The regulations for laboratory testing vary by state. Please contact your healthcare practitioner or call AYUMETRIX at 1-800-215-8898 and we will guide you.
AYUMETRIX will accept credit card prepayment ONLY in the US dollars. No foreign currency will be accepted. AYUMETRIX will not be able to bill any insurance company outside of the United States.
It is very simple to become a member of AYUMETRIX family and start testing with us. Please fill a short “Become a Provider” form and leave the rest on us. Our Customer Service team will contact you and guide you from there. You can also call Ayumetrix toll free at (800)215-8898 or locally at (503)-344-1389. AYUMETRIX Customer Service is available Monday through Friday, 8am-5pm Pacific Time.
AYUMETRIX will accept VISA, Master Card, American Express, Discover Card, personal checks, and US money orders. Online orders can be completed only by using credit card payment method.
Collected samples should be mailed to AYUMETRIX as soon as possible. Please use the pre-paid UPS return label included with the kit to mail samples within the US. You are welcome to use any other shipping service at your own expense. AYUMETRIX will not cover shipping costs if you are mailing the samples from outside of the US. Please make sure to package the samples according to the instructions provided in the test kit.
If your healthcare provider chooses to have you pay directly to Ayumetrix, we will as a courtesy, bill your insurance on your behalf as an out-of-network provider. However, please call us and confirm if your insurance carrier is on our list of insurance carriers covered. If your insurance carrier is not on our list, then please send your sample with a pre-payment at a discounted rate and request a receipt from Ayumetrix, which you can submit to your insurance carrier. Also, please note that it is likely that not all charges for testing will be covered by your insurance company. Please check with your insurance company on the coverage details. Ayumetrix will refund you any amount overpaid to Ayumetrix by your insurance company within 21 days. Any overpayment by your insurance company to you will be due to Ayumetrix within 30 days of receiving the payment. If you choose to have Ayumetrix bill your insurance carrier, please make sure to send the following along with your sample: 1. Completed test requisition form with ICD-9 codes 2. Physicians information, including name, address and NPI number 3. Pre-payment by either check, money order or credit card authorization 4. Front and back copy of your insurance card 5. Signed Insurance authorization form, which is included in your test kit
Collected samples should be mailed to AYUMETRIX as soon as possible. Please use the pre-paid UPS return label included with the kit to mail samples within the US. You are welcome to use any other shipping service at your own expense. Ayumetrix will not cover shipping costs if you are mailing the samples from outside of the US. Please make sure to package the samples according to the instructions provided in the test kit.
The samples can be sent to AYUMETRIX any day as soon as after collection. If you are not able to send samples immediately, please store liquid samples (saliva or blood) in the freezer; and dried samples (dried blood or dried urine) at room temperature, until mailed.
International – AYUMETRIX is not able to provide any return labels for shipping samples from outside of the US. You can contact your healthcare provider for a replacement shipping label OR call AYUMETRIX at 1-800-215-8898 to receive the return label by regular mail. However, if you choose not to wait for long time to avoid delayed processing of your sample, then you can, at your own expense, use any mailing service where you are able to track your sample.
It is recommended to keep the samples away from extreme hot temperatures, even though the stability of samples and accuracy of most tests done at AYUMETRIX are not significantly affected. The liquid samples (saliva and blood) should be stored in freezer; and dried samples (dried blood or dried urine) should be kept at room temperature until mailed to AYUMETRIX.
Enter your UPS Tracking Number HERE to find out if your sample(s) has been received by AYUMETRIX:
OR
Please call Ayumetrix at 1-800-215-8898 and check with Customer Service Specialist
If testing hormones: Men can collect on any day of the month. Women with: • No menstrual cycles can collect any day. • Normal menstrual cycles should collect on day 19, 20 or 21 (counting the 1st day of bleeding as day 1) • Irregular, unpredictable menstrual cycles can collect any day when there is no bleeding. • Some kind of cycle regularity but not at the typical lengths : Long cycles – collect on day 19-21 or from day 19 to 4-5 days before the period is expected. For example, collection can be done anytime between day 19 to day 30, if the cycle is 35 days. Short cycles – collection should be done 2-3 days before the bleeding starts. For example, sample should be collected on day 12, if someone has a 14 day cycle.
If you are taking ANY hormones, supplements, and/or vitamins, then please make sure to mention those on the test requisition form. Vitamins do not have an effect on hormone levels. Some of the products, which are available over-the-counter are known to affect hormone test results. Those include progesterone, pregnenolone, hydrocortisone (cortisol), DHEA, 7-Keto-DHEA( can cause falsely elevated levels of DHEA and testosterone). Please stop taking 7-Keto-DHEA 3 days before sample collection. If you are using the topical hormones, you may continue to use those but DO NOT apply to your face or neck areas for 3 days before sample collection. For applying to other areas, please rub hormones (wrist to wrist) without using fingers for at least 2 days before sample collection.
