Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones (DUTCH)

What is the DUTCH test?

The DUTCH test (Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones) is an advanced at-home hormone test that looks at how your body produces, uses, and clears hormones, not just whether levels are technically in range.

Unlike standard blood or saliva testing, DUTCH evaluates:

  • Sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA) and how they are metabolized

  • Daily cortisol patterns (free cortisol and total cortisol output)

  • Melatonin (6-OHMS) and sleep rhythm

  • Markers of oxidative stress, inflammation, and detoxification

  • Select organic acids that offer insight into nutrient status, gut health, neurotransmitter activity, and mitochondrial function

This layered approach helps connect symptoms to patterns, rather than isolated lab values.

To order a DUTCH Complete test and practitioner analysis, click here.

How DUTCH Helps With Womens Hormone Health

Hormonal symptoms in women are rarely caused by just one hormone being too high or too low. More often, the issue is imbalance, poor hormone clearance, stress signaling, or shifts throughout the menstrual cycle.

DUTCH testing can be especially helpful for women dealing with:

  • PMS, PMDD, or worsening symptoms in the luteal phase

  • Irregular or missing periods

  • Perimenopause or early menopause symptoms

  • Infertility or cycle irregularities

  • Weight gain that does not respond to diet or exercise

  • Fatigue, burnout, or poor stress tolerance

  • Anxiety, mood swings, or sleep disturbances

  • Hair loss, acne, or changes in skin health

  • Low libido or cycle-related migraines

Because DUTCH shows both hormone levels and metabolites, we can see whether symptoms are related to low production, poor detoxification, stress-driven shifts, or nervous system signaling - which is often missed on bloodwork alone.

Cortisol, Stress, and the Bigger Picture

In addition to reproductive hormones, DUTCH provides a detailed look at cortisol rhythm and total cortisol output throughout the day.

This is critical because chronic stress can:

  • Suppress progesterone

  • Alter estrogen metabolism

  • Drive inflammation and blood sugar instability

  • Disrupt sleep and energy production

  • Worsen PMS, anxiety, and perimenopause symptoms

Seeing how cortisol behaves over the course of the day allows for much more targeted support, rather than generic stress recommendations.

Is DUTCH Only for Women?

No - DUTCH can be valuable for men as well.

As testosterone and DHEA naturally decline with age and stress, many men experience symptoms sometimes referred to as andropause. DUTCH helps identify whether symptoms are related to hormone production, metabolism, cortisol patterns, or lifestyle-related stressors.

Common symptoms in men include:

  • Loss of muscle mass or strength

  • Abdominal weight gain

  • Chronic fatigue or brain fog

  • Reduced motivation or confidence

  • Low libido or changes in sexual health

Lifestyle factors like poor sleep, toxin exposure, chronic stress, and metabolic dysfunction can accelerate these changes, and DUTCH helps clarify where support is needed.

DUTCH Complete vs. DUTCH Cycle Mapping

For many women, testing hormones at a single point in the menstrual cycle is sufficient. In other cases, symptoms fluctuate enough that we need to map hormone patterns across the cycle to fully understand what is happening.

When DUTCH Cycle Mapping Is Recommended:

  • Infertility or fertility challenges

  • Cycling hormones without regular bleeding

  • Partial hysterectomy (ovaries intact, uterus removed)

  • Endometrial ablation

  • Mirena IUD with ongoing hormonal symptoms

  • Irregular or unpredictable cycles

  • PCOS

  • Shifting or short luteal phases

  • Unsure when to test due to long or short cycles

  • Symptoms that change throughout the cycle (PMS, spotting, migraines, mood shifts)

When DUTCH Complete Is Usually Sufficient:

  • Postmenopausal women

  • Women on hormonal birth control

  • Women with predictable cycles and stable timing

Ready to Get Started?

To order a DUTCH Complete test and practitioner analysis, click here.

(A 7-minute example video walkthrough can be found here!)

To order a DUTCH Cycle mapping test and practitioner analysis, click here.

Or please reach out with questions to: Kelly.Shea.FDNP@gmail.com

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