Test Your Hormones with the Hormometer: A New Saliva-Based Home Kit

For those who prioritize health, it’s likely that your social media feeds have been inundated with influencers promoting hormone balancing as a method for effortless weight loss, stress reduction, and alleviating symptoms associated with hormonal disorders like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Thus, it’s no surprise that Eli Health has unveiled the Hormometer, an innovative at-home hormone-testing system that utilizes saliva and your smartphone’s camera to evaluate hormone levels.

Similar to other at-home tests, the Hormometer requires a saliva sample. The testing device comprises a slender cartridge that you place in your mouth for 60 seconds. It resembles a pregnancy test, featuring a window that displays the results. After collecting the sample, the Eli app leverages your phone’s camera to analyze the test results based on factors such as color intensity and sample patterns. Depending on the results, Eli Health claims that the app will furnish personalized insights and recommendations regarding stress management, sleep quality, athletic performance, and fertility.

Initially, Eli Health is offering two hormone tests: cortisol and progesterone. Cortisol, often referred to as the stress hormone, plays an essential role in regulating the body’s fight or flight response, blood pressure, blood sugar levels, metabolism, and sleep cycles. Long-term imbalances in cortisol levels, whether elevated or diminished, can lead to adverse health effects, including Cushing’s syndrome, unintended weight fluctuations, fatigue, Type 2 diabetes, and irregular blood pressure. Conversely, progesterone is a crucial reproductive hormone, and abnormal levels can lead to irregular menstrual cycles, fertility challenges, and mood disorders.

The Hormometer reflects the latest trends in health and wellness. During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, connected at-home testing kits surged in popularity. Despite their cost, smart over-the-counter PCR tests, such as Cue Health, became integral to many tech companies’ return-to-office strategies due to their convenience and accuracy.

Moreover, the appeal of the Hormometer lies in its portability and ease of use. Traditionally, hormone testing required laboratory processing and often involved visits to healthcare providers, which could take days or even weeks. Additionally, tests that involve urine or blood can be invasive or cumbersome. The Hormometer offers a distinct advantage by eliminating the need for third-party involvement and providing quicker results. In terms of pricing, Eli Health states that the Hormometer will be available via a subscription plan starting at $8 monthly with a 12-month commitment, a competitive rate compared to other at-home hormone tests that can range from approximately $30 to $250 and typically necessitate mailing samples.

Meanwhile, the trend of balancing hormone levels, particularly cortisol, has gained traction on social media platforms. Tips to combat “cortisol face” became widely shared on TikTok throughout 2024. However, health experts have criticized hormone balancing as misleading and potentially harmful, noting that hormones cannot be truly balanced due to their dynamic nature. Nonetheless, these hormone tests could assist individuals with diagnosed chronic hormonal or reproductive health conditions in monitoring their health.

The accuracy of the Hormometer will be crucial. Eli Health claims that the Hormometer is FDA registered, which differs from FDA clearance or approval. This registration does not confirm that the FDA has endorsed Eli Health’s claims. However, the company asserts that its cortisol and progesterone tests demonstrated a 97 percent and 94 percent agreement with gold-standard, FDA-approved laboratory tests in independent evaluations, respectively.

Eli Health anticipates launching beta access for the Hormometer in the US and Canada this month, with a full release scheduled for later this year. While the initial offering is limited to cortisol and progesterone, the company is already developing tests for testosterone and estradiol for future release.