What is DUTCH testing?
The DUTCH test is a method of hormone testing that offers the most extensive profile of sex and adrenal steroid hormones. DUTCH is an acronym that stands for Dried Urine Testing for Complete Hormones.
What sets the test apart from traditional blood and saliva hormone testing, is its ability to measure the all-important hormone metabolites. These metabolites provide a measurement of hormone production and breakdown, providing your health practitioner with a unique look at hormone imbalance.
This combination of information is not currently available by any other testing method.
Which hormones does DUTCH test for?
- Stress hormones. Four collections through the day means you get to observe your circadian rhythm.
- Metabolites of your stress hormones, an important indicator of stress.
- Other adrenal gland hormones that assess the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis – our central stress response system.
- Melatonin otherwise known as the “sleep” hormone.
- Female hormones and their metabolites, providing information about oestrogen dominance and cancer susceptibility.
- Male hormones and their metabolites, again providing important information about various diseases and cancer susceptibility.
- Organic Acid Markers. The DUTCH test now provides additional markers that assess levels of serotonin, vitamins B12 and B6, glutathione and dopamine as well as a marker for oxidative stress.
Why are metabolites important?
Metabolites can provide an insight into the underlying cause of symptoms or disease however a standard blood test wont provide a breakdown of these metabolites. For example one the metabolites of oestrogen is 4-hydroxyoestrone (4-OH-E1) is considered problematic and has been linked to certain cancers. Whereas 2-hydroxyoestrogen (2-OH-E1) is considered a beneficial and protective oestrogen metabolite.
Knowing the breakdown of these and other metabolites gives your practitioner a complete picture to base their treatment plan around.
How are samples collected?
The DUTCH test is easy to administer, there are no blood to draws or filling up jugs of urine. Patients simply collect four or five dried urine samples over a 24-hour period, using the provided filter papers. The dried samples are convenient to collect, easy to ship and stable for weeks.
Who is the DUTCH test for?
The DUTCH may be appropriate for people experiencing the following:
- Anxiety
- Headaches
- Poor concentration, ‘brain fog’
- Low energy levels, fatigue or lethargy
- Trouble getting up in the morning
- Excessive energy in the evenings when the body should be winding down.
- Irregular sleep patterns
- Mild depression
- Infertility
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
- Endometriosis
- Sexual dysfunction, low libido
- Vaginal dryness
- Menopause symptoms
- Decrease in muscle mass or bone density
- Irregular menstruation
- Premenstrual syndrome
- Mood swings
- History or family history of breast, cervical or uterine cancer
- Impaired immune system, reoccurring infections
- Those doing shift work or frequently flying through time zones
What next?
Lets chat! If you think DUTCH hormonal testing might be for you, please contact me to discuss. It is a useful and insightful test, but it’s not always the right test for everyone. So let’s talk about it first to see if it’s for you.
~ Lauren
