Cortisol
A cortisol blood test is a powerful tool to help diagnose hormone-related conditions, check adrenal health, and better understand symptoms like fatigue, weight changes, or mood swings.
Tame the Stress Storm: Measure Your Cortisol Levels to Restore Energy, Balance, and Calm
Exhausted despite rest, unexplained weight shifts, or moods swinging wildly? Cortisol, your body’s stress hormone, can spike or crash from chronic pressure, disrupting adrenal function and fuelling fatigue or anxiety. Our blood test quantifies levels for early imbalance detection, guiding adrenal health and wellbeing.
Schedule a morning nurse visit for accurate venous draw (7-9 AM peak), results in 7 days – the reset to manage stress without the burnout.
The Cortisol Chaos – How Unchecked Stress Erodes Your Vitality from Within
Cortisol surges for fight-or-flight but lingers from endless emails or worries, overtaxing adrenals atop your kidneys – regulating metabolism, sugar, pressure, immunity, and inflammation. Highs breed Cushing’s: Belly fat bulges, moon face puffs, muscles weaken, BP climbs, moods sour with irritability or depression. Lows signal Addison’s: Profound fatigue drains days, weight melts unexplained, skin darkens, salt cravings intensify, joints ache.
In the UK’s high-stress hustle, this imbalance mimics ‘normal’ – yet unchecked, it risks diabetes, heart strain, or immune dips. Without testing, symptoms spiral; but morning snapshots reveal rhythms (peaking dawn, dipping night), enabling tweaks.
“Chronic worry tanked my energy – cortisol test showed highs; mindfulness fixed it.” – Sarah L., London.
Regain equilibrium – test to temper the tide.
Who Should Take the Cortisol Blood Test? If Stress Symptoms Linger, Gain Clarity
This adrenal marker suits those under pressure or hormonal flux. Test if you’re:
- Battling persistent fatigue or weakness that rest can’t revive?
- Noticing weight changes – gain (abdominal) or loss – without diet shifts?
- Experiencing mood disturbances like anxiety, irritability, or depression?
- Dealing with blood pressure fluctuations, muscle/joint pain, or skin darkening?
- Managing chronic stress, steroid meds, or adrenal concerns (e.g., family history)?
Test every 3-6 months for monitoring; ideal mornings (7-9 AM) for peak accuracy, or pair with afternoon for full cycle.
What Your Cortisol Blood Test Reveals – Direct Measure of Adrenal Stress Hormone
Our accredited UK lab assays your venous sample for hormone levels, delivering a PDF report with results, and adrenal health notes. Single focus:
- Cortisol: Quantifies circulating hormone from adrenals; normal morning range 140-690 nmol/L (peaks early, lows evening). Highs (>690) flag overproduction (Cushing’s/stress); lows (<140) suggest insufficiency (Addison’s/fatigue). Report compares to time-of-day norms, correlates symptoms (e.g., high cortisol to weight gain), and flags for GP (e.g., ACTH follow-up).
Balance Your Cortisol – Practical Steps from Your Results
Imbalance spotted? Treatable – work with GP/endocrinologist; most improve via habits:
- High Cortisol (Stress Overload): Practice mindfulness/meditation (10 mins daily), limit caffeine, sleep 7-9hrs; exercise moderately (yoga over HIIT). If Cushing’s, meds/surgery possible.
- Low Cortisol (Adrenal Fatigue): Salt-balanced diet (e.g., olives for Addison’s), gradual activity; hydrocortisone replacement if deficient. Avoid overexertion.
- General Adrenal Support: Balanced meals (avocado for fats), adaptogens like ashwagandha (consult first); retest 3-6 months to track rhythm.
Normal? Reassuring – sustain with stress audits; 90% feel steadier post-insights.
What You Might Be Wondering – Honest Insights Inside
- Timing critical? Yes – morning captures peak; afternoon optional for decline pattern – we guide scheduling.
- Stress alone or more? Tests adrenal output; highs from lifestyle, lows from disease – GP differentiates.
- Home draw accurate? Lab-equivalent; no fasting, but avoid intense stress/exercise pre-test.
- One-off or ongoing? Start here; monitor seasonally if high-stress job/life.
Harness your hormones – test for tranquility.
Testing for Cortisol
✅ Over 2,000 tests completed across the UK
✅ Trusted by patients, athletes, and health-conscious professionals
✅ NHS-comparable testing standards
✅ 100% secure and confidential
How often should I have a Cortisol blood test?
We recommend checking your cortisol levels every 3-6 months, if you are choosing to monitor levels over time.
Nurse appointments fill up fast — book now to secure your preferred date.
Other Questions
- Fatigue
- Weight changes
- Mood disturbances
- Muscle weakness
- Changes in blood pressure
This blood test is to check on:
- Cortisol
For best results, take the test first thing in the morning (due to cortisol levels being highest then).
Collection method: Venous blood
Results available: 1-2 days after the sample has reached the laboratory.
Cortisol
A cortisol blood test measures the level of cortisol which is a hormone made by your adrenal glands. A cortisol blood test helps assess your body’s stress response and adrenal health, and can uncover hormone imbalances that affect your overall well being.
How it Works
1. Order a Test
Order your test, and then Answer the Questions about why you’re taking that test.
Our nurse will contact you for dates, so they can take your blood sample at your home.
Our nurse will then send your sample to our laboratory.
2. Our laboratory team run the tests
Our skilled laboratory staff conduct your blood tests in a clean and secure environment, ensuring accuracy and reliability.
Each test follows strict protocols to maintain the highest quality standards.
3. Receive Your Results within 7 days
We will email you to inform you that your blood test results are ready.
The email will have a PDF report attached, sent directly to your inbox.
4. Monitor your levels over time
With regular ongoing tests and reports, you can track your results. The reports can be shared with your GP.
Check if you’re improving healthily or where changes could be made.
