The DUTCH Adrenal Assessment helps to evaluate adrenal imbalances which can cause symptoms such as fatigue, anxiety, depression, weight gain, sexual dysfunction, impaired immune function, thyroid issues, irregular sleep patterns and blood sugar dysregulation.
It measures the adrenal hormones, cortisol, cortisone and DHEAS, which play a role in the stress response, along with their metabolites – offering valuable information about how your body breaks down and excretes these hormones. Samples are taken over a 12 hour period, which is more insightful than a one-off sample for assessing cortisol production.
The results include:
Daily free cortisol pattern
Daily free cortisone pattern
Cortisol metabolites (a-THF, b-THF)
Cortisone metabolite (b-THE)
Metabolised cortisol
DHEAS
How to complete the DUTCH Adrenal Assessment
Ask Amanda how long you should discontinue any supplements or non-essential medication for prior to testing. On the day of collection (and preferably the day before as well), avoid caffeine, alcohol and nicotine. Avoid eating avocado, banana or fava beans (broad beans) for 2 days before testing.
Urine samples are most accurate if your urine is not too dilute, so limit your fluid intake to around a litre over the day of the test and make sure that no more than 250ml is drunk after 8pm the evening before testing. On the day of testing, try to avoid drinking more than 200ml fluid between the waking sample and the sample taken 2 hours after waking.
You will need to collect 4 – 5 samples. These need to be taken on rising (within 10 minutes of waking up, preferably within just a few minutes); 2 hours after waking; at 5pm and at bedtime (approx. 10pm). If you wake in the night to urinate, please collect an overnight sample (labelled ‘extra sample’). We recommend that you set alarms throughout the day, especially for 2 hours after waking and at 5pm. Please note that the test kit instructions suggest starting with the 5pm sample and testing across 2 days, but we think it is simpler to just start with the waking sample and complete all 4 samples over the same day. Either option is fine.
Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water, as various substances can contaminate the test filter papers and specimens.
To collect samples:
Complete all the information required on each collection device (collection card with filter paper inside).
Saturate the filter paper by urinating directly on it, or urinate into a clean cup and dip the filter paper in it.
Leave the collection card open (as per the diagram in the kit instructions) and leave it to dry for at least 24 hours.
Repeat for each sample.
Once completely dry, close the collection cards, place them all in the resealable plastic bag, then into the original envelope and return to the provider in the NZ Couriers prepaid courier bag that is provided.
Please make sure that you have included the completed requisition form with your samples, filling out all sections on both sides of the form.
Ensure that the box is ticked for ‘DUTCH Adrenal’ as the test type (as the test kit can be used for various types of hormone analysis).
Keep the samples at room temperature until ready to send by courier on a Monday or Tuesday. However, if you test more than 3 days before sending the samples e.g. if you complete the samples on a Wednesday or Thursday), it is best to keep them in the freezer. Ideally, we recommend completing the test over a weekend and posting samples off on a Monday.
Please drop the samples at your nearest NZ Couriers depot, which you can find here https://www.nzcextras.co.nz/nearestlocation. Please note that Post Shops will not accept NZ Couriers packages. Ignore the ‘Pre 8am’ sticker on the courier bag, which is just for the courier’s attention. There is no need to be concerned about the courier company refrigerating or freezing the samples while in transit.
