Cortisol (AM) details
What Cortisol (AM) shows
Cortisol is the main stress hormone made by the adrenal glands, and it helps control blood sugar, blood pressure, inflammation and your response to stress. Its level follows a daily rhythm, peaking in the early morning and falling through the day, which is why a morning sample is often used. A low morning level can point to reduced adrenal function, and a high level can be seen with stress, illness or cortisol excess, though one result alone does not confirm either. Steroid medications, estrogen-containing pills, sleep patterns and sample timing all affect the result, so it is interpreted with symptoms and often follow-up tests.
Tests that include Cortisol (AM)
This test measures the level of cortisol in the blood in the morning when it's typically highest. High levels of cortisol may indicate Cushing's Disease, while low levels could suggest Addison's Disease (adrenal insufficiency), both of which affect your adrenal glands.
- Cortisol (AM) Measures cortisol in a morning blood sample, when levels are normally highest, to help look at adrenal function and possible cortisol deficiency or excess.
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