How to Check Women’s Hormone Levels

Your hormones are powerful chemical messengers that affect everything from your energy and metabolism to your mood, weight, sleep, and sexual health. 

When they’re in balance, you feel focused, energized, and stable. When they’re not, you might feel like something is off—but standard blood work often doesn’t tell the whole story. At ShillMed, we help women identify hormonal imbalances through advanced testing and interpret results from a functional, whole-body perspective.

In this guide, we cover the basics of how to check women’s hormone levels and explain what you can do if you find out that your hormones are imbalanced.

Why Hormone Testing Matters

Hormonal changes are natural throughout a woman’s life—from puberty to pregnancy to menopause. But chronic stress, poor sleep, environmental toxins, and aging can all throw off your delicate hormonal balance. When this happens, your body gives you signals: fatigue, weight gain, hot flashes, low libido, anxiety, irregular periods, or brain fog. Instead of ignoring these signs or masking them with medication, checking your hormone levels can reveal the root cause and guide your treatment plan.

Common Hormone Level Tests for Women

Checking women’s hormone levels can be done through blood, saliva, or urine, depending on which hormones your practitioner is evaluating and the purpose of the test. At ShillMed, we often begin with a comprehensive blood panel to assess key hormones and then use additional tests as needed.

1. Blood Tests

This is the most common method used to check women’s hormone levels and can evaluate a wide range of hormones, including the following:

• Estrogen (Estradiol, Estrone, Estriol): Regulates menstruation and reproductive health

• Progesterone: Balances estrogen and supports fertility and mood

• Testosterone (Total and Free): Is important for libido, energy, and muscle maintenance

• DHEA-S: Helps produce estrogen and testosterone

• FSH and LH (Follicle-Stimulating Hormone and Luteinizing Hormone): Regulate ovulation and menstrual cycles and can indicate perimenopause or menopause

• Cortisol: Affects metabolism, sleep, and weight

• Thyroid Hormones (TSH, Free T3, Free T4, Reverse T3): Is vital for metabolism, energy, and mood regulation

• Thyroid Testing

Although thyroid testing is a blood test, it deserves its own section. Thyroid dysfunction is one of the most overlooked causes of hormonal imbalance. A sluggish thyroid can mimic symptoms of menopause or adrenal fatigue, including weight gain and depression. A complete thyroid panel—not just TSH—helps uncover issues that basic tests might miss.

3. Adrenal Function Testing

Your adrenal glands regulate cortisol, DHEA, and other stress-related hormones. Chronic stress can lead to adrenal fatigue, a condition where your body’s stress response becomes imbalanced. Measuring cortisol levels throughout the day through saliva or urine tests gives insight into your stress response and energy patterns.

4. Comprehensive Hormone Panels

Advanced functional medicine panels go beyond the basics. They may include the following:

• Urine metabolite testing (such as the DUTCH test), which shows how your body processes and eliminates hormones

• Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), a protein that affects how much free, active hormone is available in the body

• Insulin and blood sugar levels to assess how your hormones interact with your metabolism

What Test Results Can Reveal

Understanding the results of having checked your hormone levels isn’t always straightforward. “Normal” doesn’t always mean “optimal.” At ShillMed, we interpret your results based on symptoms and functional ranges—not just lab averages.

Here’s what imbalanced results can look like:

• Low Estrogen: Hot flashes, vaginal dryness, irregular cycles, or low libido

• High Estrogen (Estrogen Dominance): Weight gain (especially around hips and thighs), PMS, mood swings, or fibrocystic breasts

• Low Progesterone: Irregular periods, anxiety, insomnia, or difficulty conceiving

• Low Testosterone: Fatigue, decreased motivation, or low sexual drive

• Low DHEA: Chronic exhaustion or poor stress tolerance

• High Cortisol: Anxiety, sleep disturbances, and weight gain around the midsection

• Low Cortisol: Burnout, fatigue, and poor immune function

• Thyroid Imbalances: Hair loss, constipation, sensitivity to cold, depression, or trouble losing weight

Even subtle imbalances can cause significant symptoms. That’s why testing should always be interpreted in the context of your whole health picture, not just the numbers.

When to Know It’s Time for Hormone Testing

If you’ve been feeling “off” but can’t pinpoint why, checking your hormone levels can provide clarity. Some women first notice symptoms in their 30s, while others don’t feel the effects until perimenopause or menopause. You might consider testing if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• Fatigue that doesn’t improve with rest

• Mood swings, irritability, or anxiety

• Difficulty sleeping or staying asleep

• Unexplained weight gain or inability to lose weight

• Irregular or painful periods

• Hot flashes or night sweats

• Low libido or vaginal dryness

• Hair thinning or loss

• Brain fog or trouble concentrating

• Dry skin or brittle nails

If you identify with several of these symptoms, it’s time to look deeper. Hormonal imbalance doesn’t always mean something is “wrong”—it’s your body’s way of signaling that it needs support.

The Problem with “Normal Ranges” in Lab Tests

One of the biggest frustrations women face is being told their labs are “normal” even when they feel anything but. That’s because most conventional lab ranges are based on population averages, not on what’s optimal for wellness.

For example, estrogen levels considered “normal” may still be too low for a woman in her 40s who is not yet in menopause. A thyroid test may fall within the standard range even if your Free T3 (the active thyroid hormone) is too low for your body to function optimally. Similarly, cortisol levels might appear fine in the morning but drop too low throughout the day, leading to fatigue and poor stress resilience.

At ShillMed, we interpret your results through a functional lens—looking for patterns, not just numbers. So, when we check women’s hormone levels, this helps us understand how your hormones are interacting and where imbalance begins, even before disease develops.

What to Do If Your Hormones Are Off

If your hormone levels are out of balance, there’s good news: you can restore them naturally and safely. Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is one of the most effective and personalized ways to bring your hormones back into balance.

BHRT uses plant-derived hormones that are chemically identical to the ones your body naturally produces. At ShillMed, we tailor your treatment plan based on your specific test results, symptoms, and lifestyle. This may include the following:

• Customized BHRT creams, pellets, or oral formulations

• Nutritional and lifestyle guidance to support hormone metabolism

• Stress management and adrenal support protocols

• Thyroid optimization and gut health improvement

Unlike conventional hormone therapy, BHRT aims to restore balance—not just replace hormones blindly. Most patients notice improvements in energy, mood, sleep, and sexual health within weeks to months.

Take the Next Step Toward Hormone Balance

If you suspect your hormones are out of sync, don’t settle for incomplete testing or “normal” results that don’t tell the full story. Check your hormone levels at ShillMed, and we can help you understand exactly what’s going on inside your body—and create a clear plan to restore balance.

From testing to interpretation to treatment, we guide you every step of the way. You don’t have to struggle through hormonal symptoms or guess what’s wrong. With the right testing and a personalized BHRT program, you can reclaim your energy, confidence, and vitality. Contact us today!