The Adrenal Stress Profile (ASP) provides an assessment of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis using carefully timed salivary samples of the hormones cortisol and DHEA. Salivary testing is an easy, non-invasive option to measure unbound, biologically active parent hormone levels. The report offers an easy-to-interpret graphic which plots the results of cortisol's natural diurnal rhythm.
DHEA is measured once in the 7:00 – 9:00 AM sample and a ratio of DHEA to cortisol is calculated to provide insight into anabolic/catabolic balance.
Daily hassles, chronic pain, blood sugar dysregulation, work stressors, and poor relationship quality can alter the HPA axis. Imbalances in adrenal hormones can have a wide range of negative consequences that can adversely impact a patient's overall quality of life. The symptoms of HPA axis dysfunction can be vague, and are highly variable, but may include: fatigue, insomnia, weight gain, depression, GI complaints, and chronic pain. HPA axis dysfunction is associated with many conditions including:
Adrenal Stress Profile testing can reveal these HPA axis imbalances and provide direction for clinical intervention with targeted therapeutic treatments, such as nutrient support and/or adaptogens, stress management, behavioral modification, and lifestyle interventions.
Optional Add-on:
Analyte List |
---|
Cortisol |
DHEA |
Specimen Requirements |
---|
4 saliva samples (5ml) collected at specific times over a 24-hour period (frozen) |