What is Cortisol?
Cortisol is a steroid produced and secreted by the adrenal glands. Cortisol affects many different body systems, including: bone growth, blood pressure control, immune system function, metabolism of fats, carbohydrates, and protein, and nervous system function. Additionally, our brain releases a chemical called adrenocorticotropic hormone in response to threatening stimuli. This triggers your adrenal glands to release cortisol and adrenaline, giving you a burst of new energy and strength.
Let’s take a closer look at cortisol levels:
Cortisol levels follow a pattern called “diurnal variation,” peaking in the early morning then declining throughout the day and reaching the lowest level at night.
Why are cortisol tests performed?
Cortisol tests are done to check for increased or decreased cortisol production, which is an indication of how well the pituitary and adrenal glands are working. Tests may also be ordered when women have irregular menstrual periods and increased facial hair or when children have delayed development and short stature.
More details on the fight or flight response - a modern take:
The fight or flight response which triggers a release of cortisol is a natural and necessary tool for our survival. However, in our modern world threatening situations usually take the form of bills and deadlines not bears and tigers. Our bodies have a limiting response when a threat passes that brings cortisol levels back to baseline; however, when stressors are always present cortisol levels remain elevated. This long-term activation and subsequent overexposure to cortisol and other stress hormones can disrupt almost all of our body’s processes. This puts us at risk for a number of serious health problems, including:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Digestive problems
- Heart disease
- Weight gain
- Sleep problems
Normally, cortisol levels rise within 10 to 30 minutes of waking to help boost energy levels and then drop throughout the day. This is known as the cortisol awakening response (CAR). In the DUTCH test the 24hr Free Cortisol biomarker is the sum of the Waking, Morning, Afternoon and Night cortisol levels. Cortisol levels are a good indication of baseline HPA axis function since they represent the lowest level during the circadian rhythm. Cortisol is often reflective of glycemic control due to the post-prandial timing of collection. Cortisol measurement reflects peak ACTH-mediated adrenal gland response.
References:
– The cortisol awakening response (CAR): Facts and future directions [L]
– Stress on the dance floor: the cortisol stress response to social-evaluative threat in competitive ballroom dancers. [L]
– Comparison of the cortisol awakening response in women with shoulder and neck pain and women with fibromyalgia. [L]
– Timing the end of nocturnal sleep. [L]
– Enhanced cortisol production rates, free cortisol, and 11β-HSD-1 expression correlate with visceral fat and insulin resistance in men: effect of weight loss [L]
– Awakening cortisol response in lean, obese, and reduced obese individuals: effect of gender and fat distribution. [L]
– Central adiposity and cortisol responses to waking in middle-aged men and women. [L]
– Rise in morning saliva cortisol is associated with abdominal obesity in men: a preliminary report. [L]
– Components of the diurnal cortisol cycle in relation to upper respiratory symptoms and perceived stress. [L]
– A single sleeping midnight cortisol has 100% sensitivity for the diagnosis of Cushing’s syndrome. [L]
– Hyperinsulinemia causes activation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis in humans. [L]
– Cortisol and its relation to insulin resistance before and after weight loss in obese children. [L]
– Hyperthyroidism and cortisol secretion in man. [L]
– Cortisol as a marker for improvement in mindfulness-based stress reduction. [L]
– Daytime napping after a night of sleep loss decreases sleepiness, improves performance, and causes beneficial changes in cortisol and interleukin-6 secretion. [L]
– Cortisol level modulated by integrative meditation in a dose-dependent fashion. [L]
– Effect of Buddhist meditation on serum cortisol and total protein levels, blood pressure, pulse rate, lung volume and reaction time. [L]
– Cortisol decreases and serotonin and dopamine increase following massage therapy. [L]
– Effects of soy lecithin phosphatidic acid and phosphatidylserine complex (PAS) on the endocrine and psychological responses to mental stress. [L]
– The influence of phosphatidylserine supplementation on mood and heart rate when faced with an acute stressor. [L]
– A new view on hypocortisolism. [L]
– Seasonal differences in the diurnal pattern of cortisol secretion in healthy participants and those with self-assessed seasonal affective disorder. [L]
– A blunted cortisol awakening response and hippocampal atrophy in type 2 diabetes mellitus [L]
– Preliminary Evidence for Obesity and Elevations in Fasting Insulin Mediating Associations between Cortisol Awakening Response and Hippocampal Volumes and Frontal Atrophy [L]
– Awakening cortisol responses are influenced by health status and awakening time but not by menstrual cycle phase. [L]
– Sleep disturbances are correlated with decreased morning awakening salivary cortisol. [L]
– Altered cortisol awakening response in posttraumatic stress disorder. [L]
– Enhanced cortisol suppression in response to dexamethasone administration in traumatized veterans with and without posttraumatic stress disorder. [L]
– Hypocortisolism and increased glucocorticoid sensitivity of pro-Inflammatory cytokine production in Bosnian war refugees with posttraumatic stress disorder. [L]
– PTSD symptoms predict waking salivary cortisol levels in police officers. [L]
– Salivary cortisol response to awakening in chronic fatigue syndrome. [L]
– Psychoneuroimmunological correlates of persisting sciatic pain in patients who underwent discectomy. [L]
– Evidence for altered hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis functioning in systemic hypertension: blunted cortisol response to awakening and lower negative feedback sensitivity. [L]
– Basal and stimulated hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity in patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders and healthy controls. [L]
– Comparison of the cortisol awakening response in women with shoulder and neck pain and women with fibromyalgia. [L]
– Addison’s disease. [L]
– Comprehensive study of urinary cortisol metabolites in hyperthyroid and hypothyroid patients. [L]
– Low-Serum Cortisol Associated With Opioid Use: Case Report and Review of the Literature [L]
– Low-dose adrenocorticotropin test reveals impaired adrenal function in patients taking inhaled corticosteroids. [L]
– The effect of different doses of isotretinoin on pituitary hormones. [L]
– Cortisol evaluation during the acute phase of traumatic brain injury-A prospective study. [L]
Your medical lab tests hold vital information about your health. Our tools help you understand what's going on and how to take action.
