DUTCH Hormone Test Guide: What You Need to Know

Dealing with hormone imbalances can feel like a guessing game. Whether it’s low energy, mood swings, weight gain, or sleep issues, it can be hard to get clear answers.

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That’s because standard blood tests only show one piece of the puzzle. And that’s where the DUTCH test comes in handy. The DUTCH hormone test measures not only your hormone levels but how your body processes them. This provides a more comprehensive look at your hormone health.

Whether you’re struggling with PCOS, perimenopause, or adrenal fatigue—the DUTCH test can help you get answers. Unsure if it’s right for you? Keep reading to get the inside scoop on the DUTCH test.

What is the DUTCH Test?

First, before we dive in, let’s clear up the funny name. DUTCH is short for dried urine test for comprehensive hormones. And this simple test can offer powerful insights about your health.

The DUTCH test evaluates your sex and adrenal hormones and whether they’re in balance. These hormones affect your metabolism, immune system, reproductive health, sex drive, how your body responds to stress, and much more. So when these hormones get off kilter, it can throw off many systems in your body.

And that’s where the DUTCH test steps in.

What Does a DUTCH Test Tell You?

It depends—as there are a few different DUTCH panels. Some DUTCH panels are more specific and test only sex hormones or adrenal hormones. Other panels are more comprehensive and cover a wider range of hormones.

For this article, we’ll focus on the DUTCH Complete panel we use at our clinic. This test offers insights into your sex and adrenal hormones, as well as their metabolites.

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Here’s what you can learn from the DUTCH Complete:

Sex hormones

The DUTCH test gives a complete picture of your overall hormone balance by covering a wide range of sex hormones including:

Estrogen (estrone, estradiol, and estriol)
Progesterone
Testosterone
Androsterone
DHEA

Adrenal hormones

Cortisol and cortisone are included to get a sense of how your adrenal glands are functioning. This can clue you in on whether your mystery symptoms could be due to chronic stress or adrenal fatigue.

Hormone metabolites

Your liver and kidneys break down your hormones. As they do, they form metabolites which are excreted in your urine. The DUTCH test measures these metabolites to show how well your body processes hormones.

When hormones aren’t excreted properly, they can recirculate in the bloodstream. This can contribute to hormone imbalances and lead to frustrating symptoms.

Organic acids test (OAT)

This panel provides information on brain health, gut health, and nutritional status. It measures metabolites for:

Melatonin
Glutathione
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B12
Dopamine
Norepinephrine
Indican (gut health marker)
Neuroinflammation

For a deeper look into the DUTCH test, check out this sample report.

Who Can Benefit From the DUTCH Test?

Anyone suffering from symptoms of hormone imbalance can benefit from the DUTCH Complete. If you’re dealing with any of the following, the DUTCH test may be a good fit for you:

Infertility issues. The DUTCH test can pinpoint any hormonal imbalances that may interfere with your ability to conceive.
Painful or heavy periods. The DUTCH test evaluates your estrogen and progesterone levels. This can help you better understand any menstrual irregularities like severe cramps or heavy bleeding.
Irregular menstrual cycles. If your cycles used to come like clockwork, but are now all over the map, the DUTCH test can help you understand why.
Perimenopause or menopause symptoms. Perimenopause and menopause can cause hot flashes, mood changes, vaginal dryness, and a slew of other symptoms. The DUTCH test can help monitor hormonal changes that occur during these transitions.
Polycystic ovary syndrome. The DUTCH test evaluates female sex hormones and androgens. This can benefit those dealing with PCOS symptoms like acne, hair loss, or hirsutism.
Estrogen dominance symptoms. If you have symptoms like mood swings, fibrocystic breasts, or PMS, estrogen dominance could be to blame. The DUTCH test can assess if your estrogen levels are off balance.
Low testosterone symptoms. If you’re dealing with low libido, erectile dysfunction, or other signs of low testosterone, the DUTCH test can provide clarity.
Chronic stress. Feeling stressed out, run-down, or flat-out exhausted? The DUTCH test may help. It measures cortisol and its metabolites to provide insights into your adrenal function.
Weight loss resistance. Hormone imbalances are a huge culprit in stubborn weight gain. The DUTCH test can help pinpoint imbalances interfering with weight loss.
Sleep problems. The DUTCH test evaluates melatonin and provides a circadian rhythm analysis. This can provide clarity for anyone dealing with sleep issues.
Chronic health conditions. Hormone imbalances can aggravate chronic conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and some autoimmune conditions.
Undergoing hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The DUTCH test can monitor the effectiveness of HRT.

