Is the DUTCH Test Right for You? A Holistic Approach to Understanding and Balancing Your Hormones Naturally
Have you ever felt like your hormones are totally out of whack — with painful periods, stubborn acne, unexplained weight gain, bloating, irregular cycles, or even trouble getting pregnant — only to be dismissed or handed a prescription at your doctor’s office?
You finally work up the courage to ask for hormone testing, and if you're lucky, you get some labs ordered. But here’s the frustrating truth: most conventional testing falls short. Either the labs are done at the wrong time in your cycle, making the results meaningless, or the provider isn’t looking for optimal hormone levels — just what’s “normal” on paper.
Worse yet, many women don’t even get to that step. Instead, they’re handed hormonal birth control as a quick fix. Got hormone problems? Let’s just shut them down.
But here’s the problem: hormones are not the enemy. They affect everything — from mood and energy to skin, sleep, and fertility. And more and more women are waking up to this truth, choosing to take a natural and root-cause approach to hormonal health.
That’s where advanced hormone testing like the DUTCH test comes in. If you’re a natural minded woman, focused on holistic wellness and clean living, you may have already heard of it as a potential game-changer.
In this post, I’ll break down what the DUTCH test is, how it works, why it’s different from standard blood tests, who it’s best for, and how you can get personalized support interpreting your results. If you’re ready to understand your hormones on a deeper level, this could be the test you’ve been waiting for.
What Is the DUTCH Test?
The DUTCH test, which stands for Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones, is an innovative diagnostic tool that provides a thorough analysis of your hormone production and metabolism. Unlike traditional blood tests that measure hormone levels at a single point in time, the DUTCH test looks at hormone metabolites, which gives us a clearer picture of how your body is processing and eliminating hormones.
This test uses a combination of urine samples (taken throughout the day) to measure sex hormones, adrenal hormones, cortisol rhythms, and even melatonin levels. By capturing how your body is responding to these hormones throughout the day, the DUTCH test offers more detailed insights that can help identify underlying imbalances that may be contributing to symptoms like fatigue, acne, mood swings, or fertility issues.
What Makes the DUTCH Test Different?
So you’ve had hormone blood work done — maybe more than once — and everything came back “normal,” yet you still don’t feel like yourself. That’s because most standard tests only scratch the surface.
The DUTCH test goes deeper. Way deeper. Here’s why it stands out:
It’s Comprehensive — like, actually comprehensive.
Standard blood tests look at how much hormone is in your system. The DUTCH test goes beyond that to measure metabolites — the byproducts that show how your body is breaking down and clearing those hormones. This is a big deal, because it’s not just about how much estrogen you have — it’s about what your body is doing with it.
Are you metabolizing estrogen through the healthy “detox” pathways? Or are you pushing it down the routes that worsen PMS, increase inflammation, and raise long-term risk for hormone-dependent cancers like breast cancer? That’s the kind of insight we need if we want real answers and real results.
And it’s not just estrogen. I can’t tell you how many women I’ve worked with who have every classic sign of PCOS — acne, irregular cycles, unwanted hair growth — but their testosterone levels came back “normal.” The kicker? Their testosterone metabolites were off the charts. And those act on the body even more strongly than testosterone itself. If we’re not looking at the full picture, we’re missing it.
It Measures Your Cortisol Rhythm — not just a one-time snapshot.
Let’s talk about cortisol, your stress hormone. It often gets a bad rap, but cortisol is essential for energy, motivation, and managing inflammation. The key is rhythm. Cortisol should be high in the morning to help you wake up and tackle your day, then gradually taper off so you can chill out and fall asleep at night.
But here’s the thing: a single blood draw tells us nothing about how your cortisol flows throughout the day, it only gives us a single snapshot in time; and if your cortisol peaks at night and keeps you tossing and turning, a “normal” morning level means nothing.
That’s why the DUTCH test measures cortisol four times across the day — giving us a full picture of your diurnal rhythm (Cue the applause!) If your energy is tanking, your sleep is a mess, or stress is taking over your hormones, this test can help us see what’s really going on with your adrenal glands.
It’s At-Home and Needle-Free (yes, really).
No labs. No needles. No drama. Just a few easy urine samples collected in the comfort of your own bathroom. You mail them off to the lab and get back one of the most comprehensive hormone panels available — all without leaving the house. Honestly, who doesn’t love that?
What Markers Does the DUTCH Test Measure?
Let’s get into the details of what’s actually being tested with the DUTCH test, because let’s be real — there’s a lot. It measures a variety of critical markers that give a detailed view of your hormone health:
Sex Hormones & Metabolites
These give us insight into your reproductive hormone levels and how your body is processing them.
Estrogens: Estradiol (E2), Estrone (E1), Estriol (E3)
Progesterone: Measured as Pregnanediol
Androgens: Testosterone and DHEA
Estrogen & Androgen Metabolites: Shows whether your body is using healthy or problematic detox pathways (super important for PMS, acne, breast cancer risk, and PCOS)
Adrenal Hormones (aka your stress response)
This helps us see how well your body is handling stress and whether your adrenal rhythm is supporting your energy, sleep, and mood.
Cortisol & Metabolites
Cortisone
Diurnal Cortisol Rhythm: Collected four times a day to map your energy and stress pattern (not just a random one-time number)
Melatonin
This sleep hormone also plays a big role in mood, circadian rhythm, and fertility. Low melatonin can result in trouble sleeping, feeling wired at night, or even poor egg quality.
Organic Acids
This is truthfully my favorite section of the entire DUTCH test, because it gives so much information. Think of these as bonus markers that give insight into your overall health:
B-vitamin status: Crucial for energy, brain health, and hormone production.
Detox and methylation pathways: Help your body eliminate excess hormones and toxins — if these are sluggish, symptoms tend to pile up.
Neurotransmitter metabolites: These influence your mood, motivation, focus, and even PMS or PMDD symptoms.
Neuroinflammation: Chronic inflammation in the brain can contribute to anxiety, brain fog, low mood, and even hormone resistance.
Gut dysbiosis: An imbalanced gut microbiome can interfere with hormone detox, increase estrogen reabsorption, and worsen bloating, skin issues, and mood swings.
Oxidative stress: Too many free radicals and not enough antioxidants? That can lead to cellular damage, hormone disruption, poor egg quality, and faster aging.
What Are the Benefits of the DUTCH Test?
The DUTCH test offers a range of benefits, particularly for women who are actively managing their health and fertility:
It uncovers hidden hormone imbalances: Many of my patients come to me with concerns about their menstrual cycle, mood swings, or difficulty conceiving. Even if blood tests appear “normal,” the DUTCH test can reveal imbalances in hormone metabolism or deficiencies that other tests miss.
It makes hormone care truly personalized: Instead of throwing random supplements at the wall and hoping something sticks, the DUTCH test gives us real data to guide your care. We can pinpoint which hormones need support and why, so your plan is tailored to your body — not just generic advice pulled from Google.
It’s powerful for fertility optimization: If you’re trying to conceive, you need to know whether you’re ovulating, if your progesterone is high enough to support implantation, and how well your body is metabolizing estrogen. The DUTCH test checks all those boxes and more. I’ve used it to uncover sneaky hormone issues that were holding women back from getting pregnant — and to help them finally get that positive test.
It sheds light on stress and burnout: Let’s be real — stress is everywhere. But how is it actually affecting your hormones? The DUTCH test measures your cortisol rhythm throughout the day and tells us whether you’re in overdrive, flatlined, or somewhere in between. This is key for addressing sleep issues, anxiety, and burnout.
It reveals what’s going on under the surface: Beyond hormones, the DUTCH Complete Plus also gives us clues about gut health, neuro-inflammation, oxidative stress, detox function, and nutrient status. These are often the missing pieces in chronic hormone symptoms — especially when things feel “off” but no one can explain why.
Who Is the DUTCH Test Best For?
The DUTCH test is ideal for women who are:
Trying to conceive: If you’re actively TTC and want to optimize your hormones for pregnancy, the DUTCH test can help ensure you have the right balance of estrogen and progesterone.
Post-birth control: Coming off hormonal contraceptives can feel like a hormonal rollercoaster. The DUTCH test helps us see how your natural hormone production is rebounding and what support your body needs to guide the healing process.
Struggling with PMS, PCOS, or irregular cycles: If you’re dealing with acne, heavy or painful periods, or unpredictable cycles, this test can uncover deeper imbalances like estrogen dominance, androgen excess, or poor detoxification — so we can support your cycle from the root.
Dealing with stress and burnout: If you're always tired but wired, struggling with energy crashes, or waking at 3am every night, it could be a cortisol issue. The DUTCH test maps your stress hormones throughout the day so we can help restore balance.
Perimenopausal women: For those in their late 30s or early 40s, the DUTCH test is a great way to monitor hormones as you approach menopause and understand how estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol are shifting.
Who Might Not Need the DUTCH Test?
There’s no question that I’m a huge fan of the DUTCH test, but it’s not for everyone. You might not need it if:
You’re currently on hormonal birth control: Since hormonal birth control can artificially manipulate hormone levels, the DUTCH test may not provide an accurate picture while you’re on the pill, IUD, or similar methods.
You’re on hormone replacement therapy: If you’re currently on bioidentical hormones, the DUTCH test might not reflect your natural hormonal metabolism accurately.
You’re not ready to take action on the results. This test is best for women who are ready to commit to change — whether that’s dietary, lifestyle, or supplement support. If you’re not quite there yet, that’s okay! We can explore other ways to start supporting your health.
How Does the DUTCH Test Work?
The DUTCH test is simple and convenient. You’ll collect a series of dried urine samples at four different points throughout the day (morning, afternoon, evening, and bedtime). The kit includes clear instructions on when and how to collect the samples, and it’s so easy to follow. Once you’ve completed the collection, you’ll mail the samples to the lab, and your results will be available within 7-10 business days.
As part of my services, I’ll help guide you through the entire process—from ordering the test, explaining how to collect your samples, to interpreting your results and creating a plan based on the findings.
How to Work with Me to Get Testing Done
If you’re interested in completing a DUTCH test, I offer personalized consultations to help you understand your symptoms and determine if this test is the right fit for you. Here’s how we can work together:
Start with a consultation: We’ll talk through your symptoms and goals to decide if DUTCH testing makes sense for you.
Order your DUTCH test: I’ll help you choose the right panel and order it.
Collect your samples: I’ll guide you through the sample collection process, ensuring it’s done correctly for the most accurate results.
Review results together: Once your results come in, we’ll schedule a follow-up consultation to dive into the findings and create a personalized plan to balance your hormones naturally.
If you're ready to get answers, feel empowered, and finally understand your body better — I’d be honored to support you.
Let’s start with a free discovery call. We’ll chat about your symptoms, your goals, and whether this test could be a helpful part of your healing journey.
Or if you know the DUTCH test is something you’re interested in and you’re ready to jump in, check out the Hormone Reset Package, which includes DUTCH testing.
