๐ธ The Ultimate Blood Work Guide for WOMEN: Hormonal Health Mastery
Women's health is more complex due to cyclical hormones, but that makes testing even more valuable for optimization. ๐ฏ 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 ๐งช 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-Mรผllerian 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 ๐ 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) ๐บ Common Female Issues & Solutions Iron Deficiency: - Fatigue, poor exercise performance, restless legs - Solutions: Iron-rich foods, vitamin C, consider supplementation