DUTCH Plus Test: A Comprehensive Guide to Hormone Health

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The DUTCH Plus Test a diagnostic tool that provides detailed information about hormone levels, adrenal function, and organic acids. This test is a more comprehensive and includes a broader range of hormones, such as cortisol, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and DHEA. It also measures organic acids and includes a detailed assessment of adrenal function and sex hormones. It provides a full hormonal profile, including markers for stress, fertility, and overall hormonal balance. This test can be useful for understanding symptoms like fatigue, mood changes, or stress. You can order a DUTCH Plus test online without a prescription.

Test Description

The DUTCH Plus™ Test provides a comprehensive look at key hormones that play a significant role in your daily well-being. By measuring hormones like cortisol, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and DHEA, as well as their breakdown products (metabolites), the test gives a detailed picture of how your body is functioning. These hormone levels and metabolites are measured from your urine over 24 hours, offering a more complete understanding of your hormonal health without the need for invasive procedures.

One important aspect of the DUTCH Plus™ Test is its assessment of the Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR), which is the natural rise in cortisol levels that occurs within the first 30 to 45 minutes after waking. This response helps indicate how your adrenal glands are handling stress and can reveal if your body is under chronic stress or struggling with energy regulation. A disrupted CAR can lead to feelings of fatigue, difficulty sleeping, and mood imbalances.

By measuring these markers, the DUTCH Plus™ Test helps uncover how your hormones may be affecting your energy, sleep, stress levels, and overall mood. This information can guide you and your healthcare provider toward a better understanding of any underlying issues, so you can take steps to improve your health and feel more balanced.

