Beyond Standard Blood Tests: Better Options for Understanding Your Hormones

If you’re a woman over 35 struggling with fatigue, weight gain, or brain fog, chances are you’ve been told “your labs look normal” after a standard blood test. But deep down, you know something isn’t right. The truth is, traditional blood testing often misses the full picture of your hormones.

At Thrive, we utilize advanced testing methods, such as saliva testing and the DUTCH test (Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones), to uncover what’s really going on with your body.

Why Standard Blood Tests Fall Short

Blood tests give us a “snapshot” of your hormone levels at one point in the day. But hormones naturally fluctuate throughout the day and month, and this limited view often doesn’t explain your symptoms. Many women are told they’re “normal” based on these results—when in reality, their bodies are out of balance.

Saliva Testing

Saliva testing measures the active, bioavailable hormones in your system throughout the day. Instead of one quick draw in the morning, saliva tests capture hormone rhythm—like how cortisol rises and falls—which gives us insight into stress, energy, and sleep patterns.

This is especially helpful for women with fatigue or “wired but tired” energy crashes. It allows us to see if your adrenal hormones are supporting you—or working against you.

DUTCH Testing

The DUTCH test is the gold standard in functional medicine for hormone health. This dried urine test goes far beyond what blood can measure:

• Shows not just hormone levels, but how your body is metabolizing them

• Provides insight into estrogen balance, detox pathways, and potential risks for hormone-related conditions

• Tracks adrenal function and cortisol patterns throughout the day

• Offers a complete look at sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone) and stress hormones (cortisol, DHEA)

With this information, we can see whether your symptoms come from low hormones, poor detoxification, or imbalanced metabolism.

Creating Your Personalized Blueprint

When we combine saliva or DUTCH testing with your health history, we can create a blueprint for your health—a plan that goes beyond symptom management and gets to the root cause.

Instead of “band-aid” fixes, we can:

• Balance blood sugar for steady energy

• Support liver detox for healthy estrogen metabolism

• Improve adrenal resilience for less stress and better sleep

• Tailor nutrition and lifestyle changes to your unique needs

The Bottom Line

If you’re tired of being told “everything looks normal” while still struggling with symptoms, it may be time to look deeper. Advanced hormone testing gives you answers—and a personalized roadmap to feel like yourself again, finally.

👉 At Thrive, we offer free consultations to help you understand if saliva or DUTCH testing is right for you. Book your appointment today and take the first step toward restoring balance.

Schedule Your Free Health Consultation

This information should not be substituted for medical or chiropractic advice. Any and all healthcare concerns, decisions, and actions must be made through the advice and counsel of a healthcare professional who is familiar with your updated medical history.