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Every person concerned about their health should regularly (about once a year) undergo preventive examinations. Thanks to them, you can spot irregularities in the functioning of individual systems in time and take a holistic look at your body. The most popular preventive examinations include, among others, complete blood count, lipid profile and urine tests. Where’s the cortisol in all of this? It turns out that the test of cortisol, the stress hormone, is sometimes neglected by patients. Wrong. We explain why it is worth controlling the concentration of cortisol, what is its role in the body and what is associated with the deficiency and excess of this hormone.
- Cortisol is a stress hormone, the concentration of which increases in stressful situations
- Checking the cortisol level should be on the list of preventive examinations performed once a year
- It is worth checking the level of cortisol, among others, before visiting a dietitian
- You can find more such stories on the TvoiLokony home page
Cortisol – what is it and what is its role in the body?
Cortisol, or the stress hormone, is also called hydrocortisol or glucocorticoid hormone. The production of cortisol, dependent on the adrenocorticotropic hormone produced by the pituitary gland, is the job of the adrenal glands. The concentration of cortisol increases when severe stress occurs, for example in the case of neglecting basic human needs (e.g. hunger), or during physical or mental exertion.
Increasing the concentration of this hormone leads to an increase in blood glucose, which can lead to weight problems. Persistently high levels of cortisol can lead to a reduction in the percentage of lean body mass (including muscle mass), increase insulin resistance, increase the appetite and promote the increase of body fat.
Cortisol is also responsible for stimulating other hormones such as adrenaline and norepinephrine. In addition, cortisol has anti-inflammatory properties and is important for the water and electrolyte balance and for the development of the fetus in the prenatal period.
Who should test cortisol levels and how to prepare for the test?
The determination of the concentration of cortisol in the blood is usually included in the medical recommendations on the referral when there is a suspicion of insufficient production of the stress hormone or, on the contrary, its excess. Preventive examinations can also be performed privately, on the patient’s own initiative. The following symptoms should motivate this step:
- feeling weak;
- weight gain, including excessive fat deposition around the face, neck and back;
- sleep problems.
These symptoms can be related to high levels of cortisol in the body. The determination of this concentration is also helpful in the diagnosis of Cushing’s disease, abnormalities in the work of the pituitary gland and adrenal insufficiency.
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If you want to test the level of cortisol, you should schedule the tests for the morning hours, because a sample of biological material should be collected in the morning. The concentration of cortisol follows the daily cycle, therefore it is recommended to take it on an empty stomach. Cortisol is a stress hormone, which means it is released when you are under stress. For this reason, it is advisable to avoid stress prior to testing in order to get a reliable result. It is also recommended to give up intense physical activity. You should also consult your doctor, as a specialist may advise you to discontinue the medications or take them only after blood sampling. These include anti-oedematous drugs containing estrogen or androgens.
One of the indications for a blood cortisol test is problems with extra kilos. Prophylactic examinations are only one of the recommendations, because in the event of overweight problems, it is worth approaching the topic holistically and considering, among others, a meeting with a personal trainer and a visit to a dietitian. E-panel before visiting a dietitian – home blood sampling was prepared by the uPatient portal. The purpose of such a package is not only to test the concentration of cortisol, but also to check many other important parameters.
We also recommend:
- Athlete’s health – home blood collection,
- E-packet for everyone – preventive blood tests.
This may interest you: How Can I Deal With Stress?
What are elevated and lowered cortisol levels associated with?
Due to the fact that the concentration of cortisol follows the daily cycle, its highest concentration is in the morning and the lowest in the evening. Reference values adopted by the laboratory will help in the analysis of the results. Approximate, normal results of cortisol concentration are 166 – 507 nmol / l in the morning and 73.8 – 291 nmol / l in the evening.
Too low a result may be related to adrenal insufficiency (Addison’s disease). In turn, elevated cortisol levels can be observed in patients:
- taking certain medications (internal and external corticosteroids)
- struggling with depression,
- abusing alcohol,
- experiencing long-term stress.
Prolonged fatigue and difficulty concentrating may be symptoms of the disease. To check it, it is worth trying a special test package, thanks to which you will be able to check whether the body has developed anemia. uPatient offers anemia E-packet – diagnostic tests that can be performed without leaving home.