Please continue taking your hormones and there is no need to stop your hormone therapy. Just follow the directions below for sample collection, in case of different hormone types.
Topical Hormones (Cream or Gel) DO NOT APPLY ANY TOPICAL HORMONES THROUGHOUT THE DAY OF SAMPLE COLLECTION. Collect sample 12-24 hours AFTER the last dose.
Sublingual Hormones or Troches (Dissolved under Tongue)
DO NOT USE ANY SUBLINGUAL HORMONES THROUGHOUT THE DAY OF SALIVA COLLECTION. Collect saliva 24-36 hours AFTER the last dose. Oral Hormones (Pills) If taking Progesterone: Collect saliva 6-10 hours AFTER the last dose. For all other hormones: Collect saliva 12-24 hours AFTER the last dose.
Injections and Pellets
Transdermal Patches
Cortisol Supplementation The recommended dosage interval is mid regimen.
Collect saliva 1 -2 days AFTER applying the patch.
CONSULT WITH YOUR PROVIDER for instructions if you are taking cortisol supplementation for adrenal support. When testing cortisol (for baseline adrenal function), STOP USING CORTISOL CONTAINING PRODUCTS 5 DAYS PRIOR TO SALIVA COLLECTION.
• Do NOT apply any hormone creams or gels with bare hands or fingers for at least two days before sample collection. You may use latex gloves, syringe or an applicator. You do not have to stop applying the hormone. • Do not apply any hormone creams or gels to exposed parts of your body. Make sure to apply the hormone to areas covered by any clothing to prevent transfer of hormones to other people or any household items. • Make sure to clean your hands by washing thoroughly with soap and water after hormone use. • Touching any contaminated surfaces around (door knobs, counter-tops, door bell, faucets etc.) can result in false high test results for hormones.
Sample collection timing does not matter when you are taking oral contraceptives to suppress ovarian hormone levels. You should wait for your withdrawal bleeding if you plan to stop taking the oral contraceptives and collect sample on day 19-21 of your next cycle.
If you are taking oral birth control pills, then you must collect your sample on day 20 of your cycle, counting your 1st day of bleeding as day 1. If for any reason, you have to stop taking your birth control pills, you must wait until day 20 of your NEXT menstrual cycle.
As you wake up in the morning, collect your blood sample within the first 30 minutes, by pricking your finger with a lancet provided in the test kit and place a few drops of blood on the collection card and let it dry for one hour. Once dried, send your sample back to AYUMETRIX for testing. Please make sure to watch the blood collection video on www.ayumetrix.com for more information and read the sample collection instructions provided in your test kit.
As you wake up in the morning, collect your saliva sample within the first 30 minutes and make sure that you collect the sample BEFORE any other daily routine activities like brushing your teeth, eating, drinking, exercising or taking any medications and/or hormones. Please make sure to watch the saliva collection video on www.ayumetrix.com for more information and read the sample collection instructions provided in your test kit.
Yes, all four tubes need to be filled at least ½ and preferably 1/3rd excluding bubbles. But if you are not testing for cortisol, then you can collect only one tube. Four tubes are required to test cortisol four times a day.
If you are having difficulty collecting saliva, we have a few recommendations: Close your mouth and imagine eating your favorite food. Tilt your head forward and with your tongue, push the saliva down into the collection tube. Continue until the tube is filled at least three fourth with saliva (not the bubbles). Try to pool the saliva in your mouth before spitting in the tube to avoid bubbles. Tapping the tube on a hard surface can help remove the bubbles. Drinking extra water a night before sample collection helps produce more saliva. Smelling a lemon helps produce more saliva. If you still have difficulty collecting enough saliva, you can store the tube in a refrigerator and collect saliva at the same time next day.
Any aggressive physical activity, including exercise has effect on the cortisol levels and therefore, not recommended if you are testing your normal cortisol levels.
Please make sure to discuss this with your doctor. For accurate results of your hormone tests, it is not recommended that you brush teeth or eat anything before collecting your first morning saliva sample.
If your doctor has ordered the test for you, then he/ she will be able to access the test report 5 to 7 days after your sample is received at the laboratory. You can request your doctor for a copy of your test results. If you have ordered the test directly with AYUMETRIX, then you will be able to access your test results 5 to 7 days after your sample is received at the laboratory.
