Dutch Test

What is it?

The DUTCH test is a urine steroid hormone profile that measures hormones and hormone metabolites (called conjugates) in a dried urine sample, and is performed from the comfort of your home. It is the most cutting-edge way to truly see what’s going on when it comes to your hormones, because it doesn’t just measure hormones, but also something called “metabolites”, which are a measurement of hormone production and hormone breakdown.

Hormones play a constant role in the body, and act as the chemical messengers travelling via the bloodstream to every organ and tissue, which control everything from heart rate, metabolism, mood, sex drive, appetite, and more.

Measuring both hormones and their metabolites can give you or your health care practitioner a much better overall picture of hormone production. For example, a DUTCH urine steroid hormone profile on someone with low salivary cortisol could show normal cortisol production, but high levels of metabolites. In other words, this would indicate that you are producing enough cortisol, but it’s just getting broken down into its metabolites very quickly.

DUTCH Test Measures Hormone Replacement Therapy

The DUTCH test measures melatonin levels. Melatonin is produced 2 hours before bedtime helping you become relaxed and sleepy. If you are experiencing problems with sleep knowing your melatonin levels could be helpful in finding the right treatment for you.

Another reason you should use DUTCH test is because it measures your DHEA-S levels. Your adrenal glands produce DHEA, which is known as the “feel-good” or “Vitality” hormone. Low levels can lead to fatigue, decreased muscle mass and bone density, depression, aching muscles, reduced immunity, and loss of libido.

Some women have symptoms of estrogen dominance like PMS, heavy bleeding, menstrual cramps, fibroids, and endometriosis. In estrogen dominance women produce too much estrogen and too little progesterone and typically aren’t able to clear old estrogens out of the body. The DUTCH test will not only measure levels of estrogen and progesterone but your estrogen metabolism as well. When your estrogen metabolism is healthy you will be able to bind and clear estrogens effectively reducing symptoms of estrogen dominance.

The DUTCH test measures your adrenal function. As we deal with stress through life and as our sex hormones decrease with age our adrenal glands work to fulfill the needs. If not properly supported they can become insufficient in their cortisol output increasing abdominal weight gain, causing blood sugar issues, and fatigue.