What Is the DUTCH Hormone Test and How Can It Help Me?

What Is the DUTCH Hormone Test and How Can It Help Me? The DUTCH Hormone test is an all-inclusive hormone panel used to assess the hormone imbalance in women and is especially useful for those going through the stages of perimenopause to postmenopause. When women are experiencing symptoms like painful menstruation, headaches, PMS, fatigue, mood swings, anxiety, and depression, the DUTCH hormone test can point medical providers to the source of the problem. DUTCH stands for Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones. A small amount of urine is collected to measure reproductive and adrenal hormones including melatonin and oxidative stress. The kind of hormones measured in the DUTCH hormone test include: ● Estradiol ● Cortisol ● Cortisone ● Estrone ● Progesterone ● DHEA ● Testosterone ● Melatonin Why Is The DUTCH Hormone Test Useful? According to some, the DUTCH test allows for a more complete assessment of some hormones like progesterone levels because it can measure how hormones metabolize. The more conventional hormone blood test, used by most doctors, may not be as precise. For example, when metabolites of progesterone are functioning properly they will cross into the brain and attach themselves to GABA receptors which regulate your mood and help you sleep. Another advantage of the DUTCH hormone test is that it can measure the metabolite, Androsterone. If the test indicates a certain level of Androsterone, it can be helpful for medical practitioners to be able to diagnosis PCOS, a hormonal disorder common to women of reproductive age. Additional uses for the DUTCH hormone test include: ● Adrenal Fatigue. Testing adrenal hormones can give medical providers possible answers about a woman’s sleep and stress issues by understanding if the the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands (aka the HPA axis) are communicating properly. ● Hormone Replacement Therapy. The DUTCH test can give your medical provider information that can help them determine the best hormone replacement therapy for you. ● DHEA Levels. By testing DHEA levels, a hormone that regulates your mood, medical practitioners may be able to determine the cause of fatigue, depression, low muscle mass, low libido, aching joints, and lowered immunity. ● Estrogen Dominance or Progesterone Deficiency. When a woman has too much estrogen and too little progesterone, it may cause PMS, endometriosis, painful periods, tender breasts, and moodiness. ● How Estrogen Metabolizes. When estrogen isn’t metabolized correctly, women can be at risk for such cancers as cervical, uterine, and breast cancer. If you’re experiencing symptoms like heavy periods, fatigue, moodiness, headaches, decreased sex drive, fibroids, or hormonal weight gain, and what to figure out exactly what’s causing it, we can help. Contact us today to learn more.