Peri/Menopause

What are the Top Menopause Symptoms?

Menopause symptoms may begin slowly during the perimenopausal phase and then abruptly during menopause. The most common symptoms you’ll want to be aware of are:  

• Hot Flashes
• Missed periods
• Sore breasts
• Vaginal dryness
• Excess urination
• Emotional changes
• Sleep issues
• Dry eyes, mouth, or skin
• Low libido

Functional Medicine Labs to Test To Help Personalize Treatment for Menopause Symptoms

Functional medicine labs can help get to the root of common menopause symptoms. Here are the top tests that functional medicine practitioners run:

Hormone Testing

DUTCH Complete is a great analysis of hormones and metabolites for menopausal women. This test will comprehensively examine not only sex hormones but also cortisol, organic acids, and melatonin. Using this information in correlation to the symptoms picture can be helpful in treatment recommendations, especially if bio-identical hormone replacement therapy is an option.

Lipid Panel

During late perimenopause and early postmenopausal state, there have been documented changes in lipid levels in women. This study revealed that total cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides, and lipoprotein(a) all peak during phases of menopause. Following these changes would help you and your provider keep track of and support healthy cholesterol levels. You can get a Lipid Panel done through BostonHeart Diagnostics, which includes nine lipid markers

Liver Function

Hormone metabolism occurs in the liver. As your hormone levels drastically shift during menopause, checking in on liver function would be beneficial to ensure everything is operating properly. Access Med Labs offers a Hepatic Function test to analyze liver enzymes and other pertinent liver markers.

Micronutrient

Hormonal changes can lead to nutrient deficiencies which impact organ systems. Osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease are two main areas of concern. Women also need different and varying amounts of micronutrients during different reproductive stages. Getting a comprehensive Micronutrient Test like the OATS test can give insight into vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fatty acids.  

Neurotransmitters

Many peri-to-post menopausal women experience mood changes. Your brain has receptors for both estrogen and progesterone. During the transition into menopause, you may experience the mental and emotional impact this can have on your brain as it’s trying to figure out how to respond to the lack of hormones. Downstream effects can impact neurotransmitters such as serotonin, GABA, and dopamine. Doctor’s Data offers a Comprehensive Neurotransmitter Profile urine test that evaluates the secretion and metabolization of 21 biomarkers. If micronutrient testing is relevant to your case, doing a Neurotransmitter + Micronutrients package for a one-stop shop would benefit you.  

Thyroid Panel

A complete Thyroid Panel by LifeLabs evaluates hormones involved in thyroid function. This test includes reverse T3, which is important as it can provide insight into any thyroid hormone conversion issues between the thyroid gland and the liver. Hypothyroidism is also a risk factor for dyslipidemia in premenopausal and postmenopausal women and, therefore, should be assessed if you have cross-over symptoms.  

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