You should request your doctor for a copy of your test results. However, you can also request AYUMETRIX for your test results, but according to the Oregon rules of test reporting your test results can be released to you ONLY after waiting for 7 days after the testing has been completed.
AYUMETRIX test report will guide you about the next steps but we recommend that you discuss your test results with your doctor. If you need help finding a provider in your area, then please feel free to call AYUMETRIX at 1-800-215-8898 or click “Find a Provider”.
Your doctor is the best person to determine if your hormones are out of balance. You can use our symptom check list to get a general idea of your condition and to find out if you should contact your doctor or AYUMETRIX to check for any hormone imbalance.
Please call AYUMETRIX at 1-800-215-8898 or contact your doctor to get a full hormone assessment and get tested. There are several different hormone panels available that you can order through AYUMETRIX, but we recommend that you discuss in detail with your doctor or AYUMETRIX specialist who can guide you properly.
Polycystic ovaries means many cysts or growths on the ovaries, irregular or absent menstrual periods, weight gain, hair growth on the face, infertility etc. and all of these result because of hormone imbalance, especially excess male hormones. This condition can be reversed by correcting the hormone balance in many cases. In others, it may be necessary to remove ovaries, especially when the cysts become cancerous.
Fibroids are non-cancerous growths in the uterus. They can be attached to the wall of the uterus, may grow into the wall of the uterus, or just jut out of the wall into the cavity of the uterus and can cause excessive bleeding during menstrual cycle. Fibroid growth or shrinkage is hormonally dependent. It is known that too much estrogen makes the fibroids grow and as women age, they tend to make less estrogen, which makes fibroids to shrink. Fibroids grow significantly, especially when there is too much estrogen and less progesterone, a condition called estrogen dominance. There are a few surgical procedures to remove the fibroids (myomectomy) and leaving behind the uterus or cutting off the blood supply to the fibroid (embolization). However, these procedures are only effective in the short run and if the hormones are not balanced, in time the fibroids will recur.
Several factors that result in hormone imbalance thereby increasing the risk of breast cancer are the following: • Increased estrogen to progesterone ratio with age • Xenoestrogens (environmental pollutants and pesticides) • Synthetic progestins used in birth control pills and synthetic hormone replacement therapy. Lifetime exposure to estrogen, especially when the progesterone levels decline as women age, increases a woman’s risk of breast cancer. Estrogen stimulates breast cell division and has important role in breast growth and development. It also has effects on other hormones that stimulate breast cell division. Therefore, estrogen dominance supports the growth of estrogen-responsive tumors especially in the breast.
Estrogen and progesterone levels can be easily tested via a simple saliva tests to see if their ratio is balanced. It is important to test estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA and an all-day cortisol pattern. In addition to these, thyroid hormones should be tested as well.
Steroid hormones work in conjunction with thyroid hormones and therefore an overall balance between all of these hormones is very important. High estrogen levels can lower the thyroid function by inhibiting the conversion of inactive T4 into active T3. Therefore, women on birth control pills or any other form of synthetic estrogens are likely to have low thyroid function. Progesterone is known to increase thyroid function, and low thyroid hormone levels can result in decreased levels of progesterone. Low thyroid function can also result in low testosterone levels. Testosterone levels return to normal levels when thyroid function returns to optimal function. Testosterone replacement has been shown to help individuals with thyroid and autoimmune diseases. High cortisol levels suppress thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and also inhibit the conversion of inactive T4 into active T3, in addition to blocking thyroid hormone receptors. However, cortisol is required in conversion of inactive T4 into active T3that makes it an important component for a proper thyroid function. Estrogen dominant women with low thyroid function present symptoms like – cold hands and feet, weight gain issues, difficulty losing weight, losing and thinning hair, sleep disturbance, headaches, mood swings, depression and decreased sex drive. These women greatly benefit from getting their steroid and thyroid hormones.
Estrogen dominance means that a woman can have low, normal or high estrogen levels but has very little or no progesterone to balance its effect. Even with low estrogen levels, a woman can have estrogen dominance when there is not enough progesterone to balance the effect. Therefore, it is the progesterone/ estradiol (Pg/E2) ratio, which is important to look at. For this, we recommend that you test your hormones and if your tests results show that your Pg/E2 ratio is lower than normal, then should discuss bioidentical replacement therapy with your doctor. Estrogen dominance symptoms can be easily reversed by balancing the excess estrogen with natural bioidentical progesterone and by reducing your exposure to environmental pollutants and xenoestrogens. In addition to a reduced exposure to harmful chemicals in your daily life, increase nutrients (multivitamins) in your diet, eat fresh fruits and vegetables, adequate protein and moderate amounts of healthy fats, lose excess body fat and exercise regularly, maintain ideal weight. The most important of all is learn how to reduce stress in your life.
