The DUTCH test is the most advanced test for assessing the sex hormones and adrenal hormones and how your body is metabolizing the hormones.
DUTCH stands for Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones and can be done at home using samples of urine and saliva which are collected 5 times during the day to assess the changes in hormones.
It can help both men and women identify hormonal imbalances but also help to understand why your hormones are out of balance.
For men and women who are in menopause, they can do the DUTCH test anytime.
For women who have a regular cycle the best time to do the DUTCH test is in the luteal phase of the cycle which is approximately day 19-22 of your cycle, or one week after ovulation.
If you don’t have a regular cycle that is ok and your practitioner will help guide you on the best time to do the test.
The DUTCH test measures the sex hormones and adrenal hormones in more detail than traditional blood tests.
Here is a list of the hormones that the DUTCH test measures:
- Estrogen and this includes the 3 different estrogens (Estradiol, Estriol, and Estrone)
- Progesterone
- Testosterone and 5a-DHT (more androgenic version of testosterone)
- Total and free Cortisol and Cortisone plus how the levels change throughout the day and night
- Melatonin
- Organic Acid markers for B12, B6, glutathione and oxidative stress
- Neurotransmitter metabolites of dopamine and norepinephrine
- Hormone metabolites (the breakdown products of hormones which shows how well your detoxing hormones – this may be the cause of your hormone imbalance).
Once the lab receives your test sample the results will be ready in 10 business days.
The DUTCH Complete hormone test costs $375 or $475 with a one hour consultation which is the best option as the results and treatment plan are the most important part once you have your results
The DUTCH Plus test costs $450 or $550 with the one hour consultation
The DUTCH test mainly focuses on the sex hormones and the adrenal hormones and it tests these in great detail, and it also assesses 8 organic acid markers.
The OAT test assesses 70 different organic acid markers but it does not test for hormones. It is often a good idea to do both tests if possible as the OAT test does not measure hormones but assesses nutrients, candida, mitochondria function and detox markers that are not on the DUTCH test.
The DUTCH hormone test is good for both men and women but it is not a test for children under 12
*A child would be best doing the Organic Acids test or if you are wanting a teenager to do the test contact us to see if it would be appropriate for them.
The DUTCH test is the best option for measuring hormone imbalances but it is also a great test for athletes wanting to optimize performance, anyone suffering from Chronic fatigue or Fibromyalgia, autoimmune or other chronic conditions that can be affected by hormones
The DUTCH test collects hormone samples using special collection papers to collect samples of urine. The collection strips are left to dry for 24 hours before shipping to the lab and the DUTCH test has been scientifically validated as an accurate way for hormone collection.
The saliva cortisol test measures the free cortisol levels at 4 points throughout the day, and while this can be useful the free cortisol is only 2-4% of total cortisol that is produced.
The DUTCH hormone test measures free cortisol at 5 points throughout the day and night, plus the free cortisone levels to see how quickly cortisol is getting metabolized.
The DUTCH test also measures the total cortisol production in a 24 hour levels so that you have the information for total cortisol and free cortisol levels.
The DUTCH
For a long time blood testing has been considered the gold standard when it comes to testing the sex hormones but the collection methods used by the DUTCH test to assess hormones with urine has been validated in two clinical trials.
The DUTCH test method is a fairly new method for collecting hormone samples and I am sure that there will be more scientific trials using this method.
The saliva testing can only measure the free hormones, and while this is important it misses a lot of the hormones being produced by the body.
The DUTCH test is an at home collection so there is no need to visit a pathology lab and it is more convenient than trying to collect saliva samples.
The 24 hour urine test measures the total cortisol produced over a 24 hour period and it does not measure the free cortisol or the changes in cortisol levels throughout the day and night which is important.
The 24 hour urine collection is usually only used to try and assess Addison’s disease or Cushing’s Syndrome but the DUTCH test will also give an accurate measurement of the total cortisol production, along with the free cortisol and the rhythm of the cortisol.
The DUTCH Cycle mapping test is for females only and it measures the estrogen and progesterone levels throughout the menstrual cycle.
This is an ideal test if you are having hormone issues, infertility, PCOS or PMS as it assesses the hormones as they change day by day. If you have a short or long cycle you can still do the test and it is a great way of finding out why you don’t have a regular cycle.
It is recommended to combine the DUTCH cycle mapping test with the DUTCH complete test and the cost is $525