Cortisol
Understand Cortisol levels for stress response and adrenal function evaluation. Monitor hormone balance for optimal wellness tracking.
What is Cortisol?
Cortisol is the primary stress hormone produced by the adrenal glands. It regulates blood pressure, blood sugar, inflammation, and helps your body respond to stress. Cortisol follows a circadian rhythm, typically highest in the morning and lowest at night.
Why is it Tested?
Doctors measure cortisol to evaluate adrenal gland function, investigate symptoms of Cushing’s syndrome or Addison’s disease, assess stress response, and monitor steroid medication effects. Morning cortisol is most commonly tested.
Normal Ranges
Reference ranges for morning (AM) cortisol:
- Normal: 6–23 μg/dL
Cortisol levels vary significantly throughout the day, with morning values being highest. Evening cortisol should be much lower.
Reference ranges vary by authority. Track yours across multiple standards with automatic unit conversions in LabsVault.
What do Abnormal Results Mean?
Abnormal results are not a diagnosis. Always discuss your results with a qualified healthcare provider before making any medical decisions.
Low Cortisol
Reduced levels may indicate:
- Addison’s disease (adrenal insufficiency)
- Pituitary disorders
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Withdrawal from steroid medications
- Severe stress or illness
High Cortisol
Elevated levels suggest:
- Cushing’s syndrome
- Chronic stress or depression
- Pituitary adenoma
- Steroid medication use
- Severe physical illness
How to Track Over Time
Cortisol levels fluctuate with stress, illness, sleep patterns, and medications. Single measurements may be misleading, so tracking multiple samples helps establish patterns. Persistent abnormalities warrant further evaluation with specialized adrenal function tests.
Track your Cortisol results over time
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