Insulin resistance (IR) is a condition in which the body’s cells become resistant to the effects of insulin. That is, the normal response to a given amount of insulin is reduced. As a result, higher levels of insulin are needed in order for insulin to have its proper effects. So, the pancreas compensates by trying to produce more insulin. This resistance occurs in response to the body’s own insulin (endogenous) or when insulin is administered by injection (exogenous). With insulin resistance, the pancreas produces more and more insulin until the pancreas can no longer produce sufficient insulin for the body’s demands, then blood sugar rises. Insulin resistance is a risk factor for development of diabetes and heart disease. AYUMETRIX offers a simple fasting insulin test to determine whether insulin resistance and/or diabetes is present.
An individual is more likely to have or develop insulin resistance if he or she: • Is overweight with a body mass index (BMI) more than 25 kg/m2. You can calculate your BMI by taking your weight (in kilograms) and dividing twice by your height (in meters). • Is a man with a waist more than 40 inches or a woman with a waist more than 35 inches • Is over 40 years of age • Is of Latino, African American, Native American or Asian American ancestry • Has close family members with type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or arteriosclerosis • Has had gestational diabetes • Has a history of high blood pressure, high blood triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, arteriosclerosis (or other components of the metabolic syndrome) • Has polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
Adrenal fatigue is a term applied to a collection of symptoms, such as body aches, fatigue, nervousness, sleep disturbances and digestive problems. Your adrenal glands produce a variety of hormones that are essential to life. The medical term adrenal insufficiency (Addison’s disease) refers to inadequate production of one or more of these hormones as a result of an underlying disease. Signs and symptoms of adrenal insufficiency may include: • Fatigue • Body aches • Unexplained weight loss • Low blood pressure • Lightheadedness • Loss of body hair • Skin discoloration (hyperpigmentation) Adrenal fatigue results when your adrenal glands are unable to keep pace with the demands of body to respond to stress. As a result, they can’t produce quite enough of the hormones you need to feel good and they begin to weaken. There can be a number of things that can cause adrenal fatigue, including long term stress from work, relationship problems or even some chronic diseases. This results in symptoms like constant tiredness, lack of enthusiasm and early signs of depression. Adrenal insufficiency or fatigue can be diagnosed by saliva and blood tests offered by AYUMETRIX that show inadequate levels of adrenal hormones like cortisol and DHEA. Cortisol levels fluctuate throughout the day and night in a circadian rhythm, which peaks at about 8 am in the morning and drops to its lowest at about 4 am. Adrenal glands are important to produce cortisol when there is any stress, and once the stress goes away, the cortisol levels need to return to normal. However, during conditions of chronic stress, the cortisol levels do not return to normal and adrenals have to keep producing cortisol until a stage when they are not able to produce any more cortisol. This leads to many health problems when the adrenals are not able to keep up with increasing demands of chronic stress.
AYUMETRIX offers the most advanced saliva testing in many different countries including the United States. The saliva tests can be ordered through your health care provider, or you can order directly online or by calling AYUMETRIX at 1-800-215-8898. The test kit that you receive from AYUMETRIX in the mail includes everything needed to collect samples at home and then mail those back to the AYUMETRIX testing laboratory. Once you have collected your saliva sample, you can then mail the sample along with the required paperwork in a pre-addressed, pre-paid packaging included with the test kit. Your health care provider will be able to access your test results 5 to 7 business days after the samples have been received by AYUMETRIX. You may also request your test results directly if you ordered the tests online.
AYUMETRIX uses the most advanced testing technologies and FDA approved kits, which offer accuracy, validity and convenience over conventional blood tests for the following reasons:
Stress-free Noninvasive (no needles) More convenient than blood testing for health care provider and patient Measures the “unbound” biologically active or free hormone levels Ideal for measuring and accurately monitoring transdermal application of hormones Optimized for multiple collections any time of day/month, any place No special processing (eg, centrifugation, ice-packs) prior to shipment Hormones stable in saliva for weeks Ideal for evaluating cortisol secretion patterns, and balance and flow of estrogens and progesterone. Salivary estriol can be tested to identify women at risk for preterm labor: It spikes approximately two weeks prior to the onset of labor Convenient shipment
Estradiol is the most tested estrogen especially when looking for hormone balance or imbalance. You should test for estriol or estrone only if you are supplementing with these hormones.
