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  4. Regarding cortisol-to-DHEA ratios on the DUTCH test, approximately what ratio is considered normal, and what is considered indicating catabolic, i.e., high cortisol compared to DHEA?
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  4. Regarding cortisol-to-DHEA ratios on the DUTCH test, approximately what ratio is considered normal, and what is considered indicating catabolic, i.e., high cortisol compared to DHEA?

Regarding cortisol-to-DHEA ratios on the DUTCH test, approximately what ratio is considered normal, and what is considered indicating catabolic, i.e., high cortisol compared to DHEA?

Chris Kresser: There’s not really a lot of literature that establishes a specific ratio, especially when it comes to using the urine metabolites. As I think I mentioned during the HPA axis unit, you look at the overall balance of cortisol to DHEA as part of the whole algorithm that I gave you of interpreting the test, and it’s one of the many factors that you consider. If you just like use the dials that they provide, if cortisol is above the midline, and DHEA is below the midline, then I would consider that to be a relative catabolic state. That doesn’t mean that if it’s just barely above midline for cortisol and just barely below for DHEA that that’s an issue, but the further you get away from those midlines, the more of a catabolic state that you’re looking at. You can just think of it that way, more so in their relationship to one another than any specific threshold or cutoff.

 

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