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Every time I talk about hormone testing on Instagram, I'm heartbroken by what so many women share about their experiences in trying to get their hormones tested. 

The sad truth is that many women suspect something hormonal is going on and causing their symptoms like acne, irregular periods, hair loss or weight changes but when they consult their physician they are often met with skepticism and even dismissal.

Here are some of the common things women have shared with me that they've been told when trying to get their doctor to run hormone testing:

"What do you think hormone testing will tell us? I can look at you and tell you have a hormone imbalance."

"Hormones don't really matter so there's no point in testing them."

"Your hormones change every day so what would be the point in testing them?"

"I guess we can test but only TSH and estrogen. The others don't matter."

Of course, not all doctors think or respond this way. But it's concerning when SO many women firsthand know how frustrating it is to request hormone testing only to be told.... no. 

Many women find that they cannot get their doctor to run hormone tests and seek out NDs like myself or integrative doctors. And while blood testing can give some insights into our health and the state of our hormones, I personally prefer the DUTCH test.

The DUTCH test stands for Dried Urine Test of Comprehensive Hormones. Because it's a urine test, it can be shipped anywhere in the world to you and then mailed back to the lab. It's quick, efficient and makes hormone testing easy - especially if your doctor isn't willing to test for you.

The DUTCH test allows us to test a lot of different things. With a DUTCH test I can measure and gauge:

• estrone
• estradiol
• estriol
• cortisone
• cortisol
• progesterone
• testosterone
• DHEA and DHEA-s
• melatonin

It also helps us see cortisone and cortisol rhythms, metabolite pathways for DHEA and testosterone, your phase 2 detox pathway for estrogen and your pathways for progesterone. Even if none of that sounds particularly interesting to you, as a practitioner this info is SO valuable. 

Here's an example of what we could see with your progesterone and E1, E2 and E3. 

When you receive your results from the lab, a practitioner like me will begin to interpret your results alongside what I know about your health history, your lifestyle and your diet. I'll also look at your temperatures to understand if you're ovulating or not and look at other lab results you may have like thyroid testing. 

Next, we get to go through the results together and this is where the magic happens. Perhaps for the first time ever, you'll see WHY you feel the symptoms you do and have a sense of reassurance that it is NOT in your head and instead is likely tracing back to your hormones. This gives many women so much hope and relief because they finally know why their symptoms are happening and also how to move forward. 

Common questions regarding the DUTCH test:

Who is the DUTCH test right for?

The DUTCH test is right for most women struggling with hormone imbalances like low libido, hair thinning, period problems, weight changes, trouble sleeping and fatigue. 

The DUTCH test is generally not right for women experiencing amenorrhea, women currently using antibiotics and women with active infections. 

Can I do a DUTCH test while on hormonal birth control?

Yes, but we'll have to note that your sex hormones are going to be very low. Estrogen and progesterone will test low (at post menopausal levels to be exact!) because of your birth control method. Some women prefer to wait at least 3 months after getting off of birth control to test. 

Can I do a DUTCH test while breastfeeding?

Yes, and ideally we'd wait until we've confirmed ovulation before testing.

When is the DUTCH test preferred over serum testing?

Serum testing has a few negatives. One is that adrenal hormones cannot be adequately tested because free cortisol cannot be tested throughout the day. The DUTCH test also gives a deeper perspective into HOW your hormones are interacting together. 

When women work with me to balance their hormones, the DUTCH test is always included! Because it's so versatile and can be shipped anywhere in the world, it makes it easy to get quality data about your health and why your symptoms are happening!

Learn how to work with me here

You don't have to feel in the dark about your symptoms anymore and if your doctor is saying "NO" when you request hormone testing, please know there are options! If you're ready to get to the root of what's going on, check out my Work With Me page to learn how to begin this journey of support, nourishment and hormone balance. 

If your hormones feel off, they probably are! So don't brush it off and assume everything is "normal" when you feel anything but. xx

Dr. Cassandra