Today’s post is brought to you in partnership with my friends at EverlyWell! We’re chatting all about my metabolism test results and what they mean.
After taking my Food Sensitivity Test with EverlyWell recently, I was eager to look into more of their tests since my first experience was so easy and informative. Having a baby and seeing my body change so much through this major life event had me interested in getting a good baseline of how all of the metabolic-related markers in my body were doing, so the metabolism test caught my eye! We always hear about metabolism in conjunction with weight, but in a nutshell metabolism is the process within your body that converts food to energy. Your metabolism can influence your energy levels, weight, body composition, and even your mood! EverlyWell’s metabolism test measures three key hormones – TSH, an indicator of thyroid health, cortisol, one of our primary stress hormones, and testosterone.
The metabolism test is a great test for anyone who is concerned about their energy levels, stress levels, or are experiencing unexpected weight loss or weight gain. It is also a great test to take after any major life event, such as having a baby, or going through a stressful event, as these things can change body chemistry. The test is a great jumping off point to get a baseline of where you are at right now, and you can continue exploring your health with additional tests for a complete picture. Now, let’s dive into my test results!
The Process
Since I had taken the Food Sensitivity test in the past I knew what to expect this time around, and learned from last time (the hard way) to follow their instructions precisely, making this time around super easy! The only thing different about this test was that it also included a saliva collection for measuring cortisol. The testing kit they send you really holds your hand throughout the entire process. You’ll simply create a profile online and register the individual code on your box. This way, you’ll get an immediate notification once your test results are ready. After this, you will need to prick your finger and pool just enough blood to fill (at least) three dots on the collection card, and you’ll need to fill a small tube with saliva.
In my experience, the build-up of pricking my finger was worse than the actual finger pricking, which wasn’t bad at all! Just make sure you drink an extra glass of water beforehand (which will help you out with the saliva test too – just make sure you watch the clock so you don’t miss the recommended timing of the saliva collection from waking up!) and let the blood drain to your fingertips. This should ensure that you only have to prick your finger once!
Once you’ve collected your samples, you just seal it up in the pre-labeled bag they sent you and ship it out, then wait for your results. EverlyWell’s testing labs are CLIA certified and the test results are independently validated by a doctor in your state. Your test results will be ready in as little as 5 days, then you’ll receive an email when they’re ready. Then you simply log in to the online portal to view them and read over EverlyWell’s recommendations!
My Results
Cortisol
Cortisol is our main stress hormone and is made by the adrenal glands. It fuels the body’s “fight or flight” response, regulates inflammation, prevents overreaction from the immune system, increases blood sugar when it dips too low, and controls your sleep/wake cycle. Cortisol plays a huge role in how our body functions, but when we are chronically stressed we wind up releasing more and more cortisol to cope. Cortisol is meant to release during a stressful situation, then stop, allowing your body to get back to normal. However, under chronic stress cortisol continues to release, leading to damaging effects like increased risk of cardiovascular disease, anxiety, depression, digestive upset, suppression of the immune system, memory and concentration problems, and poor sleep patterns.
It can seem obvious that stress is the number one place to look at first when you’re experiencing any kind of change in your health, but it is often overlooked! This cortisol test can measure if your cortisol is too low or too high, both of which are signs of chronic stress and potential HPA-Axis Dysfunction. My results came in normal at 1.4! With being a new mom, I’ve put even more focus into making sure I’m focusing on my mindset, rest (as much as I can!), staying properly hydrated, eating healthfully, and getting back into a fitness routine. All of these things, especially mindset and rest, help contribute to normal cortisol levels!
TSH
The thyroid is another big influencer of metabolism. In hypothyroidism, where the thyroid doesn’t produce enough hormones, people tend to experience fatigue, weight gain, depression, and muscle aches. In hyperthyroidism, where the thyroid is overactive in its hormone production, people tend to experience anxiety, weight loss, increased appetite, rapid heartbeat, and more. TSH, or Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, is the hormone responsible for controlling hormone production by the thyroid gland. TSH is often used as a first screening test for thyroid function, with high TSH indicating hypothyroidism and low TSH indicating hyperthyroidism. When TSH is normal, it is a good indicator that your thyroid is well-balanced, but, if you have any suspicion that your thyroid function isn’t optimal I’d recommend checking out EverlyWell’s full thyroid panel!
Here’s a look at my own results. My TSH came in normal at 1.6!
Free Testosterone
We tend associate testosterone with men’s health, but having normal levels of testosterone is also vital to a woman’s health! Testosterone contributes to your mood, energy level, sex drive, and your ability to burn fat and build muscle. For women, testosterone is produced in the ovaries, adrenal glands. The liver is responsible for breaking down testosterone and other steroid hormones, making liver health an important part of maintaining good testosterone levels! Testosterone also regulates fat cells but telling them when to store or release fat – so you want to make sure you have normal levels of this hormone.
My results came in normal at 19!
Since I’m not symptomatic, I wasn’t expecting anything too crazy to come up on my test results, but I was happy to see what my baseline looks at so I can continue tracking it through postpartum and whatever life changes come next! One of my favorite things about EverlyWell is that it allows you to take control of your own health. You don’t have to convince your doctor into ordering anything, you always have direct access to your test results, and you can repeat tests to track your health over time. Click here to order your own metabolism test, or you can explore all of EverlyWell’s tests here and use the code “FED” for 15% off!
