A big topic of debate in my work with women’s health and hormones is hormone testing.

A lot of women are confused about when and how to test their hormones, and many doctors are too. It is very common for women to suffer from hormone imbalances that often remain undiagnosed and untreated.

But this is where The Dutch test comes in… It’s called the gold standard of hormone testing for a reason

What is the DUTCH test?

DUTCH stands for Dried Urine Test for Hormones. It’s an innovative hormone test that measures both female and male hormones. It looks at what your hormones are actually doing in your body by looking at their metabolites. Hormone metabolites provide insight into how well your body detoxifies hormones. This is especially important for those with a personal or family history of breast cancer or hormone-sensitive cancer. This test gives us way more insight than a one-time blood or saliva test ever could.

It’s also really easy to take! Over the course of 24 hours, you collect a urine sample on a test strip 4-5 times. The most convenient part is that you can do it from home, at work, or while travelling.

What hormones does it test?

  • The estrogens – estrone, estradiol, estriol. There are three main estrogens in the body, with estradiol being the most biologically active. If you have symptoms like irregular or painful cycles, mood swings, PMS these are valuable markers to assess

  • Estrogen Metabolites – These markers show how your body breaks down estrogen, either in a beneficial way or potentially harmful way.

  • Progesterone Metabolites – checking the estrogen and progesterone balance when looking at hormonal imbalance is vital. Healthy ovulation can be determined by this marker

  • DHEA-S – This hormone is a precursor to testosterone and estrogen. A high level might mean PCOS or inflammation in the body. A low level means we may need to check the adrenals.

  • Testosterone – Women need a certain amount of testosterone for energy, motivation, muscle maintenance, and a healthy sex drive.

  • Testosterone Metabolites – There are competing enzymes leading to different metabolites which we look at in relation to testosterone levels to help give us a full picture of how testosterone is functioning in your body.

  • Meatonin is a useful marker to check if you are having trouble falling/staying asleep or waking up early in the morning. Melatonin is also an antioxidant and helps your immune system and mood.

  • Free Cortisol – This is the form of cortisol that is active in your body. Knowing the diurnal pattern of cortisol along with the total output gives us a lot of information on how your body is dealing with stress – is it bouncing back or is it shutting down and not responding (think ‘adrenal fatigue’).

  • Free Cortisone & Cortisone Metabolites – The body converts cortisol into inactive cortisone and this important step can either be a helpful process or a sign that your body is trying to get you to slow down. This is looked at in relation to the free cortisol levels.

Additional Markers

  • Vitamin B6 & B12
  • Pyroglutamate (marker of glutathione deficiency)
  • Oxidative Stress
  • Neurotransmitter Metabolites
This test is for you if you’re

  • going through infertility

  • dealing with endometriosis, adenomyosis, fibroids

  • struggling with menstrual cycle issues: irregular cycles, PMS, painful periods, sore breasts, constipation or diarrhea associated with their cycles, long or short cycles, acne, migraines/headaches, insomnia, fatigue, etc.

  • on or have a history of taking birth control pills

  • under long-term stress – you may feel wired but tired or completely burnt out

  • on HRT

  • dealing with symptoms of menopause that are debilitating

  • having sleep issues

  • going through perimenopause

  • struggling with fatigue, memory impairment, anxiety, depression, or irritability may also experience weight loss or gain, abdominal pain, nausea, or diarrhea

  • losing hair, lost your libido .. the list goes on
A man …
  • with a family history or diagnosis of prostate or colon cancer

 

Through the information that this test provides along with the symptoms you are currently experiencing, we can really understand in detail what is going on with your body’s hormone balance. We will put a personalised nutrition and lifestyle plan together based on your unique results.

If you are ready to dig deeper into what could be causing your hormonal issues, whether it’s infertility, PCOS, menstrual cycle issues, endometriosis, pre/peri/menopause etc feel free to book a session with me