Saliva testing is a convenient, inexpensive, and above
all, accurate means of testing steroid hormones. Scientific
studies have shown a strong correlation between steroid
hormone levels in saliva and the amount of hormone in the
blood that is active or "bioavailable." It is this
fraction of total hormone that is free to enter the target
tissues in the brain, uterus, skin, and breasts.
Saliva testing can be done anywhere anytime. Testing that
relies on blood drawn in the doctor's office makes it harder
to obtain samples at specific times (such as in the early
morning) or multiple times during the day. In addition,
hormones in saliva are exceptionally stable and can be
stored at room temperature for up to a week without
affecting the accuracy of the result. This offers maximum
flexibility in sample collection and shipment.