I am 54 years old, menopausal and have been on HRT for 2 years.Sadly, I still don’t feel like me! I love to train but I always feel zapped which has greatly affected my training. I definitely have high cortisol and my sleep ihas been greatly affected…. for years!!! My goals are to get better sleep,, help inflammation and if possible shed 5/8lbs Would love some guidance on what peptide to start with. Thanks!

Women's health is more complex due to cyclical hormones, but that makes testing even more valuable for optimization. 🎯 Why Women Need Specialized Testing Female physiology requires different approaches: - Cyclical hormone fluctuations - Iron deficiency risk (menstruation) - Thyroid issues 5x more common - Bone health considerations - Reproductive health tracking 🧪 The Complete Female Health Panel Core Metabolic Health: 1. Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP) Same basics as men Pay attention to protein levels 2. Complete Blood Count (CBC) Critical for women: Iron deficiency screening Hemoglobin, hematocrit, ferritin 3. Lipid Panel Women's risk increases post-menopause HDL naturally higher in women (aim >60) Female Hormone Panel: 4. Reproductive Hormones (timing matters!): Estradiol (Day 3 or mid-luteal) Progesterone (Day 21 of 28-day cycle) FSH & LH (Day 3 for baseline) Testosterone (yes, women need this too!) 5. Cycle-Independent Hormones: DHEA Sulfate (adrenal function) Prolactin (if irregular cycles) AMH (Anti-Müllerian Hormone for ovarian reserve) 6. Thyroid Function (crucial for women): TSH, Free T4, Free T3 Thyroid antibodies (TPO, TgAb) Reverse T3 if symptoms present Female-Specific Markers: 7. Iron Studies (essential): Ferritin (storage iron) Iron, TIBC, transferrin saturation B12, folate (for red blood cell production) 8. Bone Health (25+): Vitamin D3 (aim 40-60 ng/mL) Calcium, phosphorus Consider bone density scan if risk factors 💎 Female Optimization Targets Reproductive Hormones (premenopausal): - Estradiol: 30-400 pg/mL (varies by cycle phase) - Progesterone: >10 ng/mL (luteal phase) - Testosterone: 15-70 ng/dL - Free Testosterone: 1-4 pg/mL Critical for Women: - Ferritin: 50-150 ng/mL (many women <30) - Vitamin D: 40-60 ng/mL - TSH: 1-2.5 mIU/L (narrower range than labs suggest) 🌺 Common Female Issues & Solutions Iron Deficiency: - Fatigue, poor exercise performance, restless legs - Solutions: Iron-rich foods, vitamin C, consider supplementation