DUTCH Test (Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones)
Definition
The DUTCH test is an advanced hormone test using dried urine samples collected over 24 hours to measure sex hormones, cortisol rhythm, cortisol metabolites, melatonin, and hormone metabolite pathways. It provides comprehensive insight into hormone production, metabolism, and diurnal patterns that blood or saliva testing cannot capture.
Why It Matters
Standard hormone testing provides limited snapshots and misses critical information about hormone metabolism and daily cortisol patterns. DUTCH testing reveals whether hormones are metabolizing safely, identifies specific metabolic pathway issues, assesses HPA axis function, and guides precise, individualized hormone therapy.
Related Conditions
Related Modalities
Frequently Asked Questions
DUTCH testing measures not just hormone levels but also how hormones are metabolized, which pathways they're using (protective vs. harmful), and provides a complete 24-hour cortisol pattern. It identifies issues like poor estrogen detoxification or cortisol dysregulation that other tests miss.
DUTCH testing is valuable for unexplained fatigue, hormonal imbalances, PCOS, irregular cycles, perimenopause symptoms, fertility challenges, or before starting hormone therapy. For cycling individuals, it's typically done during the luteal phase (days 19–22 of a 28-day cycle).
Dr. Sanika Kshirsagar, ND
Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine (ND)
Bastyr University, Kenmore, WA
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