$15 $5.99/first month
Cancel or upgrade anytime
Afternoon cortisol levels may be a good indication of glycaemic control exerted by the adrenal gland since they represent a postprandial sample. High afternoon levels suggest a degree of adrenal hyperfunction with increased adrenal assistance in glycaemic control. Other possible causes of high salivary cortisol include stress, heavy exercise, pregnancy, smoking, obesity, depression, alcoholism, or if significantly elevated, adrenal hyperplasia and Cushing's syndrome.
Possible reasons for a high cortisol awakening response (CAR):
- Overactive HPA axis
- Short-term stress about a future event [L]
- Shoulder and neck pain [L]
- Anticipating having to wake up at a certain time [L]
- Visceral adiposity in men (=Excess weight that develops over time around the center of the body). Likely caused by elevated cortisol, not vice versa. [L, L, L, L]
- Upper respiratory infection / a cold [L]
Possible reasons for high cortisol throughout the day:
- Cushing’s disease (where the pituitary gland releases too much ACTH, stimulating the adrenals to release too much cortisol) [L]
- High levels of stress (including mental stress)
- Hyperthyroidism [L]
- HPA axis dysfunction
- A high blood cortisol level at night may indicate a problem with the adrenal glands; however, individuals who work at night and sleep during the day will have an inverted pattern.
- A tumor in the adrenal gland or somewhere in the body involved in cortisol production can also cause higher-than-normal cortisol levels.
- Pregnancy or birth control pills are also known to cause a high blood cortisol level.
Suggestions for lowering cortisol levels:
- Evaluate lab results correctly to help pinpoint and address the root cause
- Reduce stress levels [L]
- Improve sleep quality (and quantity if needed) [L]
- Massage [L]
Higher evening levels:
- Elevated levels may be due to stress, exercise, alcohol, and specific lifestyle stressors.
- Elevated evening salivary cortisol is linked to insomnia
- High evening cortisol levels are also associated with various diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hormonally driven cancers, and osteoporosis.
Possible treatment:
Treatment of elevated cortisol should be directed at the root cause of the stressor. Lifestyle modification with relaxation methods, dietary changes, pain management, and overall HPA axis support with nutrition and/or adaptogens can be helpful. Glandulars may be added if additional support is necessary.
Anthony
Unlimited Plan Member since 2021
I have been using Healthmatters.io since 2021. I travel all over the world and use different doctors and health facilities. This site has allowed me to consolidate all my various test results over 14 years in one place. And every doctor that I show this to has been impressed. Because with any health professional I talk to, I can pull up historical results in seconds. It is invaluable. Even going back to the same doctor, they usually do not have the historical results from their facility in a graph format. That has been very helpful.
Karin
Advanced Plan Member since 2020
What fantastic service and great, easy-to-follow layouts! I love your website; it makes it so helpful to see patterns in my health data. It's truly a pleasure to use. I only wish the NHS was as organized and quick as Healthmatters.io. You've set a new standard for health tracking!
Paul
Healthmatters Pro Member since 2024
As a PRO member and medical practitioner, Healthmatters.io has been an invaluable tool for tracking my clients' data. The layout is intuitive, making it easy to monitor trends and spot patterns over time. The ability to customize reports and charts helps me present information clearly to my clients, improving communication and outcomes. It's streamlined my workflow, saving me time and providing insights at a glance. Highly recommended for any practitioner looking for a comprehensive and user-friendly solution to track patient labs!
