The DUTCH test brings together the interplay of our reproductive and our stress hormones so we can make an informed decision on how best to support you and your health through nutrition and lifestyle medicine.

Why might we need it?

From irregular to heavy cycles, to migraines and breast tenderness, we have normalised female hormone imbalances. It’s as if this is part and parcel of being female. Not only is it downplaying the impact these symptoms can have on all other aspects of our lives, it is also ignoring the role these imbalances can play in longer-term chronic health conditions if left unaddressed.

If you’re struggling to understand what is really going on with your hormonal symptoms and feel like you’re not getting the answers you need, read on. I love this analogy to help understand the value of DUTCH test. Whilst a single blood test will show you what’s in your hormonal ‘current account’ right now, DUTCH testing uses saliva and urine samples over 16 hours to show how you’ve been spending your hormones. You can see how knowing both sides of what you have and what you’re spending is essential in understanding what is really going on with your hormones, and more importantly, to know what to do about it.

What does DUTCH stand for?

• Dried
• Urine
• Test for
• Comprehensive
• Hormones

Who is it good for?

Firstly and importantly, this is not a diagnostic test. It is essential with the onset of any new symptoms to go get these checked first by your GP. However, DUTCH might be useful if:

• You have heavy, irregular cycles or are struggling with fertility.
• Your blood tests have all come back ‘normal’ but you know you don’t feel right.
• You think you are perimenopausal and want to know what nutrition and lifestyle interventions are going to be best for you.
• You feel exhausted when you wake but by night time are wired. You may struggle to sleep.
• You struggle to manage your weight particularly round your middle.

DUTCH is commonly used to help dive deeper into:

• • Fatigue, especially on waking
  • Insomnia
  • Chronic Fatigue
  • Depression or anxiety, especially on waking
  • High-stress lifestyle
  • Loss of resilience
  • PCOS
  • Endometriosis
  • PMS/PMDD
  • Weight gain
  • Hair loss
  • Adult acne
  • Heavy menstrual bleeding
  • Low libido
  • Brain fog

What does it tell me?

You can view a sample report here.

Sex Hormones

• Levels of oestrogen (E1, E2 and E3), progesterone and testosterone
• How we are breaking down and detoxifying oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone. How we break down these hormones makes a big difference to their strength and associated symptoms we might experience. We can support the body to select optimal detoxification routes using targeted nutrition and lifestyle change.

Stress Hormones

• • Adrenal hormones including DHEA, overall cortisol, cortisone and metabolised cortisol showing an insight into your HPA axis and stress response.
  • Your Cortisol Awakening Response, measuring cortisol in saliva at waking, 30 and 60 minutes from waking, which is a great indicator of adrenal function and resilience.

Organic Acids (for nutritional markers and neurotransmitters)

• • Can indicate vitamin deficiencies, including biotin, B12 and B6 which are essential in effective hormone detoxification.
  • Indicating serotonin and melatonin levels which can impact mood and sleep.
  • Showing gut-health indicators which can impact how effectively we excrete waste hormones.
  • Inflammation and oxidative stress indicators which may drive a heightened stress response.

There are lots of tests out there, claiming to give you the missing piece of your health puzzle. Unfortunately not all types of testing are equal. The important thing about DUTCH it’s backed by high quality, peer reviewed research and used extensively in functional medicine. It’s important you seek a practitioner who is skilled at test interpretation whilst considering your unique symptoms and health goals.

If the DUTCH test isn’t quite for you right now, there is still a lot you can do now. Why not read DUTCH Self-Care Tips for Hormone Balance to start, and you might then want to look at Fertility Fundamentals or the Sex and Stress Connection.

Not sure what’s right for you? Let’s chat – book a free strategy call