Dutch Hormone Testing
The DUTCH hormone test is the most comprehensive test available in Australia to test your hormones. It provides a full assessment of sex as well as adrenal hormones too. Hormones tested include free and metabolised cortisol, that is a range of estrogens, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA and their metabolites.
The Dutch hormone test includes an assessment of the neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin. It also tests the status of vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and glutathione. Glutathione is a key antioxidant that is involved in phase 2 liver clearance and the clearance of hormones.
D.U.T.C.H stands for dried urine test for comprehensive hormones.
The Procedure of Performing Dutch hormone test in Australia
The Dutch hormone test is a simple and easy test to perform. It executes in the privacy of your own home. We will deliver the test kit in approximately 3 days upon ordering.
The test kit requires 4 samples of urine to send as dried urine samples, as well as 5 saliva samples. We take the samples over the course of one day. After that, we return back the test kit in a postal bag.
When to use the DUTCH Test
The DUTCH hormone test provides the most extensive information comprises within one test. It identifies the levels of your hormones and provides information on how they are being processed in the body.
Measuring hormone metabolites, the broken down components of hormones, we identify which biochemical pathways to utilize in order to correctly influence the flow of hormones down the functional pathways. This is important in managing and reversing a range of hormonal disorders and dysfunctions as well as prevent many hormone related cancers such as breast cancer.
Individuals who are experiencing adrenal fatigue or hormonal imbalance symptoms should consider using the DUTCH hormone test.
Hormonal imbalance symptoms
A variety of hormonal symptoms can appear when various hormones are out of balance. Both men and women experience different symptoms. Common symptoms with hormonal imbalances include the following:-
- Painful Periods
- Mood swings
- Anxiety
- Bloating
- Short, irregular or long menstrual cycle
- Mood swings
- Breast tenderness
- Breast lumps
- Low sex drive
- Fertility issues
- Hair loss
- Excess hair growth
- Chronic pelvic pain
- Insulin resistance
Adrenal Fatigue Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of cortisol imbalances are widespread, below are some of the more common symptoms reporting during cortisol imbalanced.
- Low blood pressure
- Dizzy upon standing
- Low blood sugar
- Salt cravings
- Sweet cravings
- Dark circles under eyes
- Sleep issues
- Difficulty getting up in the morning
- Lethargy
- General lack of energy
- Decreased sex drive
- Decreased ability to handle stress
- Mental fogginess
- I feel tired but wired
- Muscles feel weak and fatigue easily
- Rely of caffeine or stimulants to get through
- Suffer from panic attacks and/or anxiety
- Low immunity /catch colds often/recurring infections
- Retain water
- Feel worse for skipping meals
What is tested in the DUTCH Hormone Test
The Dutch hormone test measures the following hormones and metabolites.
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Cortisol & Cortisone
The Dutch hormone test measures both cortisol and cortisone. It provides levels of total metabolised cortisol, the conversion from cortisol to cortisone as well as the level of free cortisol throughout the day. Cortisol and cortisone metabolites include Tetrahyrdocortisone, a-tetrahydrocortisol and b-tetrahydrocortisol.
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Estrogens
Three key estrogens are estrone, estradiol and estriol. Understanding the levels of each different estrogen is important as well as the amounts relative to progesterone. Many hormonal issues such as PMS and PCOS are the consequences of estrogen dominance. A range of estrogen metabolites are also measured. These enable us to understand how the hormones are being processed and whether the estrogen is being cleared from the body effectively or being reabsorbed. Poor metabolism of estrogen links to a range of conditions such as breast cancer and prostate cancer.
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Testosterone
Imbalanced testosterone levels affect both men and women. Low levels of testosterone in men consequently lead to erectile dysfunction, lowered sex drive, inability to maintain muscle and energy issues. Imbalances testosterone levels in women can further result into infertility, PCOS, unwanted hair growth, acne and obesity. The DUTCH test also measures metabolites of testosterone, metabolites that show an upregulated Dihydrotestosterone (5a-DHT) pathway this can cause and increase in estrogen and result in hair loss particularly in men, skin disorders such as acne, aggression and even increase prostate cancer risk in men.
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DHEA
DHEA is a steroid secretes through the adrenal glands. It is a precursor to testosterone and estrogen, low level can indicate adrenal dysfunction and limit the body’s ability to make sex hormones while high levels can be an indicate of Cushing’s syndrome or other adrenal disorders.
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Progesterone
Metabolites of progesterone are measured, a-pregnanediol and b-pregnanediol. These levels provide an accurate level of progesterone in the body. There are many hormonal disorders greatly contributed to by low progesterone, estrogen dominance conditions are also characterized by low progesterone.
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Melatonin
6-OH-melatonin-sulfate is a metabolite that measures the production of melatonin. Low levels of Melatonin are implicated in patients with sleep disorders.
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Neurotransmitters
The DUTCH test measures the neurotransmitters Serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. These neurotransmitters are instrumental in the regulation of mood, energy and motivation.
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Vitamins
Key vitamins are also measured that relate to hormones, brain function and detoxification. These include vitamin B6, B12 and glutathione.
Dutch hormone test ordering and pricing
The DUTCH hormone test is $480 to order plus $25 postage.
To order the DUTCH hormone test, please contact our clinic.
It is advisable to first have an initial appointment with one of our practitioners in order to determine the right level of the testing requirement. There may be different or additional testing recommendations on the basis of your presenting symptoms as well as health concerns.