Your lab report should show the range that your lab uses for each test. If your doctor thinks you may not be making enough, a test is usually done in the morning.Įach lab has a different range for what's normal. If your doctor thinks you might make too much cortisol, the test will probably be done late in the day. The timing of the cortisol test is very important because of the way cortisol levels vary throughout a day. This condition is called Cushing's syndrome. If you do not have this daily change (diurnal rhythm) in cortisol levels, you may have overactive adrenal glands. But if you sleep during the day and are up at night, this pattern may be reversed. They drop very low in the evening and during the early phase of sleep. Normally, cortisol levels rise during the early morning hours and are highest about 7 a.m. Cortisol levels can be affected by many conditions, such as physical or emotional stress, strenuous activity, infection, or injury. It helps the body use sugar (glucose) and fat for energy ( metabolism), and it helps the body manage stress. Cortisol levels go up when the pituitary gland releases another hormone called adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH).Ĭortisol has many functions. The cortisol level may show problems with the adrenal glands or pituitary gland. A cortisol test is done to measure the level of the hormone cortisol in the blood.
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