7 Best At Home Hormone Test Kits & When to Use Each
Share
Hormones are the chemical messengers of our body and play a crucial role in our health as long as they’re balanced. When they’re out of balance, they can wreak havoc on everything from trying to conceive to maintaining a healthy weight. In the past, figuring out your hormone levels and whether or not you had an imbalance would have required you to see a doctor and undergo a range of tests. Nowadays, you can check for a hormonal imbalance in the comfort of your own home with home hormone testing kits.
Home hormone tests can measure key hormones that impact everything from mood to weight to sleep, but with almost 50 different hormones running through our veins, how do you know what test to choose? These kits are easy and convenient to use, and can help you narrow things down when it comes to hormone levels as long as you know what you’re looking for. In this article, we’ll look at how to get your hormones tested at home and review some of the most popular tests out there so you can make your own decision about which home hormone test to use.
What is hormone testing?
Hormone testing is a way to detect and evaluate your hormone levels to see if an imbalance is causing your symptoms. Hormones affect every part of your health and well-being and help coordinate the functions of your body. When even one of them is out of balance, a wide range of symptoms can arise.
Hormones can be tested using blood, urine or saliva samples, but each type of test has its pros and cons depending on what you need to test as well as other individual health variables. It’s about more than just estrogen; your body actually produces different types of hormones and which test you choose will depend on your symptoms. Hormone testing not only helps to evaluate your hormone balance, revealing any irregularities or fluctuations, it can also inform further treatment or identify where you might need to make lifestyle changes.
Take the Quiz!
Tell us your fertility goal and we'll give you a perfect product match
How do hormone tests work?
Hormone levels can be tested using blood, urine, or saliva and which method is used is often dependent on your condition. Blood tests use a small sample of your blood to run chemical tests on and assess hormone levels. Although they are widely used, they only show a snapshot of your hormones at a certain point and are not the best for measuring certain hormones, like estrogen and adrenal metabolites. Urine testing uses a urine sample to measure metabolite levels of certain hormones and is both economical and reliable. Saliva testing is the least invasive testing measure and uses a small sample of saliva to measure the amount of hormones that are available in your body.
Best at-home hormone tests
Mira
Using a digital fertility analyzer, Mira allows women to track hormone levels at home with a unique blend of science and technology. A handheld device combined with a smart health-tracking app allows you to perform lab-quality hormone analysis at home. The system uses urine samples to track luteinizing hormone to give you a clear idea of when you’re ovulating and when you’re most likely to conceive. These hormone levels are relevant in other conditions as well, so it can also be useful for managing irregular cycles, PCOS, or tracking your fertility hormones for other purposes like perimenopause.
What we like
Unlike other tests, Mira offers exact hormone level concentrations rather than a range or a threshold. The device gives you the ability to capture your unique hormone curve, rather than a snapshot of your hormones at one time.
What can be improved
Although the cost may be offset by health insurance or a health savings account, the Mira system is on the pricier side of things when it comes to home hormone test kits. However, it’s a more comprehensive testing system than a one-and-done type of test and can provide you with key insights over time, something other tests can’t do.
Who it’s for
This system is for anyone who menstruates and is looking for a convenient way to track their hormones over time. The lab-grade accuracy and exact hormone concentrations make it especially helpful for anyone with a hormone imbalance or irregular menstrual cycles and gives you helpful data to share with your doctor.
Everlywell
Everlywell’s Women’s Health Test is a comprehensive test that measures 10 hormones and one antibody related to women’s health. It requires both a saliva and a blood sample but has everything you need for easy collection and even includes shipping costs. The women’s health test measures estradiol, progesterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), DHEA-S, cortisol, thyroid-stimulating hormone, Free T3, Free T4, testosterone, and thyroid peroxidase antibodies. Results are quickly returned and are reviewed by a certified physician. Your report even includes personalized recommendations to help guide your next steps or share with your doctor.
The Women’s Health Test is their most comprehensive panel of female hormones, but they also offer a testosterone test as well as a Men’s Health Test.
What we like
This test measures a broad panel of hormones analyzed by certified labs. When you get your results, which come quickly, it also includes a report with actionable results you can share with your doctor.
What can be improved
While the test itself is comprehensive, it can be a bit of work to put everything into place, and it might take you quite some time to collect all the samples. These tests are on the more expensive side of things, even though the results are comparable to labs and are quite comprehensive.
Who it’s for
This test is for anyone looking to measure a comprehensive panel of hormones that, when out of whack, can lead to undesirable health outcomes. Everlywell only ships to 49 U.S. states so it is only available if you live in one of those states.
Letsgetchecked
Letsgetchecked offers female hormone tests specifically designed for people who want to know more about their fertility. The most comprehensive test measures key hormones to do with ovulation and fertility such as FSH, LH, prolactin, and estradiol. They also offer a progesterone only test and an ovarian reserve test, as well as several sexual health tests and thyroid tests.
What we like
The sample collection kits and security guarantee for your information speak to a level of quality that is backed by their results. Results are ready quickly and nurses are available to answer any questions or discuss test results.
What can be improved
Regardless of which test you take, you will need to return the sample the very same day, with results coming after 5 days. Letsgetcheckd only provides results, and any health assessments will need to be done elsewhere. And unfortunately, shipping isn’t available to all countries so it may not be an option for everyone.
Who it’s for
This test is best for anyone who wants to find out more about their fertility status. It’s especially helpful for anyone with privacy concerns since everything comes in discreet and unmarked packages.
