DUTCH stands for Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones, and it’s a specialized test that can help assess sex hormones, cortisol, melatonin, and organic acids for hormone-relevant nutrients.
Who Needs DUTCH Testing?
Anyone with signs of hormonal imbalances and fluctuating cortisol levels is a good candidate for the DUTCH panel. Here are some signs and symptoms that show you might benefit from a comprehensive hormone test like DUTCH.
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Feeling “wired and tired”
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Extreme exhaustion
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Waking at the same time every night
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History of menstrual issues, such as endometriosis, fibroids, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, PCOS
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Stressful home or work environment - constantly on the go
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Fatigue that started postpartum and hasn’t improved
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Difficulty falling asleep or increased energy at bedtime
What are Hormones?
Hormones, by definition, are regulatory substances that travel throughout the body to stimulate tissues and glands to perform specific actions. We consider them the body’s communicators.
Here are some common hormones and their actions.
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Cortisol: released from the adrenal glands, cortisol stimulates glucose to be released from storage into the bloodstream for easy use, it also regulates energy throughout the day.
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Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone: as the name suggests, this hormone, which is released from the pituitary gland, stimulates the thyroid to produce thyroid hormones.
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Testosterone: the testes and ovaries produce and secrete testosterone (regulated by the hypothalamus and pituitary glands), and it stimulates a wide array of actions, including hair growth, muscle growth, and sexual activity.
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Ghrelin: this hormone is primarily released by the stomach and stimulates appetite
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Estrogen: the ovaries produce and release most of the body’s estrogen, which stimulates a number of different actions throughout the body, including uterine contractions and libido.
Understanding Cortisol Levels
Many of the DUTCH profiles will include data about your cortisol levels throughout the day. Cortisol increases energy and is responsible for naturally waking us up in the morning when we don’t set an alarm.
Safe or “normal” cortisol follows a very specific pattern throughout the day. Cortisol spikes in the morning between 6:00 am and 8:00 am with a steady decline throughout the day, reaching the lowest levels around 10:00 pm - midnight. Following an abnormal sleep-wake schedule can slightly change these levels, or can disrupt them completely.
Spending most of your day chronically busy, stressed, or in “fight or flight” mode can cause chronically elevated cortisol and major changes in the normal cortisol levels.
What Does a DUTCH Test Check?
Precision Analytics has multiple different dried urine hormone tests, including some that are more specific for female sex hormones and others that look at the diurnal cortisol pattern in more detail.
Here are some of the markers their tests cover.
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Sex Hormones: Estrogen, Progesterone, and Testosterone metabolites
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Adrenal Functioning: 4 Cortisol Data Points and Total DHEA Production
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Specific Organic Acids: HVA, VMA, KYNA, MMA, Xanthurenate, Pyroglutamate
These tests can also provide insight into the body’s ability to methylate, provides more details on thyroid health, and can help identify some common nutrient deficiencies.
Here at Juno Wellness we offer the following DUTCH profiles:
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DUTCH Complete - the most comprehensive profile
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DUTCH Plus - includes androgen metabolites and diurnal cortisol levels
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DUTCH Cycle Mapping - this test for women maps the 28-36-day menstrual cycle
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DUTCH Complete + DUTCH Plus - this profile combines the two most comprehensive profiles to get the full picture of the body’s hormones
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DUTCH Adrenal - focuses on cortisol levels
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DUTCH Sex Hormones - focuses on androgen metabolites
Learn more about ordering your DUTCH Profile with the team of practitioners at Juno Wellness!
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration
This information is for educational purposes only. The statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult your physician if you have any question regarding a medical condition
