What Is a GI-MAP / DUTCH Test?
(And Do You Actually Need One?)
If you’ve been struggling with gut issues, skin flares, hormonal chaos, fatigue, or unexplained symptoms despite trying “everything,” you may have heard practitioners talk about GI-MAP testing or the DUTCH hormone test.
These two functional tests are some of the most advanced tools used in modern naturopathy and integrative medicine—but most women have no idea what they actually do or whether they’re worth it.
This blog explains both clearly, in simple language, so you can decide if they’re the missing piece in your healing puzzle.
GI-MAP Test:
A Deep Dive Into Your Gut Health
What It Is
GI-MAP stands for Gastrointestinal Microbial Assay Plus.
It’s a highly advanced DNA-based stool test that identifies the exact bacteria, yeast, parasites, viruses, and inflammation markers living inside your gut.
Unlike a basic stool test that only catches a few microbes, the GI-MAP:
✔ screens hundreds of microbes
✔ measures beneficial vs harmful bacteria
✔ detects overgrowths, infections, and dysbiosis
✔ reveals whether digestion and detox pathways are working
✔ tracks immune and inflammatory markers
It gives a full picture of your gut—not guesswork, not “try this probiotic and hope.”
What the GI-MAP Can Reveal
The test can detect:
🚩 Gut infections & parasites
– Giardia, Cryptosporidium, Blastocystis hominis, worms and more
🚩 Bacterial overgrowths
– Causes bloating, gas, inflammation, food reactions
🚩 Candida or fungal overgrowth
– Linked to acne, brain fog, fatigue, recurrent thrush
🚩 Low beneficial bacteria
– Poor immunity, constipation, skin and mood issues
🚩 Digestive enzyme function
– Tells you if you’re actually breaking down food properly
🚩 Leaky gut markers
🚩 Inflammation in the gut
– Which can trigger acne, autoimmune flares, histamine issues
🚩 Fat absorption & bile dysfunction
This test doesn’t just show what is happening…
it shows why.
Who the GI-MAP Is Most Helpful For
Clients with:
Constant bloating or distension
Acne or skin flare-ups
Irregular bowels (constipation/diarrhoea)
Fatigue, brain fog, headaches, mood changes
Food intolerances
Histamine or immune issues
Autoimmune conditions
Post-pill or postpartum gut changes
Reactions to “every food”
Parasites or post-infectious IBS
Long-term digestive issues with no answers
If your gut has been a mystery, this test is often the breakthrough.
DUTCH Test:
Your Hormones, Mapped Properly
What It Is
DUTCH stands for Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones.
It is one of the most respected hormone tests in the world and is far more detailed than a simple blood test.
A blood test shows hormone levels at one moment in time.
The DUTCH test shows:
✅ how your hormones are made
✅ how your body uses them
✅ how well you clear them
✅ whether your stress hormones are balanced
✅ how inflammation and sleep affect your hormones
And that is where most hormone answers hide.
What the DUTCH Test Measures
It can reveal:
🔥 Oestrogen levels + oestrogen metabolism
– Crucial for acne, PMS, weight changes, endometriosis, fibroids, heavy periods
🔥 Progesterone
– Low progesterone = anxiety, spotting, infertility, PMS, poor sleep
🔥 Testosterone & androgens
– Linked to PCOS, cystic acne, hair loss, unwanted hair growth
🔥 Cortisol (stress hormone) across the day
– Burnout, anxiety, fatigue, insomnia, wired-but-tired, inflammation
🔥 Melatonin
– Sleep + night-time repair
The powerful part?
It doesn’t just show if levels are “normal”—it shows if your hormones are moving through the right pathways safely.
Who the DUTCH Test Helps Most
Hormonal acne or cystic breakouts
Painful, heavy, or irregular periods
PCOS, PMS or PMDD
Endometriosis or suspected endo
Fertility or post-pill recovery
Weight changes that don’t make sense
Anxiety, burnout, poor sleep
Brain fog, mood swings, low energy
If you’ve been told your “blood tests look normal” but you still feel like a mess—this test explains why.
GI-MAP vs DUTCH:
Which One Do You Need?
Here’s a simple way to decide:
If your main symptoms are bloating, constipation, diarrhoea, reflux, gut pain, food reactions or acne that flares with digestion → GI-MAP is usually the best starting point.
If your main symptoms are hormonal acne, PMS, weight changes, mood swings, painful periods, fertility issues, burnout or poor sleep → the DUTCH test is the most useful.
Some people benefit from doing both — especially if gut and hormones are impacting each other (which is extremely common in women)..
Are These Tests Worth It?
If you’ve been:
❌ Eliminating foods
❌ Trying random supplements
❌ Told “everything is normal”
❌ Feeling like no one is listening
❌ Stuck in the same symptoms for years
…testing can save months (or years) of guessing.
When you know what’s happening in your gut or hormones, treatment becomes targeted and faster.
Want Personalised Answers?
I use both tests in clinic for women with persistent symptoms like bloating, acne, constipation, hormonal issues, fatigue and anxiety—and they often reveal results standard blood tests miss.
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