The ZRT Laboratory Blog

For the past 4 weeks, each morning for me starts with a cup of coffee and a side of news about the global health pandemic in which we’re living. Invading our world rapidly, forcing everything to look different today compared to just a month ago, COVID-19 has everyone on high alert! Throughout the rest of my day, I allow myself to be interrupted by articles about the virus, nurturing the feelings…

Tags: Adrenal and Cortisol, Androgen, Cortisol, Covid19, Estrogen, Hormone Testing, Hormone Balance, Immune System, Selenium, Stress, Zinc, Vitamin D

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One of the most commonly used herbs in the botanical toolbox is Vitex agnus-castus, also known as chaste tree berry. During the Middle Ages the dried berries were used in monasteries as a peppery condiment that was said to help suppress libido. Additionally, in the mid-1900s, Vitex was often given to women for “sexual irritability,” nervousness and melancholia. Perhaps for these reasons the herb…

Tags: Hormone Balance, PMS and PMDD, Menstrual Cycle Mapping, Menopause, Mental Health

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The Compounding Pharmacy industry has certainly taken huge strides in providing devices that allow for easy and accurate delivery of creams, gels and ointments. This has been especially appreciated in the field of hormone replacement, where accurate dosing is critical. Over the years we have gone from jars and measuring spoons to syringes for hormone cream dispensing. Fortunately, now there are…

Tags: Hormone Replacement Therapy, Estrogen, Testosterone, Hormone Balance, Saliva Testing

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2019 saw a varied collection of webinars for our health care providers, ranging from practical hormone therapy dosing to the complex biochemistry of the endocannabinoid system. This year we saw an abundance of support from attendees – sharing excitement for topics, actively engaging by asking excellent questions during and after the webinar, and even requesting…

Tags: ZRT Laboratory, Hormone Testing, Hormone Balance

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As we ring in the new year, we are reminded of all the accomplishments that came with 2019. We launched our new serum testing, followed by our launch of a new LCMS Saliva Steroid Profile. We also welcomed with open arms, our newest clinical consultant, Beth Baldwin, and surpassed 10 million tests completed worldwide! Wow, what a year! Before we close the door on 2019, let’s take a moment to look…

Tags: ZRT Laboratory, Hormone Testing, Hormone Balance

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As we bring on the new decade full of ambition and ready for what is next to come, we take a look back at all that happened in 2019 here at ZRT. We launched serum testing and an LCMS Saliva Steroid profile, we welcomed a wonderfully talented new clinical consultant, Beth Baldwin, and exceeded 10 million tests completed worldwide! As eventful as this last year was, it didn’t slow us down from…

Tags: ZRT Laboratory, Hormone Testing, Hormone Balance

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In the U.S., the Thanksgiving holiday is upon us - a day traditionally set aside to gather, feast and give thanks. Aside from the holiday that reminds us to be thankful, gratitude in and of itself brings on powerful emotions of contentment, satisfaction, and resilience. There is an abundance of research on the benefits of spending even 5 minutes expressing, writing about, or meditating on…

Tags: Mental Health, Stress, Depression, Sleep, Hormone Balance, Neurotransmitters, Adrenal and Cortisol, Hormone Testing, Saliva Testing

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The incidence of Alzheimer’s disease is growing, now affecting 10% of people aged 65 and older. Two-thirds of Americans with Alzheimer’s Disease are women, and African Americans and Hispanics are more likely to be affected than white Americans. Low serum BDNF levels have been observed in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, begging the question: what is the connection between BDNF and Alzheimer’s…

Tags: BDNF, Alzheimer's, Depression, Brain Health, Metabolic Health, Cardiovascular Disease, Hormone Balance, Mental Health

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I watch a bit of television now and again, and repeatedly see a commercial for a birth control pill. It looks quite glamorous to be taking it. Granted, at the tail end of the commercial it states many of the bad things contraceptive pills are widely recognized to cause. But the real impact of what birth control pills do to female bodies is never discussed and what is discussed is completely…

Tags: Hormone Balance, Estrogen

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The hypothalamus is directly innervated by neuronal systems that produce neurotransmitters, such as serotonin (5-HT), dopamine and norepinephrine (NE), that are involved in mood regulation and play various other roles in cognitive health. During the acute stress crisis, the mesolimbic dopaminergic reward system is stimulated to help maintain morale. However, during chronic stress or depression, the reward system is down-regulated by stress mediators, resulting in anhedonia.…

Tags: HPA Axis, Hormone Balance, Stress, Neurotransmitters, Depression

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