Episode 36 - Is Hormone Testing Right for You? Exploring the DUTCH Test with Jo Majithia

23 Apr

Healthily | 04/23/25

In this episode of Healthily, Nicola is joined by Jo Majithia, Head of Education at Regenerus Laboratories, to explore the DUTCH test—a cutting-edge tool for gaining insight into hormone health and its symptoms. Together, they unpack what makes this test different, how it relates to issues like fatigue, weight gain, low mood, and cycle changes, and how it can guide personalised diet and lifestyle strategies. They also discuss hormone health in perimenopause, the role of cortisol and stress, and whether testing is the right move for you. This is a must-listen for anyone curious about hormones, functional testing, and evidence-based wellness support.

TAKEAWAYs

✔️ What the DUTCH Test Is & What It Shows

What it is: A home-based urine (and for advanced versions: urine + saliva) test that captures hormone secretion and metabolism over 24 hours — rather than the “snapshot” offered by standard single-timepoint blood tests.
What it measures:

Sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone) + their metabolites — giving insight into how hormones are broken down and whether the pathways are healthy or potentially problematic.
Adrenal hormones (e.g. cortisol), helping to evaluate stress response, diurnal rhythm, and adrenal function.
Nutrient and metabolic markers (e.g. B-vitamins, glutathione pathway markers), oxidative stress, gut health, and even neurotransmitter / neuroinflammation signals.

Why that matters: By seeing not only circulating hormones but also how they are processed and excreted — plus metabolites — you get a fuller, more dynamic picture of hormone metabolism + internal environment + lifestyle impact.

✔️ When DUTCH Test Is Especially Useful

The DUTCH Test (and its variants) can be particularly valuable for individuals experiencing:

Hormone-related issues: PMS, irregular cycles, PCOS, fibroids, hormonal acne, low libido, menopause / perimenopause symptoms (hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings)
Fertility or hormone-balance concerns (trying to conceive, cycle irregularities, HRT, post-HRT monitoring)
Adrenal/stress-related issues: fatigue, disrupted sleep, chronic stress, immune-related problems
Metabolic or detox challenges — especially when hormone balance, stress resilience, nutrition, or lifestyle changes are part of the plan

It’s also useful for men — to evaluate testosterone metabolism, libido, energy, metabolic health.

✔️ What You (or a Practitioner) Can Do With the Data

Because the test gives a broad range of information — hormones, metabolites, adrenal output, nutrient markers, oxidation/stress indicators — it enables actionable, personalized recommendations. For example:

Adjust diet and lifestyle to support healthy hormone metabolism: more cruciferous & colorful vegetables, good fats (e.g. omega-3), antioxidant-rich foods, nutrient-dense whole foods.
Support detoxification pathways, especially estrogen metabolism — optimizing both phase-1 (modification) and phase-2 (clearing) pathways. This might include nutritional cofactors (B-vitamins, methylation support), glutathione support, liver and gut health focus.
Address adrenal health & stress resilience: sleep hygiene, circadian rhythm support (light exposure in morning, reduced blue light at night), balanced lifestyle to prevent chronic over-activation of stress response.
Investigate and support gut & microbiome health (which may impact hormone metabolism, detox, and overall health).
Monitor effects of HRT, medications, or lifestyle protocols via retesting — to see whether interventions are working, safe, and beneficial.

Also — importantly — use the test data to celebrate what is going well (rather than only searching for problems). Sometimes results confirm that the body / lifestyle is already doing a lot right, which can be empowering and give reassurance.

✔️ Limitations & What to Keep in Mind

No test is “perfect.” The DUTCH Test gives insights, not a “diagnosis” in isolation. Context matters: cycle phase, external stressors, lifestyle changes, medications/HRT/all contraceptives can all influence results.

If on oral hormones (oral estrogen or synthetic contraceptive hormones), the test may be less informative — because oral hormones behave differently (first-pass metabolism through liver), which complicates interpretation.

Hormone levels and metabolism can fluctuate from month to month — so the test is most useful when interpreted alongside personal history, lifestyle, and ideally repeated or used in sequence to track change over time.

It’s a tool — not a “magic bullet.” Results provide data, but meaningful change comes from how that data is used: via nutrition, lifestyle, stress/ sleep hygiene, environment, and possibly supplementation.

✔️ Who This Episode Is Best For

This conversation — and the DUTCH Test — will likely resonate with:

Women navigating hormonal issues (cycle irregularities, PMS/PMDD, PCOS, perimenopause/menopause, fertility challenges)
People interested in more than “mainstream hormone panels” — wanting deeper insight into hormone metabolism, adrenal health, detoxification, stress resilience
Practitioners (nutritional therapists, functional medicine, integrative health) seeking to understand when and how to use functional labs to support clients better
Anyone who feels “stuck” despite following standard medical advice — and wants to explore a more holistic, personalized approach combining lab insight + nutrition & lifestyle