What is the Origin of Salivary Hormones?

The term is a descriptive combination of 'salivary,' pertaining to saliva, and 'hormones,' the chemical messengers of the endocrine system. The clinical utility of salivary measurement was pioneered in the mid-20th century, capitalizing on the lipophilic nature of steroid hormones.

What is the Mechanism of Salivary Hormones?

The mechanism of detection relies on the principle of passive diffusion: steroid hormones are fat-soluble and circulate in the blood mostly bound to carrier proteins like SHBG. Only the tiny fraction of unbound, or 'free,' hormone is small enough to pass through the capillary walls and the epithelial cells of the salivary gland. Therefore, the concentration measured in saliva directly reflects the fraction of hormone available to interact with intracellular receptors and exert its physiological effect on the body's tissues.

Salivary Hormones ∞ Area

Salivary Hormones

Meaning

Salivary Hormones are steroid hormones, such as cortisol, testosterone, and estradiol, that have passively diffused from the bloodstream into the salivary fluid, representing the unbound, biologically active fraction. Measuring these hormones in saliva provides a non-invasive and highly informative assessment of the hormone concentration that is actually available to target tissues. This diagnostic approach is particularly valuable for evaluating diurnal rhythms, such as the cortisol awakening response, and for monitoring transdermal hormone replacement therapy.