Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Please visit our instructions page, What are the reasons to order a hormone test? explaining the benefits of hormone testing. 

Please visit our instructions page, Why & When to Retest Hormone Levels FAQ, explaining conditions where a regular retesting schedule may be of benefit to you.

Please visit our instructions page, Which Hormones Need Testing? FAQ, explaining key hormones to be considered for testing.

Please visit our instructions page, Benefits of Testing Hormone Levels at Home FAQ, explaining how some symptoms may benefit from testing hormone levels.

Please visit our instructions page, What is a Saliva Hormone Test? for details on the benefits of a saliva test.

Please visit our instructions page, Why Test for Thyroid Peroxidase (TPO) explaining how some symptoms may benefit from the thyroid hormone TPO.

Please visit our instructions page, How to Collect Your Samples FAQ, showing how to collect samples for:

• finger-prick dried blood spot
• saliva collection
• dried urine collection

Men can collect at any time of the month.

Women who:

• Do not have menstrual cycles; can collect any day. This would include women with hysterectomy, amenorrhea (abnormal absence of menses in women of reproductive age), and/or uterine/endometrial ablation (destruction of the uterine lining).
• Have 'normal' menstrual cycles should collect day 19, 20, or 21 (counting the 1st day of bleeding as day 1)
• Having irregular, unpredictable menstrual cycles can collect any day they are not bleeding.
• Have some kind of cycle regularity but not at the typical lengths. Should follow these guidelines for collection:
  • Long cycles—test at day 19-21 or from day 19 to 5 days prior to when the period is expected. For example, if the cycle is 35 days, collection can be done anytime between day 19 and day 30.
  • Short cycles—collection should be done a couple of days prior to when bleeding starts. For example, someone with 14-day cycles should collect on day 12.

While vitamins may improve your symptoms, they do not generally change lab results. However, please list all hormones, supplements, and vitamins that you are taking on your Test Requisition Form that ships with your test kit.

The following products are available over-the-counter and may affect lab results (this is not an exhaustive list): progesterone, pregnenolone, DHEA, 7-Keto-DHEA (see special note), and hydrocortisone (cortisol). Continue to use topical hormones daily as prescribed, but avoid applying them to the face and neck areas for 3 days prior to testing. Rub in topical hormones without using fingers (e.g. wrist to wrist) for at least 2 days prior to collection. Skip use of anti-aging creams that may contain hormone traces.

NOTE: 7-Keto-DHEA is a variant form of DHEA and can create false elevations of DHEA and testosterone test results. Please discontinue use of sublingual 7-Keto-DHEAS for 3 days prior to testing. If using pill form, follow the oral collection instructions.

Note: Samples should be sent as soon as possible after collection but will remain stable for 30 days under average shipping conditions, including over weekends and holidays.

Test kits shipped to the U.S. contain a UPS or US Postal Service return label for sample returns within the US. Testers may choose to purchase an alternate form of shipping at their own expense. You are responsible for your own shipping return from outside of the U.S.

International testers will need to purchase return shipping at their own expense. These samples are not biohazardous, so as long as they are packaged according to the Collection Instructions, there should not be any restrictions imposed by customs.

You will be notified in an email from the lab letting you know your results are available to access on their secure server. The lab will email the address on your Test Requisition Form that you submit with your samples, generally 5-6 business days from the time they receive the samples.

Ensure that you have whitelisted "@zrtlab.com" so that the email doesn't go to your spam folder. If you don't know how to whitelist, periodically check your spam folder. 

The lab's email notification will give you instructions on how to create an account on the lab's secure server in order to review and download your test results.Results are NEVER on the Canary Club website.

From your personal lab account, you can view your test report, which will include:

• A graph showing where your hormone levels fall within set ranges. Levels can be either within or out of the normal range.
• A second graph detailing the symptoms you listed on your self-evaluation form. Symptoms are grouped according to the indicated category of hormonal imbalance.
• Symptoms are correlated with the hormone levels identified through ZRT testing.
• A comment field providing an individualized review of your hormone evaluation.

The lab will email you 5-7 business days after samples are received for online access to your results.

You can see an example of the ZRT Lab Report here:

Sample ZRT Lab Report (PDF)

Questions about your results? Consider a consult with Dr. Richard Shames at www.ThyroidPower.com/appointments  

Please visit our instructions page, How Do I Interpret My Lab Test Results Report? FAQ, explaining what steps you can consider taking after your lab report is available for your viewing.