A low level of cortisol may indicate Addison’s disease, a disorder in which the adrenal glands do not produce sufficient steroid hormones.
Symptoms include:
- Weight loss
- Fatigue
- Low blood pressure
- Abdominal pain
- Dark patches of skin
You may also have hypopituitarism, which occurs when cortisol production by the adrenal glands is low because the pituitary gland is not sending proper signals.
Possible reasons associated with low cortisol awakening response (CAR):
Normally, cortisol levels rise within 10 to 30 minutes of waking to help boost energy levels and then drop throughout the day. This is known as the cortisol awakening response (CAR)
- Underactive HPA axis
- Chronic stress, including psychological stress (L)
- Seasonal affective disorder (L)
- Type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance (L, L)
- Insomnia or other sleep issues, including sleeping in late (L, L) PTSD (L, L, L, L)
- Chronic fatigue syndrome (L)
- Chronic pain (L)
- High blood pressure (L)
- IBS and dyspepsia (L)
- Fibromyalgia (L)
Possible reasons associated with low cortisol throughout the day:
- Addison’s disease (where the adrenal glands are not responding to the ACTH released by the pituitary gland and are not producing enough cortisol) [L]
- Hypothyroidism [L]
- Medications – opioids, corticosteroids, Accutane [L, L, L]
- HPA-axis dysfunction
- Head trauma affecting the HPA axis [L]
Cortisol (3PM-5PM) lower:
- Low levels can reflect underlying HPA axis dysfunction.
- Late afternoon cortisol level is below mean range and suggestive of adrenal insufficiency.
This suggests suboptimal adrenal functioning, and if accompanied by low evening cortisol and low DHEA, suspect adrenal fatigue. Suggest supplementation with DHEA and standard adrenal support.
Guiding our users for 10 years to promptly understand, track, and act on their laboratory results.
$15 $5.99/first month
Cancel your subscription at any time.
$250/once
full premium version
$45/month
track your clients’ labs
Cancel your subscription at any time.
Guiding our users for 10 years to promptly understand, track, and act on their laboratory results.
Personal plans
track personal results
Professional Plan
track multiple client's results
$15 $5.99/first month
$250/once
own it for life
$45/month
for health professionals
Complete Plan
Unlimited Plan
$15 $5.99
$250 full version
Are you a health professional?
Level up your lab report analysis with our Pro plan, built for health practitioners like you.
Health Business Account
$45/month
Cancel your subscription at any time.
Unlock additional Pro plans when you sign up.
Anthony
Unlimited Plan Member since 2021
I have been using Healthmatters.io since 2021. I travel all over the world and use different doctors and health facilities. This site has allowed me to consolidate all my various test results over 14 years in one place. And every doctor that I show this to has been impressed. Because with any health professional I talk to, I can pull up historical results in seconds. It is invaluable. Even going back to the same doctor, they usually do not have the historical results from their facility in a graph format. That has been very helpful.
Karin
Advanced Plan Member since 2020
What fantastic service and great, easy-to-follow layouts! I love your website; it makes it so helpful to see patterns in my health data. It's truly a pleasure to use. I only wish the NHS was as organized and quick as Healthmatters.io. You've set a new standard for health tracking!
Paul
Healthmatters Pro Member since 2024
As a PRO member and medical practitioner, Healthmatters.io has been an invaluable tool for tracking my clients' data. The layout is intuitive, making it easy to monitor trends and spot patterns over time. The ability to customize reports and charts helps me present information clearly to my clients, improving communication and outcomes. It's streamlined my workflow, saving me time and providing insights at a glance. Highly recommended for any practitioner looking for a comprehensive and user-friendly solution to track patient labs!
Healthmatters is a highly-personalized health dashboard.
Instead of searching for your lab results in different places or tracking them down from different providers, Healthmatters houses, organizes, and interprets them all in one central location.
With a Healthmatters account, you can dive into the details of each biomarker and gain insights into the meaning behind your medical test data, anytime, anywhere.
For our professional users, Healthmatters provides intuitive tools that not only streamline analysis but also save valuable time when delving into your client's lab report history.
Healthmatters.io personal account provides in-depth research on 4000+ biomarkers, including information and suggestions for test panels such as, but not limited to:
You can combine all test reports inside your Healthmatters account and keep them in one place. It gives you an excellent overview of all your health data. Once you retest, you can add new results and compare them.
If you are still determining whether Healthmatters support your lab results, the rule is that if you can test it, you can upload it to Healthmatters.
While we work with many popular labs, we welcome reports from lots of other places too.
It's as simple as this: if you can get a test done, you can upload it to Healthmatters and we can interpret results from any lab out there. If laboratories can analyze it, we can interpret it.
