DUTCH (Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones):
This test is one of my all time favorites! It is a four point urine test, done at specific intervals, in the comfort of your own home. This is a very comprehensive test that benefits both men and women. Through this test, we can get a clear picture of a person’s diurnal cortisol pattern. How your cortisol pattern behaves gives us a great deal of information about energy levels, stress levels, and even clues about blood sugar and the health of the gut. This test also gives us a great picture of one’s sex hormone levels and whether they are all in balance. This includes not only estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and DHEA levels, but also how safely these hormones are being metabolized and cleared by the body. In this client’s test example below, we can see that her Estrogen is high, her Progesterone is low and her Testosterone is within range. This correlates with her heavy periods, painful cramping and breast tenderness. In addition, we can see that her cortisol is being metabolized too quickly.
Additionally, through the organic acid profile, this test gives us information about oxidative stress, protein digestion, some B vitamin levels, antioxidant status (in particular the glutathione level), and even indications of neurotransmitter status. All of this data helps us better understand why you might be stressed, or having difficulty sleeping, having hormonal symptoms such as hot flashes or mood swings, or even why you could be struggling with depression or anxiety. In the example below, we can see that this client is likely deficient in Biotin, as well as some of her neurotransmitters that are necessary for mental well-being.
