DUTCH Test Hormone Series

PART 6 FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE HORMONES WE SEE

ON THE DUTCH TEST + WHY TESTING IS NECESSARY

READ MORE ABOUT THE DUTCH TEST HERE

Androgens = male hormones.

Ladies, we need them just as much, but in lower quantities, obviously! 😉

Interesting fact: quantitatively, women secrete greater amounts of androgens than estrogen.

📈 The DUTCH test measures:
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▪︎ Total DHEA – an anti-ageing steroid hormone & a mother hormone to testosterone + estrogens
▪︎ Testosterone
▪︎ Testosterone pathways – via 5-alpha & 5-beta enzymes
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📍 The hormonal production pathway is:

Cholesterol (hence why too low is not a good thing!) -> Pregnenolone -> DHEA -> Androstenedione -> Testosterone -> 5a-DHT & 5b.

Pfew! It’s a complex web.
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Testosterone is the main androgen. It is responsible for:

muscle retention
libido
bone health
drive & motivation
energy
metabolism

⚠️ What’s important:

📍 That it is in range

📍 Which metabolic pathway we prefer (5a or 5b)

Ideally, the dial on the graph – see image above – should be in the middle.
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The 5-alpha pathway converts to DHT, which is the most potent androgen.

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⚠️ What DRIVES testosterone UP?

📍 high insulin – think diets high in processed/simple sugars

📍 stress

Insulin stimulates the ovaries to produce more testosterone in women (in men – it can promote excess estrogen, not good!). 😩
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⚠️ Preference to the 5-alpha pathway will create more DHT, which can cause all the symptoms above (in men too – high DHT is responsible for male pattern baldness).
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What can PUSH the 5A PATHWAY?

📍 inflammation

📍 blood sugar dysregulation

📍 genetics
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⚠️ LOW testosterone is not good either. It can lead to:

⬇️ low libido

⬇️ low mood

⬇️ low energy

What lowers is?

📍 Low DHEA (the mother hormone) can be a cause

📍 inadequate conversion (adrenal health is key, think stress!)

READY TO FIND OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN YOUR HORMONES' WORLD AND PUT AN END TO THE GUESSING GAME AND THOSE UNPLEASANT SYMPTOMS?

Book a FREE, no-obligation, 20-min consult to find out if we are a good fit to work together.

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