If you’re on the hunt for a specific biomarker, contact us and we'll add it to our database. Anything from blood, urine, saliva, or stool can be uploaded, understood, and tracked with your Healthmatters account.
There are two ways to add your test reports to your Healthmatters account. One option is to input the data using the data entry forms. The other method is to utilize our "Data entry service."
Our data entry forms offer an easy, fast, and free way for you to input the reports yourself. Self-entry allows you to add an unlimited number of reports at no cost. We make the self-entry process user-friendly, providing dozens of templates that pre-populate the most popular laboratory panels and offering instant feedback on entered values.
For those who prefer assistance, we offer a "Data entry service" to help you input your data. Simply attach an image or file of your lab test results, and a qualified team member from our data entry team will add the results for you.
We support various file types, including PDFs, JPGs, or Excel. This service is particularly useful if you have many reports to upload or if you're too busy to handle the data entry yourself.
Our special data entry service makes it easy to add your results to your private dashboard. Just attach an image or a file of your lab test results, and our skilled data entry team will do the work for you. It's all done by humans, ensuring that your data is entered accurately and with personal care for each client.
Depending on your account, the data entry service can be included for free or come at an additional cost of $15 per report.
For users on the Complete monthly plan, the first report is entered free of charge, and each additional report incurs a fee of $15.
Unlimited account holders enjoy the entry of ten reports without charge. Subsequent reports are subject to a $15 fee per report.
Additionally, users on the Complete plan can upgrade to a yearly subscription from the account settings. The annual subscription includes a data entry service for five reports.
The Unlimited plan is a one-time purchase for $250, and it covers your account for a lifetime with no additional payments.
For the Complete plan, the cost is $15 per month. You have the flexibility to cancel it anytime through your account settings, ensuring no further payments. To avoid charges, remember to cancel at least a day before the renewal date. Once canceled, the subscription remains active until the end of the current billing cycle.
Additionally, you can upgrade to the yearly Advanced plan from within your account. The annual cost is $79, and it comes with a data entry service for five reports.
You can always upgrade to a lifetime version with a prorated price from a monthly or yearly subscription.
Simply log in and navigate to your account settings to cancel your subscription. Scroll down to locate the 'Cancel' button at the bottom of the page. Ensure you cancel at least one day before the renewal date to prevent any charges. Once cancellation is requested, the subscription remains active until the conclusion of the current billing cycle.
Our goal has been to make your Healthmatters account as intuitive as possible.
We’ve crafted multiple ways for you to navigate your data, whether you're glancing at a single report or delving into your historical test reports.
1. Graph View:Dive into a visual journey with our biomarker graphs, showcasing over 40 data points. Combining years of results unveils trends, empowering you to make informed decisions. Our visualization tools make it a breeze to compare and understand changes over time, even if your results are from different labs. A search function and filters simplify the exploration of extensive data, allowing you to focus on what needs attention.
2. All Tests ViewExplore neatly organized reports on a timeline, highlighting crucial details like dates, critical results, and lab/panel names. Each report opens up to reveal in-depth descriptions and additional recommendations for each biomarker. The history of previous results is just a click away, and you can download a comprehensive report for deeper insights. Color-coded and user-friendly, it's designed for easy reading, understanding, and navigation.
3. Table View:For a holistic view of all biomarkers side by side, our table view is your go-to. Results are neatly displayed in a categorized and dated table, ideal for those with an extensive test history. Utilize sorting, filters, and color-coding to enhance your analysis and gain extra insights.
Yes, you can download information from your account. We can compile your labs into a CSV file. To download all your labs, you can go to Account Settings, and at the bottom of the page, you will find a link to download your information.
Yes, you can print your report. To do so, navigate to "All tests" and open the report you wish to print. You'll find a print button in the right corner of the report. Click on it, and your browser's print window will open. If you prefer to print in a bigger typeface, adjust the scale using the print window settings.
Yes, you can! We highly recommend activating Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for your account. To do so, please navigate to the "Profile and Security" section of your account, where you will find instructions for activating 2FA.
Yes, you can. When entering values for the biomarker, you will see an "Edit Range" button. Click this button, and you'll have the option to enter a custom range.
A personal account is all about keeping your own lab test results in check. It's just for you and your personal use.
The professional account is designed for health professionals who wish to track and organize their clients' laboratory results.
To learn more about Healthmatters Pro, please refer to the professional page.
At HealthMatters, we're committed to maintaining the security and confidentiality of your personal information. We've put industry-leading security standards in place to help protect against the loss, misuse, or alteration of the information under our control. We use procedural, physical, and electronic security methods designed to prevent unauthorized people from getting access to this information. Our internal code of conduct adds additional privacy protection. All data is backed up multiple times a day and encrypted using SSL certificates. See our Privacy Policy for more details.