Markers

16-Hydroxyestrone: This is a byproduct of estrogen. If levels are too high, it might indicate the body is processing estrogen in a way that could increase the risk of certain health issues, like hormone-related cancers.
2-Hydroxyestradiol: A form of estrogen that’s thought to be protective in the body. Monitoring this helps check if estrogen is being broken down in a healthy way, which can support overall well-being.
2-Hydroxyestrone: Another estrogen byproduct that’s typically linked to a lower risk of health problems. It’s helpful to track this marker to see if the body is maintaining a healthy balance of estrogen.
2-Methoxyestrone: A form of estrogen that seems to have protective effects. By measuring this, we can get an idea of how the body is managing estrogen and whether it’s on a healthier path.
3-Hydroxyisovaleric Acid: This marker looks at how the body processes proteins. High levels might signal issues with digestion, nutrient absorption, or how well the body is handling metabolic stress.
4-Hydroxyestradiol: A more reactive estrogen byproduct that, when elevated, can pose a higher risk for certain types of cancers. Monitoring this helps identify any issues with estrogen breakdown that might need attention.
4-Hydroxyestrone: Another estrogen breakdown product that’s considered potentially more harmful if found in excess. It’s important to track it to prevent any negative effects on health, especially related to hormone balance.
5a-Androstanediol: A product of testosterone breakdown that helps show how testosterone is processed in the body. Keeping track of this helps understand whether there’s an imbalance in how testosterone is functioning.
5a-Dihydrotestosterone: A potent form of testosterone that influences things like hair growth and prostate health. If it’s too high, it can cause issues such as hair loss or enlarged prostate, so tracking this is key.
5b-Androstanediol: A less potent breakdown of testosterone, still important to measure as it helps show how the body handles testosterone overall. This can help indicate whether testosterone levels are in a healthy range.
8-Hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine: This marker reflects DNA damage due to oxidative stress. Elevated levels can point to more widespread inflammation or damage in the body, signaling the need for better antioxidant support.
Androsterone: A byproduct of testosterone metabolism, and tracking this helps give insight into how your body processes testosterone. It can show whether there are any imbalances or inefficiencies in hormone breakdown.
Cortisol Evening: Cortisol is a stress hormone, and its level in the evening should typically be lower to help the body wind down for sleep. Elevated evening cortisol can interfere with sleep and relaxation, pointing to ongoing stress.
Cortisol Morning – AM30: This measures cortisol 30 minutes after waking, showing how your body responds to the day’s start. High levels can indicate stress, while low levels might suggest adrenal issues or fatigue.
Cortisol Morning – AM60: A follow-up test 60 minutes after waking to further understand how your body is managing stress during the morning. This helps track if cortisol levels are staying elevated too long or returning to normal.
Cortisol Night: Cortisol should be low at night to allow your body to rest. If it’s elevated, it can disrupt your sleep cycle and affect overall health by preventing the body from fully relaxing and recovering.
Cortisol Waking: This measures how much cortisol you have right after waking up. Healthy cortisol levels at this time help support morning energy, but abnormal levels can signal stress or adrenal issues.
Cortisone Evening: Cortisone is a less active form of cortisol that the body uses in the evening to reduce stress. Tracking this helps ensure the body is appropriately winding down, but high evening cortisone can also indicate problems with stress management.
Cortisone Morning – AM30: This measures cortisone 30 minutes after waking. It’s useful for understanding whether your body’s stress response is well-managed as the day begins or if there’s an imbalance.
Cortisone Morning – AM60: This test looks at cortisone 60 minutes after waking up. It helps show whether your body is continuing to adjust cortisol and cortisone in a healthy way as the day progresses.
Cortisone Night: At night, your body should reduce cortisone to prepare for rest. High levels at night might interfere with sleep, so this marker helps assess if the body’s nightly recovery process is working properly.
Cortisone Waking: Cortisone levels when you first wake up help show whether your body is properly managing stress from the moment you get up. If levels are too high or low, it can indicate issues with adrenal function.
Creatinine: Creatinine is a waste product from muscle activity, and it helps make sure the urine sample isn’t too diluted for accurate testing. It’s important for ensuring that the hormone levels being measured are reliable.
DHEA-S: DHEA-S is a hormone made by your adrenal glands that’s a precursor to both estrogen and testosterone. It’s important for overall energy and mood, and low levels can indicate adrenal fatigue or aging.
Epi-Testosterone: This is a less potent metabolite of testosterone. It helps track how testosterone is metabolized and can give clues to whether testosterone balance might be off.
Estradiol: The most powerful form of estrogen, estradiol is vital for reproductive health, mood regulation, and bone density. Tracking estradiol levels helps assess whether estrogen is in a healthy balance.
Estriol: Typically higher during pregnancy, estriol is another form of estrogen that provides important information about estrogen balance. It can also give insights into hormone changes during perimenopause or menopause.
Estrone: A weaker form of estrogen that becomes the primary estrogen after menopause. Monitoring estrone levels is important to assess estrogen balance in postmenopausal women and understand overall hormonal health.
Etiocholanolone: This is a metabolite of testosterone. Monitoring it helps track how your body is breaking down testosterone, providing valuable insight into hormone processing.
Homovanillic Acid: This is a byproduct of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that affects mood and motivation. High levels may suggest an imbalance in dopamine activity, potentially impacting mood and cognitive function.
Indican: Indican is a marker of how well your digestive system is processing proteins. If levels are high, it can point to gut issues, such as poor digestion or an imbalance in gut bacteria.
Kynurenic Acid: This is a product of tryptophan metabolism, and elevated levels can suggest inflammation in the body. It’s important for understanding how stress and inflammation may be affecting your health.
Melatonin: The hormone that regulates your sleep-wake cycle. Low melatonin levels can indicate sleep disturbances or disruptions in the body’s natural circadian rhythm.
Metabolized Cortisol: This reflects how your body processes cortisol over time, helping to assess whether long-term stress is taking a toll. It gives insights into your body’s stress management and how efficiently it’s handling stress hormones.
Methylmalonic Acid: This marker helps identify a vitamin B12 deficiency, which can affect nerve health and energy levels. Elevated levels may indicate that B12 levels are low and need to be addressed.
Progesterone: Known for its role in regulating the menstrual cycle and supporting pregnancy, progesterone also helps balance estrogen and improve mood and sleep. Tracking progesterone helps assess hormonal balance, particularly for women experiencing irregular cycles or menopause.
Pyroglutamic Acid: This marker indicates oxidative stress in the body, which can affect cellular health. High levels may point to an imbalance in antioxidants or a need for improved metabolic efficiency.
Quinolinic Acid: A byproduct of tryptophan metabolism that can increase during inflammation. High levels may indicate neurological issues or stress-related inflammation in the body.
Testosterone: Known for its role in muscle mass, libido, and overall vitality, testosterone is also important for women. Monitoring testosterone levels helps understand whether there is a healthy balance with other hormones.
Total Estrogen: This marker measures all forms of estrogen in the body. It helps assess whether estrogen levels are balanced and how they’re impacting reproductive and overall health.
Vanillylmandelic Acid: A byproduct of stress hormones, this marker helps track how well the adrenal glands are functioning. High levels may suggest that the body is dealing with excess stress or adrenal issues.
Xanthurenic Acid: This marker shows how the body is processing tryptophan and managing inflammation. High levels may indicate oxidative stress or nutrient processing imbalances.
a-Pregnanediol: A breakdown product of progesterone that can indicate how well the body is metabolizing progesterone. It helps assess whether progesterone levels are in balance, particularly during the menstrual cycle or menopause.
a-Tetrahydrocortisol: A metabolite of cortisol, this marker shows how your body processes stress hormones over time. Elevated levels may suggest ongoing stress or adrenal issues that need attention.
b-Pregnanediol: Another progesterone metabolite that helps assess progesterone levels. This can give clues to hormonal balance, especially related to fertility or menopause.
b-Tetrahydrocortisol: A metabolite of cortisol that provides insights into how your body is managing stress. Elevated levels can indicate chronic stress or an issue with cortisol metabolism.
b-Tetrahydrocortisone: A form of cortisone that helps regulate cortisol levels in the body. It’s important for understanding how cortisol is processed and how the body is handling stress recovery.

Who Should Consider This Test?

