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Literature References

Saliva is an easy-to-collect and reliable sample source for many biological studies. In some cases, it is even superior to other body fluids for measuring biomarker levels. This section lists references on the utility of saliva testing.

“Salivary levels of steroid hormones and other analytes that are protein-bound in serum reflect the unbound and active concentration of the hormone. Saliva can be used as a diagnostic specimen not only to obtain information more inexpensively and efficiently than serum, but also to provide information not readily available from serum testing.”

“Although saliva has not yet become a mainstream sample source for hormone analysis, it has proven to be reliable and, in some cases, even superior to other body fluids.”

“Saliva offers a promising diagnostic alternative, compared to blood sampling, for screening for inflammatory, metabolic, and cardiovascular risk factors, particularly among pediatric and geriatric populations where blood sampling may be difficult.”

“Late-night salivary cortisol measurements provide a sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of Cushing’s syndrome of more than 90%, and this procedure is emerging as possibly the simplest and most effective screening tool for patients in whom the diagnosis of hypercortisolism is suspected”.

The Endocrine Society recommends late-night salivary cortisol (two measurements) as one possible initial test for Cushing’s syndrome (along with urine free cortisol and dexamethasone suppression testing).

The following links will direct you to the full text or abstract summary of the articles listed. These articles are obtained from the U.S. National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health.

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General
  • Vining RF, McGinley RA. Hormones in saliva. Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci. 1986;23(2):95-146. doi:10.3109/10408368609165797
Aldosterone
Androstenedione
Antigliadin Antibody IgA
Cortisol
  • Bertagna X, Guignat L, Groussin L, Bertherat J. Cushing’s disease. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2009;23(5):607-623. doi:10.1016/j.beem.2009.06.001
Dehydroepiandrosterone [DHEA and DHEA-S]
DPD
Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) & Luteinizing Hormone (LH)
Immunoglobulin A (IgA)
Melatonin
Progesterone
Testosterone & Dihydrotestosterone (DHT)