> I don't think saliva hormone tests are reliable. They are a convenient way to see whether the changes of cortisol during the day follow the normal pattern, but for judging its adequacy in an absolute sense I wouldn't pay any attention to them, since the saliva is subject to many influences that don't have much to do with the blood and other fluids. The hormones in the urine are mostly glucuronidated or sulfated, and so represent liver metabolism more than hormonal effects. Total cortisol is good. Some articles below discuss the problems with the 'free hormone' hypothesis. > **[Cortisol]** [What could a cortisol test help with?] It could show whether it’s chronically high. It can help to judge the doses of the things that lower it—[[pregnenolone]], [[progesterone]], [[aspirin]], [[sugar]], [[thyroid]], [[calcium]], etc. > **[Ferritin]** High ferritin suggests that there's continuing [[inflammation]]. [[Iron]] and [[calcium]] interact, so it might be worth having your parathyroid hormone tested. Despite your good [[vitamin D]], you might not be getting enough [[calcium]] in relation to phosphate, and elevated PTH can cause generalized [[inflammation]]. Safe antiinflammatory things would be [[aspirin]], [[calcium]] carbonate, coffee especially when taken with meat or [[eggs]], [[salt]] or [[baking soda]], and [[sugar]]. In the US and Canada, I have noticed that the "normal range" for [[prolactin]] has been expanded upward, after a period in the '80s when it was lowered. I think this reflects a change in the population, from estrogen and [[PUFA]], for example, and that the lower range was better for judging health. > [Follow-up] Although I think knowing your PTH and free fatty acids will be useful (in judging use of [[calcium]], [[sugar]], [[aspirin]], niacinamide, etc.), another test that could help to clarify the nature of the [[inflammation]] would be the serum interleukin-18, since it's associated with liver damage and increased ferritin, and symptoms of [[inflammation]]. Since TSH increases IL-18, finding it elevated would be another argument for keeping your TSH very low. > Uric acid is important as an antioxidant. High ferritin doesn't directly imply high [[iron]] stores, it has a defensive effect, and can be increased by [[inflammation]]. TSH promotes [[inflammation]]. [[Hypothyroidism]] usually involves low temperature of the extremities, and the bones of the arms and legs form red cells slowly at low temperature, so it's possible that ferritin is involved in an adaptive mechanism, too. > Have you had your [[thyroid]] checked? Abnormal ferritin can result from [[thyroid]] malfunction. > [[Testosterone]] -- It has to be interpreted in relation to cortisol, estrogen, and sex hormone binding globulin. > [for 35-year-old male] It’s best to have cortisol no higher than the middle of the range, estrogen below the middle, [[testosterone]] above the middle. A [[vitamin D]] supplement often helps to improve the balance, good [[thyroid]] function is essential, adequate [[protein]], good digestion. > **[SHBG]** I think the SHBG might be less important for men than for women.  > It’s best to check around the middle of the luteal phase. > [Thyroid] [on T4 for a week] Since the half-life of T4 is about two weeks, your adaptations to it have just begun, but your TSH would already be significantly lowered by it. After you have been on a certain dose for at least two weeks, the blood tests would be easier to interpret. > [Are [[thyroid]] blood tests (full panels) a worthwhile [[exercise]] prior to supplementing Cynomel and a few months later?] They are interesting, but usually free T3 and TSH are the most important ones. Judging by symptoms, temperature, and [[pulse]] rate is really the basic thing. > **[TSH ([[thyroid]] Stimulating Hormone)]** I think it's best to keep the TSH around 0.4 > I think it's good to have TSH below 0.4, and that probably contributes to loss of [[hair]]. > I think it's good to have lower TSH. It contributes to some of the circulatory and inflammatory problems seen in [[hypothyroidism]]. People with TSH below 0.4 were the freest from [[thyroid]] [[cancer]]. The amount of [[body fat]] contributes to both [[prostate]] and breast [[cancer]], largely because it's a chronic source of estrogen, by converting the protective androgens. [[Milk]] drinkers tend to be the least obese (e.g., the Masai people). One [[study]] saw an association of skimmed [[milk]] with [[prostate]] [[cancer]], but not whole [[milk]], probably because fat people avoid whole [[milk]]. Powdered eggshells are a good alternative source of [[calcium]], but [[milk]] and cheese are better. When the TSH is lower, the estrogen will probably be lower too. > [Do you have any opinion on hair mineral testing and analysis? Can it be a useful way to acquire information about mineral status and other things going on in the body, do you think?] Toenails are much better, because they absorb more from the body, less from environmental air and water exposure. [Source](https://lowtoxinforum.com/threads/ray-peat-email-advice-depository.1035/post-284190) > [Practical value of mineral analysis] I think they are only rarely useful, for example when someone discovers unsuspected poisoning by a heavy metal. [Source](https://lowtoxinforum.com/threads/ray-peat-email-advice-depository.1035/post-284425)