Individuals with chronic stress: The DUTCH Plus test measures cortisol and cortisone at different times of the day, including the Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR). These markers help evaluate how the body is handling stress, particularly over long periods, and can identify signs of adrenal fatigue or dysfunction.
Women experiencing hormonal imbalances: For women dealing with symptoms such as irregular cycles, mood swings, or weight changes, this test tracks key estrogen metabolites like 16-Hydroxyestrone and 2-Hydroxyestradiol. These markers provide valuable insight into estrogen metabolism and help identify potential imbalances or risks related to hormonal health.
Individuals with sleep disturbances or fatigue: The DUTCH Plus test can provide clarity on why someone may be experiencing trouble sleeping or persistent fatigue by measuring cortisol at night and melatonin levels. These markers are essential for assessing how well the body is managing stress and its sleep-wake cycle.
People with reproductive health issues: This test helps individuals facing fertility issues, menopause, or other reproductive health concerns by measuring hormones like Estradiol, Progesterone, and Testosterone. These markers are critical for understanding hormone levels related to the menstrual cycle, ovulation, and menopause.
People dealing with mood imbalances or mental health concerns: The DUTCH Plus test can provide useful insights into mental health by assessing hormones like DHEA-S, Testosterone, and Progesterone, which play significant roles in mood regulation. Imbalances in these hormones can contribute to issues such as depression, anxiety, and irritability.
Individuals with metabolic or digestive concerns: This test includes markers like Indican and Kynurenic Acid, which help assess metabolic function and gut health. Elevated levels of these markers can suggest issues such as poor digestion, nutrient absorption problems, or inflammation in the body.
Athletes or individuals with high physical stress: The DUTCH Plus test is useful for athletes or those with physically demanding lifestyles to assess how their body is managing stress and recovery. Hormones like Cortisol Morning and DHEA-S provide insight into how well the body is handling physical exertion and whether adrenal function is being compromised.
Individuals with weight management issues: For those struggling with unexplained weight gain or difficulty losing weight, this test can shed light on hormonal imbalances that may contribute. Markers such as Cortisol Night, Testosterone, and Estrone help identify if stress, metabolism, or sex hormones are affecting weight.
People experiencing symptoms of thyroid dysfunction: Although the DUTCH Plus test doesn’t directly measure thyroid hormones, it can help assess hormone imbalances that might overlap with thyroid dysfunction. For example, Progesterone, Cortisol, and DHEA-S levels are all connected to thyroid health, and imbalances in these hormones can mimic thyroid issues.
People with a family history of hormone-related conditions: If you have a family history of hormone-related conditions, such as breast or prostate cancer, this test can provide valuable data on estrogen metabolism. Markers like 16-Hydroxyestrone and 4-Hydroxyestradiol help assess the risk of developing hormone-sensitive health issues.
Individuals experiencing chronic pain or inflammation: The DUTCH Plus test can be useful for those experiencing persistent inflammation or chronic pain by evaluating markers like 8-Hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine and Kynurenic Acid. These markers help identify underlying oxidative stress and inflammatory processes that may be contributing to the pain.
People dealing with hair loss: For those experiencing unexplained hair thinning or loss, this test can assess hormones like 5a-Dihydrotestosterone and Testosterone. Elevated levels of these and related metabolites can point to hormonal imbalances that may contribute to hair loss, such as in cases of androgenic alopecia.
Individuals experiencing libido or sexual dysfunction: The DUTCH Plus test is useful for individuals experiencing changes in libido or sexual health. Tracking Testosterone, DHEA-S, and Progesterone levels can reveal hormonal imbalances that might be affecting sexual drive or function.
Individuals with blood sugar imbalances or insulin resistance: This test can provide helpful information for those with insulin resistance or blood sugar issues by measuring cortisol and DHEA-S. Both hormones play a role in metabolism and can impact insulin sensitivity, making this test relevant for individuals managing blood sugar imbalances.
People with autoimmune conditions: For those with autoimmune diseases, the DUTCH Plus test can help monitor how stress and hormones are affecting immune function. Elevated levels of Cortisol, DHEA-S, and inflammatory markers like Kynurenic Acid may offer insight into how autoimmune conditions are being influenced by hormonal imbalances.
Individuals on hormone replacement therapy (HRT): Those undergoing hormone replacement therapy, especially for menopause or other hormonal treatments, can benefit from this test to monitor how their body is responding. Tracking Estradiol, Progesterone, and Testosterone can help fine-tune HRT dosages and ensure hormone levels are balanced.
People with cardiovascular health concerns: The DUTCH Plus test can be useful for individuals with a history of heart disease or cardiovascular risk factors. Markers such as Testosterone, Cortisol, and Estrone can provide insight into hormonal influences on heart health and help assess whether imbalances might be contributing to cardiovascular issues.
People with high levels of anxiety or depression: Individuals struggling with anxiety or depression may benefit from the DUTCH Plus test, as hormones like Cortisol, Progesterone, and DHEA-S are closely linked to mood regulation. Imbalances in these hormones could be contributing to emotional or mental health challenges.

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The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Functional medical tests and nutrition-related labs should be used as tools to support health and wellness under the guidance of a qualified healthcare provider. Results from these tests should not replace professional medical advice or be interpreted without consulting a licensed practitioner familiar with your health history and needs. Always consult your doctor or dietitian before making changes to your diet, supplements, or health management plan.