Hormone Analysis
DUTCH Complete Test
Hormones are chemical messengers your body produces to regulate hundreds of different functions, from your reproductive cycle and how you handle stress to your body temperature and how often your heart beats. Hormone levels not only change as you age, but they often vary throughout the course of each day.
Hormone imbalances can happen for a variety of reasons, and even small differences can cause big health challenges. The DUTCH test measures a wide range of hormones, including cortisol, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, and melatonin. This comprehensive analysis provides a complete picture of your hormonal health that far surpasses the information offered by standard hormone labs.
What is a DUTCH test and how does it work?
The Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones (DUTCH) uses easy-to-collect urine samples to analyze multiple hormones used by the reproductive and adrenal systems. The DUTCH also measures the building blocks of important hormones and their metabolites, the compounds that are created when a hormone is processed by your body.
As a result, the DUTCH goes beyond simply reporting hormone imbalance to offering insight into why there's an imbalance and what can be done about it. For example, hormone metabolite levels might show that a hormone imbalance is likely due to another source of inflammation, sluggish liver activity that's impairing hormonal detox, or a vitamin weakness that means your body doesn't have the ingredients necessary to produce adequate hormones.
Traditional hormone labs also typically measure one blood hormone level at one point in your day, and that sort of momentary snapshot can miss important details. DUTCH test urine samples are collected four times over a full day to capture the daily fluctuations in your stress hormones. Collecting multiple samples offers a complete picture of your hormone levels as they change with activity, meals, and rest – key to identifying imbalances and how to address them.
What does the DUTCH test measure?
The DUTCH test measures a range of hormones, including:
Reproductive hormones and their metabolites, such as estrogens (E1, E2, E3), progesterone, and testosterone
Adrenal hormones and their metabolites, including cortisol, cortisone, DHEA, and DHEA-S
Melatonin, the hormone associated with falling asleep and waking
Neurotransmitter metabolites and organic acids, such as 8-OHdG, norepinephrine, and dopamine, which can indicate whether your body is under stress on a cellular level
Millions of people suffer from hormone imbalances that can lead to more serious problems if left unaddressed. Hormone issues can show up as brain fog, weight gain, fatigue, low libido, mood swings, anxiety, or depression. You might also experience skin changes, digestive trouble, or feel hot or cold even when everyone else is comfortable.
While hormone levels naturally change over time, a host of other factors can negatively impact them as well. Add the stress of a hectic schedule and work deadlines to drive-thru meals and late nights, and you have a recipe for hormonal imbalances that might affect your ability to think, cope with stress, and sleep, as well as your fertility, immunity, and digestion.
Comprehensive hormone analysis with the DUTCH test can reveal hormone imbalances that other testing might miss and provide the data you and your health practitioner need to create a customized wellness plan.
Is the DUTCH test legitimate?
Where can I get a DUTCH test?
Start the process with a free Comprehensive Consultation & Evaluation. Your Ann Arbor Holistic Health practitioner will get to know you, your history, and your needs to see if the DUTCH test is a good fit.
If so, your practitioner will help you order your DUTCH Complete test, and the lab will mail a kit to your home, along with simple instructions. When you’re done, simply mail back your urine samples in the provided envelope. It’s a precise, convenient way to measure your hormone function without a trip to the lab or a blood draw.
Although DUTCH hormone testing is not covered by insurance, it is an economical way to gain insight into many different hormone levels. When you are experiencing a range of concerning and uncomfortable symptoms, hormone analysis is often the first step in identifying the underlying causes and informing a personalized holistic health plan.
Absolutely! The DUTCH test for hormones has a long history of clinical reliability, and it offers uniquely comprehensive results. We frequently recommend the DUTCH at Ann Arbor Holistic Health because hormonal function is so key to overall wellness.
Think of your body as a busy city, and your hormones as the traffic lights that keep everything flowing smoothly. Just one red light at the wrong time can cause major issues. If several traffic lights go out, the results can be disastrous. In the same way, hormonal imbalances can lead to serious dysfunction in multiple systems across your body.
DUTCH Test Benefits & Uses
What can hormone analysis testing be used for?
“It’s probably just your hormones.” The 50+ hormones in our bodies take the blame for a lot of behaviors and symptoms, from mood swings to food cravings. But there are times when it’s important to test for hormone imbalances because they can lead to some complex conditions, such as thyroid disease, adrenal fatigue, menopause, PCOS, and endometriosis.
Common symptoms of hormonal imbalances include:
Acne or dry skin
Anxiety or depression
Brain fog
Fatigue
Irregular menstrual cycles
Hair changes – growth in new places or thinning hair
Hot flashes and night sweats
Trouble with sleep
Unexplained changes in weight – may be weight gain or loss
Vaginal dryness
Contact Ann Arbor Holistic Health today to learn more about the DUTCH hormone analysis test and whether it’s right for you.