DUTCH Test vs Blood Test: What’s the Difference?

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Curious how the DUTCH test compares to a traditional blood test? Well, aside from how they’re collected, here are a few key differences:

More comprehensive

The DUTCH Complete goes much deeper than just measuring your hormone levels. It provides information on hormone production, metabolization, and excretion. This offers a more complete picture of your overall hormone balance.

More convenient and less invasive

The DUTCH test is far more convenient than blood testing—and less invasive. Instead of getting pricked at a lab, you can take the DUTCH test at home. This allows you to avoid trips to the clinic and needles altogether.

Better at finding the root cause

There’s a reason functional medicine doctors trust the DUTCH test. Its comprehensive nature can identify underlying imbalances contributing to health issues. This can help find the root cause of mysterious symptoms, instead of using a band-aid approach.

Personalized treatment

Hormones are a delicate business. That’s why one-size-fits-all protocols are often ineffective. The DUTCH Complete allows practitioners to customize a treatment plan for your unique hormone profile. Lifestyle changes, dietary recommendations, and supplements can be personalized based on your results.

Is the DUTCH Test Accurate?

Yes! According to research, at-home urine tests are as reliable as blood and saliva tests. On top of that, urine tests can measure hormone metabolites—something blood and saliva tests can’t do. This gives you more information so you can better understand any hormone issues.

How Does the DUTCH Test Work?

Taking the DUTCH test is simple. However, knowing what to expect can help the process go more smoothly.

Here’s how the DUTCH Complete panel works:

Collect four urine samples over 24 hours using the provided materials. You can either pee directly onto the filter paper or pee in a collection cup and dip the filter paper in your urine.
Allow the urine samples to dry for 24 hours—hence the name dried urine test for comprehensive hormones 😉
Place the samples in the plastic bag in the provided shipping container.
Drop off the test at your nearest UPS store.
Allow 7-10 business days for the DUTCH test to be processed.
Meet with your DUTCH provider. They’ll break down your results and customize a treatment plan based on your unique needs.

For a thorough walk-through on DUTCH test instructions, as well as how to prepare, check out this video.

Where Can I Get a DUTCH Test?

You can purchase a DUTCH test from Precision Analytical—the test’s manufacturer. However, you’ll need a DUTCH provider to review your results and customize a treatment plan.

If you live in the Chicago area, Anchored in Health is proud to offer DUTCH testing in Orland Park. If you live outside Chicago, you can visit the Precision Analytical website to find a DUTCH provider near you.

Ready to Get Answers? Get DUTCH Hormone Testing in Orland Park, IL

Hormone imbalances can be frustrating and leave you feeling exhausted and moody. But you don’t have to guess what’s going on. The DUTCH test offers an in-depth look at your hormone health. It can help uncover imbalances affecting your energy, mood, metabolism, and so much more.

If you’re struggling with symptoms of hormone imbalance and want real answers—DUTCH hormone testing can help.

At Anchored in Health, our functional medicine doctor offers DUTCH testing and personalized treatment plans to restore balance to your hormones.

If you’re in the Chicago area, book a consultation or reach out today to see if the DUTCH test is right for you.

Other Holistic Health Services Offered at Anchored in Health in Orland Park, IL

At Anchored in Health, we go beyond hormone testing to offer a full range of services to support your well-being. In addition to DUTCH hormone testing, we provide chiropractic care, acupuncture, massage therapy, functional medicine, and the Shape ReClaimed program. We also offer genetic testing, thermography, and vibrant wellness advanced testing to uncover the root causes of your symptoms.

Looking for a personalized approach to better health? Contact us today to find out how we can help you feel your best!