Hormones
Cortisol
Hormones
Primary stress hormone. Helps assess adrenal function and chronic stress.
VAT-exempt medical service
Cortisol gets a bad rap, but you'd be lost without it. Produced by your adrenal glands, it follows a natural rhythm — peaking in the morning to get you going, then tapering off toward bedtime. It regulates your stress response, mood, digestion, immune system, and energy levels. The trouble? Modern life can hijack that rhythm. Chronic stress keeps cortisol elevated, and that's when the domino effect begins.
Testing cortisol gives you a snapshot of how your body handles stress at a hormonal level. It's useful for spotting risk factors for lifestyle diseases, checking how lifestyle changes are landing, and understanding why your thyroid might not be cooperating. If you're burned out, gaining weight around the middle, or just feel 'wired but tired' — cortisol is a great place to start.
What a high value can mean
Chronically high cortisol can come from ongoing stress, Cushing's syndrome, long-term corticosteroid use, pituitary or adrenal tumours, depression, obesity, or severe infections. You might notice weight piling on around your midsection and face, thinning skin, slow healing, acne, muscle weakness, high blood pressure, mood swings, anxiety, and irregular periods.
What a low value can mean
Low cortisol can result from Addison's disease, stopping corticosteroids too suddenly, pituitary problems, or congenital adrenal hyperplasia. The classic signs: fatigue that never lifts, muscle weakness, weight loss, low blood pressure, nausea, and skin darkening.
No special preparation needed. Try to go to bed at your usual time and skip stressful activities the evening before. Take the test between 7 and 8 am after a normal night's sleep. Bring valid ID to your appointment. If you take a supplement containing biotin (often sold for hair and nails), pause it for two days before the test, as high doses can distort the result.
Order your test
Choose your test and pay online. Your lab referral is created straight away.
Give your sample
Visit any of our partner sampling locations. No appointment needed at most of them.
The lab analyses it
Your sample is analysed at an accredited Swedish laboratory.
Get your results
Your values appear in your account with reference ranges and an explanation of each marker.
Cortisol follows a circadian rhythm and is highest shortly after waking. Testing between 7-8 am gives the most clinically useful baseline.
Definitely. Better sleep, regular exercise, stress management, and dietary shifts can all move the needle on cortisol over time.
They're closely connected. Off-kilter cortisol can impair thyroid hormone conversion and make hypothyroid symptoms worse.