Cortisol
Cortisol is the body’s main stress hormone. It is made by the adrenal glands and follows a daily rhythm.
Cortisol is the body’s main stress hormone, made by the adrenal glands. It helps regulate blood sugar, blood pressure and the immune response, and it follows a clear daily rhythm: highest in the morning and lowest late in the evening. The value reflects the level at the time the sample was taken.
The time of day has the biggest effect, so morning and afternoon results are not directly comparable. Stress, short or broken sleep, shift work, jet lag and hard training without recovery affect the level. Cortisone medicines and some hormonal contraceptives also change the result.
Foods that help
Regular meals with slow carbohydrates such as oats, sweet potatoes and quinoa, magnesium from leafy greens, nuts and seeds, fatty fish, and vitamin C from fruit and vegetables.
Foods to limit
A lot of caffeine, alcohol and sugar, and late, heavy meals that disturb sleep.
Track it through the year
One value is a snapshot. Following it up shows whether what you changed is working.
Related markers
Educational information only — not a diagnosis. Every result is checked against safe limits, and anything critical is escalated for follow-up.
See all 84 markers →