The Dutch plus test
My favorite place to start when working with a client who is fatigued or has hormonal issues (or both, as I often see), is the DUTCH test, because we can see exactly what cortisol is doing over the course of the day, as well as get a snapshot at estrogen and progesterone metabolism and androgen metabolites.
My results from this test was the first clue in April 2022 that there was something in my environment causing me problems. It showed me how depleted my cortisol was, how my hormones were functioning, and explained why I was feeling so tired all the time. 📉 It was really validating to have this information on paper after feeling dismissed so many times.
The Cortisol Awakening Response is the best measure of cortisol and is the MOST used biometric within clinical research for stress-related HPA axis abnormalities. The different cortisol patterns that are revealed from the DUTCH Plus require completely different lifestyle approaches and supplement protocols. While we can make some pretty good guesses going by symptoms alone, the picture is so much clearer when tested and you can feel confident that you’re implementing the correct protocol tailored to you.
A serum (blood) cortisol test isn’t a good reflection for what your cortisol is doing over the course of the day. The DUTCH Plus Test is a urine and saliva test that measures your metabolized AND free cortisol patterns. This is the gold standard functional lab test for measuring your cortisol diurnal rhythm. It evaluates:
-Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR) - shows us what your cortisol is doing throughout the day and how well your body responds to waking and winding down for bed
-Melatonin Status - plays an important role in immunity and how well you’re sleeping
-Sex Hormones & Metabolites - measures the balance of estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, & DHEA
-Organic Acids - measures the byproducts of cellular activity - how well your body detoxes, your oxidative stress load, and micronutrient status
Seeing this full picture helps us identify what’s going on, so you can begin a protocol that will help you to feel better QUICKLY as we continue working to shine a light on the source of your fatigue. 🔦
Healing from fatigue is not a formulaic process - it’s bio-individual and I’m here to help you get it just right. ⚖️
The type of tests you do matter, and who you ask to do them matters too. If you’ve only had serum cortisol testing, then the full picture of why you’re still feeling so run down is likely being missed. Have you been dealing with ongoing fatigue despite a normal workup?