When to test your hormones and why day 21 testing may not be optimal

Have you had your reproductive hormones tested before and told they are "fine", but you certain don’t feel “fine”; your period or skin is still out of whack? I hear this all the time, so let me unpack this for you..

Timing matters

If you have had your hormones tested in the past, you have most likely been told to do the test on day 21. The problem is what your hormone levels look like on day 21 depends on factors that are different for every woman. For example:

• Your cycle length - is it 21, 30, 45 days or longer?

• Do you know if you ovulate regularly?

It is normal for your hormones to fluctuate during a cycle; they all have a job to do at different times and together these ebbs and flows of your hormones form your body's natural rhythm. It is why your hormones affect things like your energy, mood, cravings, and workouts.

The diagram shows a healthy 28 day cycle broken up into its 2 key phases; the follicular phase and luteal phase. The blue star in the middle is ovulation. The coloured lines represent your 4 key female reproductive hormones; LH, FSH, progesterone and oestrogen. You can see how the levels of these hormones go down-up-down at different times over the 28-days.

When to test?

When it comes to testing your hormones, to fully assess your menstrual cycle you need two lots of testing:

• Day 2 of your cycle - your hormones should be flatlined (but often aren't if you're experiencing a problem with your period and/or skin)

• Retest some of your hormones post ovulation - there is not set day for this, because it depends on your unique cycle length and when you ovulate (I help my clients calculate this).

For example, if you have a longer cycle (eg 40 days); it is possible that you tested on day 21 and you had not ovulated yet OR if you have a short cycle eg 22 days; ovulation was too long ago to properly assess your levels.

What if I am on hormonal birth control?

If you are on birth control (eg the pill, mirena etc) I don't recommend testing your hormones due to the way the medications interfere with them. If coming off birth control is a goal of yours; I can help you transition off and reduce the likeliness of the adverse effects that some women experience (eg skin and mood changes). Then once your period is back you can consider some testing if it's needed.

How to get started?

The first step is to become acquainted with your menstrual cycle. I'll link some posts on my socials to introduce you to cycle tracking!