Why One Hormone Test Can Miss the Whole Story

Hormones are not single data points. Cortisol, progesterone, testosterone, and other hormones change across the day, cycle, sleep, stress, training, and context.In this episode, Dr. Hillary Lin talks with Marina Pavlovic Rivas, cofounder and CEO of Eli Health, about why one annual lab snapshot can miss dynamic physiology — and why more data still needs humility.We cover:saliva testing and what it can/can’t showcortisol curves vs cortisol panicprogesterone/testosterone trackingwellness data vs diagnosticswhy validated at-home testing is hardhow AI in healthcare depends on better inputsEducational only, not medical advice.Chapters:00:00 The Importance of Hormonal Health00:54 The Data Gap in Hormone Health02:43 The Science Behind At-Home Saliva Testing06:17 Understanding Cortisol and Its Impact12:14 Personalizing Cortisol Data vs. Wearable Tracking Limitations15:05 Identifying Overtraining and "Tired but Wired" States18:43 Expanding into Sex Hormones: Progesterone & Testosterone20:40 Tracking Protocols: Finding Trends vs. Creating Noise23:44 The "Anytime, Anywhere" Design Philosophy24:40 Understanding Cortisol and Performance28:31 Factors Influencing Testosterone Levels31:36 Regulatory Boundaries: Wellness vs. Clinical Diagnostics35:18 The Future of Data in Personalized Medicine37:39 The Realities of Deep-Tech Health R&D39:04 Closing Insights for Longevity and Health-Tech FoundersGet Dr. Hillary Lin’s free longevity tips and newsletter: https://www.hillarylinmd.com/subscribeLearn more about Dr. Hillary Lin: https://www.hillarylinmd.com/Explore CareCore: https://carecore.io