DUTCH Hormone Testing - Your Hormones in Detail
When hormones are involved, “normal” on paper often does not feel normal in real life. Many people are told their labs are fine, yet they are exhausted, wired-but-tired, moody, inflamed, or stuck in a cycle of symptoms that just does not make sense. The DUTCH test (Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones) helps bridge that gap by showing hormones that are not just “in/out of range,” but how well they are being produced, metabolized, and cleared.
What the DUTCH test actually measures
The DUTCH test is a specialized dried urine panel that looks at far more than a single hormone snapshot. It evaluates:
Sex hormones: estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and their metabolites
Adrenal hormones: free and metabolized cortisol and cortisone over the day
Androgen pathways: DHEA and how it is being converted
Estrogen detoxification: Phase I and Phase II estrogen metabolites
Organic acid markers: selected insights related to B vitamins, oxidative stress, and neurotransmitter metabolism
By looking at the full picture, DUTCH can often explain why someone has significant hormone symptoms even when their basic blood work looks “ok.”
DUTCH is different from routine blood work
Traditional blood tests give you hormone levels at one point in time, usually in the morning. That information is helpful, but it does not always show:
Daily rhythm: how cortisol rises and falls across the day
Metabolism: how your body is processing estrogen, progesterone, and androgens
Detox pathways: whether estrogen is being shuttled down more protective or more inflammatory routes
DUTCH fills in those gaps by providing a mapped-out pattern of your hormones and their metabolites, which is particularly useful in conditions like endometriosis and PCOS, phases of life like menopause and post partum, or simply when youre experiencing symptoms that just don’t feel right. Even chronic fatigue, that is often overlooked can be a hormonal issue. The nervous system and hormones are tightly linked.
Who might benefit from DUTCH testing?
DUTCH can be especially helpful if you are experiencing:
Painful, heavy, irregular, or absent cycles
Suspected endometriosis, PCOS, or estrogen-dominant symptoms
Perimenopausal or menopausal symptoms (hot flashes, sleep changes, mood swings)
“Tired and wired” patterns, trouble falling or staying asleep
History of birth control use, hormone therapy, or multiple pregnancies
Chronic stress, trauma history, or nervous system dysregulation
For many clients, DUTCH is not about chasing perfect numbers; it is about understanding patterns and how your hormones behave in the real context of your life.
DUTCH is most powerful when foundations are already in motion: blood sugar regulation, mineral balance, gut support, and nervous system work. Once those are underway, DUTCH helps answer questions like:
Is low progesterone contributing to anxiety, sleep issues, or PMS?
Is estrogen being metabolized safely, or is there a pattern that might worsen endo or fibroid symptoms?
Is cortisol output too high, too low, or just poorly timed?
Are androgens being pushed down pathways that worsen hair loss, acne, or insulin resistance?
DUTCH offers clarity, validation, and a roadmap. It does not replace foundational work; it helps refine it, so your effort translates into more meaningful, sustainable change. From there, your plan can be refined with more precision: targeted botanicals, nutrients, lifestyle shifts, and nervous system strategies tailored to the patterns your DUTCH reveals, rather than guessing.