AYUMETRIX offers the most advanced and smart laboratory testing technologies using FDA approved test kits for Dried blood/ Plasma testing thereby providing the most accurate results, which correlate with the conventional blood tests, but with ease and convenience of sample collection, minimal costs and many other benefits listed below:
Convenient-Simple collection procedure by a nearly pain-free finger prick, especially after an overnight fasting. Sample collection is possible anywhere any time
Can be collected at remote sites – samples are stable for longer periods when dried
More latitude in collection timing than blood collection by venipuncture-i.e. night time sampling for cortisol & insulin
Dried blood analytes very stable for at least a month at ambient temperature-shipping simplified-allows for international shipment without need for Biohazard Label
Wider range of analytes can be tested than in saliva – similar to blood collected by venipuncture
Results & ranges equivalent to serum/plasma for endogenously produced hormones
More accurately reflects tissue uptake of exogenously used hormones than venipuncture blood (gross underestimation). Therefore choose dried blood/ Plasma testing if you use sublingual or topical hormones for supplementation
Blood collected by conventional venepuncture (blood drawn from veins using a syringe) is centrifuged to separate serum/ plasma (the clear liquid part of the blood) in the laboratory and used for testing various biochemical markers including the hormones. The red cells and white cells are removed from the blood so as to be able to measure the total proteins in the blood. Doctors order serum/ plasma protein tests in order to measure the amounts of specific proteins in the blood. Total protein levels may be higher or lower than average in the case of certain health disorders. Finger-stick dried blood spot is the whole blood collected from the end of the finger by using a small lancet. This is the capillary blood, which is a mixture of both red blood cells, white blood cells and serum/ plasma, in addition to all the nutrients, hormones and oxygen. Dried blood spot offers ease and convenience of sample collection and many other advantages as opposed to venipuncture blood collection. However, the main disadvantage of using dried blood spot is that since most laboratory reference ranges for blood markers are based on serum/plasma (blood without the white and red cells), it is extremely difficult and almost impossible to get the desired accuracy of test results, thereby producing variation and inconsistency leading to false high or false low test results for any biochemical marker including the hormones. Finger-stick dried plasma is the plasma portion of the capillary blood (without white and red cells) collected by a finger prick, which closely resembles the venipuncture blood serum/ plasma. As mentioned above, all the ranges for the biochemical markers to detect and diagnose any disease state are based on the serum/plasma, therefore finger prick dried plasma offers the best of all worlds, which means it offers the ease and convenience of sample collection combined with the accuracy and reliability of conventional serum/plasma testing.
The hormones test results from dried plasma and conventional venepuncture serum are the same, when you want to measure the “endogenous” level of hormones or when you are supplementing with hormones that are slowly delivered to your body, for example if you are using the transdermal patch or pellets. The ranges for dried plasma or venepuncture serum/plasma are identical. However, the test results for hormone levels are different in dried plasma from finger-stick and liquid serum/plasma from venepuncture, when you are supplementing with topical or sublingual hormones. The hormone levels in the capillary blood are much higher as opposed to venepuncture blood when the hormone enters the body through the skin or mucous membranes.
It is extremely important to make sure that you do not contaminate your collected sample with ANY hormones that you are using topically. When you use your hands to rub hormones on skin directly, there can be contamination of collected plasma with the hormones, which can result in false high test results. It takes about 12-24 hours for the exogenously administered hormone to equilibrate in the body. Therefore, it is recommended to apply the hormone gels or creams by rubbing those between the wrists and applying without using fingers at least two days before collecting dried plasma samples for testing. It is not required to stop the hormone use. Similar precautions are needed while using any anti-aging creams because of some traces of hormones in those creams.
Serum/plasma collected by venipuncture can be spotted on the dried plasma collection device offered by AYUMETRIX and sent to the laboratory for analysis. Please keep in mind that this can be done ONLY when measuring the endogenous levels of hormones in the body (measuring normal levels without any hormone supplementation). When using any topical or sublingual hormones, the hormone levels in the venous blood are different from the capillary blood and therefore, it is not recommended to use the venous serum/plasma to test while supplementing with sublingual hormones or topical gels or creams.
Dried plasma testing measures the total hormone levels in the blood as opposed to free or bioavailable fraction measured by saliva testing. However, it is very simple to calculate the free fraction of the hormone by dividing the total hormone levels by the amount of Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG). SHBG can easily be tested in dried plasma.
Still have other questions?
If we have not answered your question in any of the above sections, please do not hesitate to contact us either by sending us an email at info@ayumetrix.com or by phone (800)215-8898
