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!)