Why We Love the DUTCH Test for Peri- and Post-Menopausal Wellness

Conversations with Kate & Rebecca

After a few tech hiccups (because, of course - it's Monday), we finally did it: our

first live conversation together! We rarely get the chance to be live at the same time, so this felt especially fun. Who knows - maybe this will even become a podcast someday.

Today, we dove into one of our favorite topics in clinical practice: the DUTCH Test. If you’re new to it, the DUTCH Test - created by Precision Analytical - is a dried urine hormone test, sometimes combined with saliva, that offers a comprehensive look at hormonal health. We love using it with perimenopausal and postmenopausal women, where hormones are in transition and personalized insights matter most.

Below is a recap of why this test is such a game-changer for us—and for the women we support.

Why We Use the DUTCH Test in Postmenopause

Rebecca’s take

There are countless reasons I love using DUTCH in postmenopausal clients! But I just want to highlight two reasons here, my top two:

1. It shows what blood labs can’t.

Many postmenopausal women are on hormone replacement therapy (HRT). While blood work tells us hormone levels, it doesn’t tell us what the body is actually doing with those hormones. DUTCH measures downstream metabolites - specifically the 2-, 4-, and 16-hydroxyestradiol pathways. These metabolites influence:

• Brain health

• Cancer risk

• Inflammation

• Bone density

• Detoxification processes

• Overall longevity

Seeing these pathways helps us evaluate not just how much hormone is present, but how the body is breaking it down - and whether that breakdown is protective or potentially problematic.

2. It helps us guide nutrition & lifestyle therapeutically.

As nutritionists, this is our playground:  The foods we eat, the herbs we take, our stress levels, our sleep.  These lifestyle and dietary factors influence hormone metabolism, cortisol levels, detoxification AND the balance between hormones.  

With DUTCH results, we can tailor diet and lifestyle strategies to support optimal hormone pathways and help women get the best outcome from natural routes of menopausal support and/or HRT.

How DUTCH Helps Us in Perimenopause

Kate’s perspective

Perimenopause is its own wild ride. Hormones fluctuate - sometimes dramatically - and two women with the same estrogen levels on bloodwork can have completely different symptoms.

DUTCH helps explain why.

By looking at hormone ratios, metabolite patterns, and stress markers, we can see:

• Where hormones are headed

• Why symptoms differ from person to person

• How lifestyle and stress are influencing the experience

This level of insight helps us support women earlier in the transition - and often helps them avoid unnecessary confusion or trial-and-error around HRT or supplements.

The Stress–Hormone Connection

One of the bonus benefits of the DUTCH Test is its cortisol mapping. Instead of a single cortisol number, we get 4–5 data points across a 24-hour cycle. Since cortisol affects every body system, including sex hormones, this information is incredibly powerful.

We also get a window into melatonin production - another piece of the sleep and stress puzzle.

Seeing these patterns allows us to connect symptoms to real lived experiences: disrupted sleep, stress at certain times of day, energy crashes, and more.

No One-Size-Fits-All Approach

One of our favorite aspects of DUTCH is how deeply personalized it is. Hormones are never one-size-fits-all; prefab protocols rarely work. The DUTCH Test centers on the individual, where they are in their hormonal life cycle, how their body handles hormones, and what interventions will be most effective.

We’ve also appreciated the improved readability of the report. It’s still detailed (which we love!), but key insights are now highlighted, making it far less overwhelming for clients.

A Sneak Peek at What’s Coming Next…

Part of the reason we’re talking so much about hormones today is because…we have something exciting launching in January.

We can’t share all the details yet (hint: it may or may not involve the DUTCH Test), but we are thrilled to announce that we're preparing our first program for peri- and post-menopausal women.

If you want to know when enrollment opens, be sure to join our newsletter list: 👉 RebeccaSnow.com

We love working in this space - empowering women, supporting meaningful change, and helping you understand your body from the inside out. Every step you take, big or small, matters.

Thanks for joining us for our first conversation together - we can’t wait to do more now that we’ve conquered the tech gremlins.

Talk soon, 

Kate & Rebecca