+ Compare to Dried-Urine Hormone Panels?

The estrogen metabolites on Women's Health+ will feel familiar for those already utilizing dried-urine panels, but Women's Health+ expands the clinical investigation and context. Hormone metabolism and excretion is where hormonal urinary assessment shines! But urine can't reflect what is bioavailable in the tissues - it is technically waste. For example, low urinary metabolites could mean low circulating hormone, a blocked metabolic pathway, or tissues simply using what they need without excreting the rest. You can't tell which without direct hormone measurement. That's where Women's Health+ excels by combining the bioavailable salivary assessment with the metabolite urinary assessment in one report.

Digging even deeper, the organic acids assessment directly interplays with hormonal health. Women's health and optimization are more than just hormones. But hormonal health is also more than just the hormones themselves. Hormone production and metabolism require nutrient cofactors such as B-vitamins and minerals, including those within methylation pathways. Risk-reducing detox and elimination mechanisms can be impacted by factors including oxidative stress, toxins, and even poor gut health. Organic acids help screen these factors.

Women's Health+ Advantages

Combining direct hormone measurements with the metabolite assessment provides a comprehensive picture of hormonal health.
Adding the layer of organic acid assessment screens for factors that can impede health and hormone optimization.
Integrating these findings into one report builds one clear clinical picture so you can treat with precision and confidence.

What About Genetics?

Genomic SNP testing is available as an add-on option to the Women's Health+ via a simple cheek swab. While genetic SNPs are unchanging, epigenetics (how our environment, lifestyle, and nutrition influence gene expression) can shift the impact. The SNP results include result-specific commentary relative to health implications and clinical management considerations to maximize relevance and utility.

Knowing the patient's genetic predisposition for methylation and detox capacity alongside their nutritional needs and health imbalances further tailors your clinical strategies for health optimization and safe therapeutic management.

SNP options on the Women's Health+ include Apolipoprotein E (cholesterol regulation), Cytochrome P450 1B1 and 1A1 (detoxification), MTHFR (methylation), and COMT (methylation).

Who Are Candidates for the Women's Health+ Assessment?

Women's Health+ is a valuable clinical tool for essentially anyone: those with chronic multi-system symptoms, striving for performance optimization, trying to conceive, navigating perimenopause or menopause, or seeking hormonal clarity and support including hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

The reference ranges on the report are interpreted with age and sex in mind and are derived from a carefully screened healthy population that includes people on HRT and not on HRT. The ranges are designed to reflect healthy, real-world physiology.

Bottom Line

Women's Health+ connects hormones, estrogen processing, detox, genomics, nutrition, and metabolism into one comprehensive picture and practical next steps.

One Profile, Multiple Dimensions of Health

The Test That Connects Hormones, Detox, and Nutrition

Women's Health+ combines a non-invasive salivary and urinary collection to directly assess bioavailable sex hormones and cortisol rhythm, estrogen metabolism and detoxification pathways, and functional nutritional status via organic acids - with an optional buccal swab for genomic SNPs including MTHFR, COMT, ApoE, and CYP1B1/1A1. One integrated report, one clear clinical picture.

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This article is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice or a substitute for professional diagnosis or treatment. Testing recommendations should be individualized based on a full clinical history and evaluation by a qualified healthcare provider.