Hormone + Comprehensive

Lab Testing

Using Modern Testing Thoughtfully

Sometimes symptoms or life transitions call for a closer look at what is happening physiologically.

When additional information would be useful, I can help patients access and understand more comprehensive laboratory testing alongside our work in Chinese medicine.

Depending on what we are trying to understand, this may include DUTCH hormone testing, comprehensive blood testing, or both.

DUTCH Hormone Testing

DUTCH stands for Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones.

Depending on the test selected, it can offer a detailed look at reproductive hormones and their metabolites, as well as cortisol and adrenal hormone patterns.

I may recommend DUTCH testing when we want to look more closely at hormonal patterns related to the menstrual cycle, fertility, perimenopause, menopause, sleep, mood, energy or hormone therapy.

Samples are collected at home and sent directly to the laboratory for analysis.

Comprehensive Blood Testing

I can also help patients access comprehensive blood testing when a broader picture of health would be useful.

I most often work with the Life Extension Female Elite Panel, which allows us to look beyond reproductive hormones at areas including thyroid function, blood sugar and insulin, iron status, vitamin D, cardiovascular and inflammatory markers, liver and kidney function, blood counts and other important measures.

Patients self-order their testing. Once the results are available, we can review them together and consider what deserves attention, what may warrant further medical evaluation, and what can meaningfully inform our work.

When appropriate, we can also bring in additional clinical perspective from the team I work with.

Choosing the Right Test

More testing isn't always better.

DUTCH testing and comprehensive blood testing give us different kinds of information. Sometimes one is clearly more useful than the other. Sometimes conventional bloodwork you already have gives us everything we need.

We decide what to test based on your symptoms, health history, stage of life and the questions we are actually trying to answer.

The goal is not to collect numbers. It is to gather useful information that helps us understand your body more clearly and make thoughtful decisions about your care.

How I Use Your Results

Laboratory results are considered alongside your symptoms, menstrual history, sleep, digestion, stress, medications and supplements, stage of life and the diagnostic framework of Chinese medicine.

From there, our work may include acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, nutritional and lifestyle support, or collaboration with another healthcare practitioner when appropriate.

Testing is one tool within a much larger conversation about your health.

Getting Started

If you are already a patient, we can discuss whether additional laboratory testing would be useful as part of your care.

If you are new to my practice and are specifically interested in hormone or comprehensive blood testing, begin with an initial consultation so we can determine what information would be useful.