Naturopathic physician Dr. Debbie Rice ‘09 examines how tracking metabolites may improve health.  

National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM) alumna Dr. Debbie Rice recently covered the basics of DUTCH tests to measure hormone health on an episode of Dr. Milli Podcast: Boost & Biohack Your Health. 

Rice, who earned her Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine degree from NUNM in 2009, has trained extensively with endocrinology experts in functional medicine and specializes in male and female hormone testing.  

In the podcast episode “Hormone Testing: The Ins and Outs of the DUTCH Test,” Rice outlines how the DUTCH test works and its advantage as a modern tool for analyzing hormone imbalances. 

As the former director of clinical education at The DUTCH Test, developed by clinical laboratory Precision Analytics, Rice has worked to understand how sex, thyroid, and adrenal hormones function in the body.

DUTCH (Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones) technology is a relatively new and groundbreaking way to obtain further insight into complex patient concerns, she said, as it provides a more comprehensive look into hormone metabolites to assess overall health.

Tests reveal specific progesterone, estrogen, testosterone, DHA, and cortisol activity in the body, Rice said, helping patients and physicians to identify whether a hormone imbalance may be the root cause of various physical and mental health symptoms. 

“How does your body start the day and then what does your body do with cortisol through the rest of the day?” she said. “Essentially, that’s looking at how well your body is dealing with stress.”  

Women can use at-home tests to regularly monitor progesterone and estrogen levels to better manage pre-menopausal and menopausal symptoms.

Rice, who also studies gastrointestinal care, said inflammation and resulting nutrient deficiencies can also be tied to an imbalance in adrenal hormones. DUTCH tests can track inflammation, as well as uncover the possibility for environmental chemicals to disrupt the endocrine system.

“Inflammation can come from blood sugar imbalances or other exposures,” she said, “like if you’ve had immune stressors, mold exposure, any kind of immune dysregulation or metabolic dysregulation.”   

Prior to NUNM, Rice worked with international healthcare communities and received her master’s degree in public health. She is also a trained midwife and works to promote fertility and prenatal health.  

Milli Raizada, the UK-based host of Dr. Milli Podcast: Boost & Biohack Your Health, has practiced medicine for over a decade to help patients heal hormones and improve women’s health.  

Listen to the episode or stream it below: