DUTCH stands for Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones.

This unique test primarily measures hormone levels and their metabolites.  Metabolites are reflective of how well your body is able to break down hormones to rid them out of the body, a necessary process that happens everywhere in the body.  This is what makes this test different from common blood testing, metabolites are not found in the blood, they are found in your urine. And if your body is struggling to rid itself of these metabolites, it can have an array of negative effects.

It is the big picture of how the body is functioning. It also tests important aspects such as specific organic acids, which are a specific type of metabolites, and important neurotransmitter metabolites.

 All this combined gives a comprehensive big picture as to how well your body is functioning.

• CORTISOL/CORTISONE: Most tests are only able to measure cortisol/cortisone at the specific time the test was taken.  DUCTH testing measures the levels and how the hormones are functioning throughout a 24 hour period.

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• DHEA and DHEAS: This is a big piece of the puzzle for both men and women because all reproductive hormones start out as DHEA, for males and females.  Testosterone or estrogen may be low because there isn't enough DHEA to make them.  

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• ESTROGEN: The hormone/Estrone/Estradiol/Estriol the metabolites: This is the primary hormone/metabolites for women of all ages.  The most important aspect of not just testing Estrogen, the hormone, but also the broken down estrogen (metabolites), is because high or low levels of estrogen can have many adverse effects on the body, including risk of female cancers such as breast cancer.  Testing the metabolite levels gives the real reason why estrogen may be high or low. And this hormone isn't just for women, though in much smaller amounts, men have and need estrogen as well.  It is more and more common for men to have higher than normal estrogen levels, causing many imbalances in the body.

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• PROGESTERONE: This is an extremely important hormone regarding fertility and menstruating females. Progesterone is very sensitive to other hormones and their function/levels or lack thereof. Which is why it is imperative to not just test progesterone, but all hormones and their metabolites. 

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• TESTOSTERONE: This is the primary hormone for men, but as with progesterone, testosterone levels are affected by other hormone levels and other metabolic processes within the body.  For example, cholesterol lowering medications will likely affect how well the body can produce testosterone.  And as with estrogen, women also need testosterone however, the most common cause of infertility and PCOS in women is high levels of testosterone. 

• PCOS

• Infertility

• Menopause Problems

• Sleep Distrubances

• Erectile Dysfunction

• Low Sex Drive (Low Libido)

• Inability to Lose Weight

• Painful and or/ Irregular Mensuration

• Depression

• Anxiety

• FATIGUE, SLEEP, OR STRESS ISSUES: If you have fatigue, sleep or stress issues, testing your adrenal hormones and their rhythms gives specific information about how to handle these problems.

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• FERTILiTY PROBLEMS, PCOS(Polycystic ovarian Syndrome), FIBROIDS, PMS, IRREGULAR PERIODS,PAINFUL PERIODS, ANXIETY & MOODINESS, AND ENDOMETRIOSIS:  This test is highly beneficial with fertility problems, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), fibroids, PMS, irregular periods, painful periods, anxiety and moodiness, and endometriosis,. It gives a complete picture of how adrenal and reproductive hormone imbalances contribute to these problems.If you use hormone replacement therapy, you will want to make sure you are monitoring your levels. This test works uniquely well for oral progesterone, vaginal hormones, patches, pellets and injections. Note that this is only for hormone replacement therapy, not hormonal birth control pills!

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• IF YOU USE HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY: If you use hormone replacement therapy, you will want to make sure you are monitoring your levels. This test works uniquely well for oral progesterone, vaginal hormones, patches, pellets and injections. Note that this is only for hormone replacement therapy, not hormonal birth control pills!

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• SLEEP PROBLEMS: If you have sleep problems, it’s important to check your melatonin. Melatonin can be low and related to your sleep problems, or it can be normal. 

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• LOW DHEA LEVELS: Monitoring your DHEA levels could be beneficial if you have low DHEA levels. This is a “feel-good” hormone produced by your adrenal glands. When it’s low, it can cause fatigue, a decrease in muscle mass or bone density, depression, aching joints, loss of libido, and lowered immunity.

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• ESTROGEN DOMINANCE: You may have “estrogen dominance.” This is when the scales are tipped so that progesterone is low and estrogen is high. Estrogen dominance can be a factor in endometriosis, PMS, painful periods, fibrous breasts, fibroids, tender breasts, moodiness, and more. It can make perimenopause symptoms significantly worse.

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• LEARN IF YOU ARE AT INCREASE RISKS FOR ESTROGEN RELATED CANCERS: This test shows how you metabolize estrogen through your liver. If you don’t metabolize estrogen well, your risks of estrogen-related cancers such as breast, cervical and uterine cancer can increase.

Many things such as gut issues, environmental toxins, stress, obesity and medications, just to name a few, will affect your hormone balance.  Hormone imbalances will impact a person's risk for certain hormone related ailments such as cardiovascular disease, thyroid problems, certain cancers, infertility, erectile dysfunction, and osteoporosis, just to name a few. Dr. Lacy 's whole body approach encompasses finding the cause of your symptoms and treating them accordingly with a whole body approach.  This includes diet changes, lifestyle improvements, supplementation and an overall education for the patients so they can enjoy long term lasting benefits.  Bandaids, such as  many medications,  are potentially creating future issues down the road, which often leads to worsening symptoms and disease. How your body functions, your spine alignment, what you put into your body, and how you take care of your body all play roles in your overall health. When your body, mind, and spine are functioning at their fullest capacity, you will achieve better health.