Adrenal Function Testing in Los Angeles

Preparation guidelines are reviewed with you ahead of testing. Certain medications, supplements, and lifestyle factors can influence cortisol and DHEA levels, so the care team will provide specific instructions based on your health history and current regimen.

Yes. Certain medications, including corticosteroids and hormone therapies, as well as some adaptogens and adrenal supplements, can influence cortisol and DHEA patterns. Before testing, the team will review what you are currently taking to determine whether any adjustments are needed for accurate results.

Lab processing times vary, but most patients receive results within one to two weeks. Once available, they are reviewed with Dr. Lalezar, who walks you through the findings and outlines a personalized plan based on your specific patterns.

Adrenal insufficiency is a recognized condition in which the adrenal glands cannot produce adequate hormones, sometimes due to autoimmune disease, infection, or structural damage. Adrenal fatigue describes a broader pattern of suboptimal output that falls short of disease thresholds but still produces significant symptoms. Many patients in this in-between space benefit most from the kind of detailed evaluation that standard panels do not include.

Cortisol plays a direct role in immune regulation. When cortisol patterns are dysregulated, whether too high, too low, or mistimed across the day, the immune system may become suppressed or overactivated. Patients with chronic adrenal dysfunction sometimes experience increased susceptibility to illness, slower recovery times, or flares of inflammatory conditions.

Stress is a significant driver, but adrenal dysfunction can also be triggered or worsened by poor sleep, blood sugar instability, toxin exposure, gut dysfunction, chronic infection, and prolonged nutritional deficiencies. Because these factors often overlap, a root-cause evaluation looks at the full picture rather than any single trigger.

Retesting frequency depends on your individual response and the protocol Dr. Lalezar recommends. Periodic follow-up testing allows the team to track how your cortisol and DHEA patterns are shifting and make adjustments to keep your progress on course.

Standard panels rarely include the kind of detailed, time-sensitive cortisol and DHEA mapping that adrenal function testing provides. Feeling unwell despite normal results is a common experience for patients with adrenal dysregulation. A more targeted evaluation often surfaces patterns that conventional testing misses.

Adrenal dysregulation is not limited to older patients. Younger adults experiencing burnout, mood disruption, persistent fatigue, or unexplained hormonal symptoms may benefit from testing. Dr. Lalezar evaluates each patient individually to determine whether adrenal testing is the right diagnostic step given their age, symptoms, and health history.

Yes. For patients outside the area, Health & Vitality Center offers virtual consultations, and testing can often be coordinated remotely. Patients across the country can access the same root-cause evaluation and personalized care that in-person patients receive.