Modern Fertility
Modern fertility’s hormone test is both an affordable testing option and one of the most comprehensive fertility hormone tests you can take at home. Not only do they cover 7 different hormones, these kits take into account certain factors like birth control when the results are reviewed by a physician. Covering anti-mullerian hormone (AMH), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), FSH, estradiol (E2), and Free T4, prolactin, and LH. It also includes a free consultation call with a fertility nurse as well as an online community for support.
What we like
This test offers an affordable option to test fertility hormones at home. Your results will also include a comprehensive report that identifies any red flags and what your fertility timeline could look like.
What can be improved
Results from this test are reported in a range and may not give you the direct answers you’re looking for. While knowing that you are in a normal range is helpful, it may be more generic information than what you really want.
Who it’s for
This is an affordable and accessible alternative to testing in a healthcare clinic. It’s designed for anyone with ovaries between the ages of 21-45 regardless of gender identity. While it’s not suited for those taking hormonal therapy, it is an excellent option for anyone wanting more information about their hormone levels.
Healthconfirm
Healthconfirm offers at-home hormone tests that allow you to see a more complete picture of your hormone health. The results are physician reviewed and no doctor’s visit or prescription is required. The Hormone Vitality Essentials kit measures testosterone, progesterone, and estradiol through saliva collection, but they also offer other tests like those specifically for stress hormones.
What we like
Results are offered in an easy-to-understand way and there is an online portal full of evidence-backed information to help you interpret your results. You can also track them over time allowing you to conveniently compare different tests.
What can be improved
Results were ready quickly, but not quite as quickly as other tests, and there was no way to check on progress. And although the results are highly personal, they are compared to a healthy reference range that may not be helpful for your situation.
Who it’s for
This test is a great starting point for anyone interested in testing certain hormones. It can tell you if your levels are low, normal or high for your age. The results can provide you a baseline or starting point to investigate further.
myLAB Box
There are a range of offerings from this testing company, and they specialize in being discreet and offering a high degree of privacy. Lab quality results can be obtained in various areas including sexual health, fertility, and overall wellbeing. Their fertility and family planning kits are designed to assess your fertility and are designed for anyone trying to conceive.
What we like
These tests offer a dedicated app for each test that allows you to easily interpret the results yourself. They shine in their female fertility tests, which cover different stages of a woman’s life and test follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, progesterone, and estradiol.
What can be improved
To fully understand your results you’ll need the guidance of a doctor, but you can connect with one of their physicians to discuss results. However, service is only available in the United States and the website was lacking on key details such as shipping costs.
Who it’s for
With specific tests for women at different stages of their life, this test is best for women in later stages of their reproductive health. The fertility tests offer a great starting point, but the specific tests that measure your hormone balance as you approach, enter, or even after menopause are a welcome addition to at-home hormone tests.
empowerDX
This company offers a wide variety of tests across many different health areas. Their women’s hormones test measures estradiol, progesterone, total testosterone, LH, FSH, and DHEA-S. Results are based on thresholds and will show if you are in the normal, low, or high range.
What we like
Not only were results available quickly once the lab had your sample (within 48 hours), shipping was also included in the price. Results are clear and easy to read, and the company keeps you up to date for the entire process.
What can be improved
Many reviews complained that it was hard to access the results and technical difficulties with their website was often cited as the reason. Their most popular tests are not for fertility or reproductive health, so the follow-up information in this area was lacking.
Who it’s for
This is a finger prick test, which some people find difficult to perform or are simply squeamish about. It’s a great starting point to learn more about your hormone levels and can provide a one-time snapshot to get you started.
What if you can’t test your hormones at home?
At-home testing is a suitable option for many people, but it may not work for everyone. You may have issues with collection, or it just may not be a viable option for you to use one of these tests. Whatever your reasons, if you can’t test your hormones at home there are other options available. Some doctors offer hormone testing through a simple appointment or will send you to a lab. And there’s always the chance that you will get abnormal results from an at-home test and have to go to your doctor for re-testing anyway. Either way, if you can’t test your hormones at home, your primary care physician should be able to either test for you or recommend a clinic where you can get tested.
Home hormone testing FAQs
Should you test your hormones at home?
Your reasons for testing may be as unique as your hormones, so it’s impossible to say if home hormone testing is right for you. At-home hormone tests can be effective but the potential for error is also a factor. It’s a suitable starting place for many, especially if you have a demanding schedule and can provide a jumping off point for you and your doctor to investigate further.
Are at-home hormone tests accurate?
Some home hormone tests are more accurate than others, but overall they are generally accurate. It’s important to use a test from a reputable company that uses a certified lab and offers options to keep and share your results. A hormone test that quantitatively measures exact hormone concentrations, like the Mira Analyzer, will always be more accurate than tests that work on threshold levels.
When should I test my hormones in person VS at home?
If you are experiencing symptoms that hint at a hormone imbalance and know what you’re looking for, home testing can be a great way to get started balancing your hormones. But the key is that you need to know what you’re looking for and what the results mean. They can be useful to establish a baseline, but a healthcare practitioner can provide more clarity on your specific situation and recommend appropriate testing.
Of course, if you are using hormone testing as a means of detecting your fertile window and ovulation, home hormone tests can be extremely useful. Hormone levels that are relevant in IVF, menopause, hormone imbalances such as PCOS, and other conditions could benefit from a hormone monitoring system like the Mira Fertility Analyzer.
Share
