How to test cortisol levels at home: Understanding high cortisol

Cortisol is a steroid hormone, commonly known as the hormone of stress because it is released primarily in response to acute, chronic, or traumatic stress. When it’s produced in excess, you can notice such signs as:

• Severe fatigue
• Muscle weakness
• Difficulty concentrating
• Irritability
• High blood pressure
• Difficulty healing
• Headache
• Thinning skin
• Acne
• Weight gain

Luckily, you can easily detect if your cortisol levels are indeed high using a home cortisol test. There are saliva, urine, and blood spot test kits available online.

Living in our fast-paced world is often associated with excessive stress. Needless to say, it doesn’t go unnoticed for your health, causing excessive cortisol production and, as a result, a range of unpleasant side effects. In this guide, we’ll explore how high cortisol affects you and share some tips on how to test cortisol levels at home and improve your well-being.

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Understanding Cortisol and Its Implications

Cortisol is a type of steroid hormone produced by your adrenal glands, which are endocrine glands located on top of your kidneys. 

The majority of people think of cortisol primarily in relation to stress. Indeed, adrenal glands release this hormone whenever you experience acute, chronic, or traumatic stress to regulate your body’s response to it.

On top of that, cortisol is responsible for a range of other crucial bodily functions, such as:

• Metabolism - Released after adrenalin, cortisol stimulates the rapid release of glucose (sugar) from your liver to supply your body with the energy it needs to respond to stress. Respectively, it has an effect on your blood sugar levels. Additionally, cortisol has an effect on your overall metabolic function. In particular, it can adjust how your tissues use glucose for energy.
• Inflammation regulation - In short surges, cortisol can also suppress inflammation, reduce tissue and nerve damage, and enhance your immunity. 
• Blood pressure regulation - Although scientists still don’t have an explicit answer on how it happens, there is an evident link between cortisol levels and blood pressure.
• Sleep-wake cycle control - Lastly, cortisol is known for having an effect on your sleep-wake cycle. In a normal state, it naturally reduces in the evening, signaling to your body that it’s time to go to sleep, and surges in the morning when you need to wake up.

What Causes High Cortisol and How Does It Affect You?

Before we get into detail on how to test cortisol levels at home, let’s also clarify when your cortisol levels can go up and what implications this can have on your body.

Increased cortisol levels can be caused by a number of reasons. The first one is stress–when you experience constant and high levels of stress, your body signals your adrenal glands to produce more hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. Usually, their levels drop once stress triggers disappear. However, when you have chronic stress, your cortisol response may not turn off as it’s supposed to.

Apart from ongoing stress, high cortisol can be also caused by certain conditions, such as pituitary gland issues and adrenal gland tumors. Also, high cortisol levels are commonly found in women with PCOS. And it can sometimes result from taking certain medications, such as corticosteroids.

Regardless of the cause, constantly high cortisol levels have been shown to have a significant impact on female health. The most common signs indicating the excess of this hormone include:

• Severe fatigue
• Muscle weakness
• Difficulty concentrating
• Irritability
• High blood pressure
• Difficulty healing
• Headache
• Thinning skin
• Acne
• Weight gain, especially in the abdomen (hormonal belly) and face, etc.

How to Test Cortisol Levels at Home

The symptoms of high cortisol can be incredibly unpleasant and frustrating. Naturally, if you notice them, you will likely be wondering–can you test cortisol levels at home?

Luckily, the answer is “yes.” It’s possible to assess your cortisol levels with a cortisol test. These tests are used to measure the level of this hormone in your blood, saliva, or urine. And while you can take this test with your doctor, there is also an option to use a home cortisol test.

If you want to test your cortisol levels, typically, you can buy over-the-counter kits online. Let’s look at a quick comparison of the three types of test kits:

Saliva Test Kits

This is one of the most popular options among women wondering how to test cortisol levels at home. Typically, it’s chosen for the following benefits:

• The saliva collection is painless and very simple.
• This type of test kit can let you analyze several samples throughout the day and see how your cortisol levels change.

The only issue with saliva tests is that the results might be affected by contaminants, such as food or blood, which is why you need to avoid eating, brushing your teeth, or drinking before you collect samples.

Urine Test Kits

Another popular choice is an over-the-counter home cortisol test that works on your urine samples. Similarly to the previous option, this method is non-invasive, which makes it easy to use. Other benefits include:

• An opportunity to detect issues with cortisol metabolism.
• A chance to test other hormone markers along the way, for example, estrogen or DHEA levels.

The challenges? This type of test requires perfect timing and refrigeration, which can make it a bit trickier to use.

Blood Spot Test Kits

Finally, one more way to test your cortisol at home is by using a finger-prick blood method. Just like the majority of blood tests, this one may offer you greater accuracy. And it’s fairly easy to use, even though this is an invasive method.

On the other hand, blood spot tests do not let you track fluctuations as conveniently as other test types. It only shows your current cortisol level.

Simple Tips for Using Your Home Cortisol Test Right

Now that you know about the available options, you must be wondering how to use them correctly for accurate results. Here’s a quick step-by-step guide that will help:

1. Choose and order your test kit. Carefully compare different test types to pick one that suits your goals best. Here’s a quick note–saliva tests are perfect for monitoring daily patterns and fluctuations, urine tests are great for measuring the total output, other hormonal markers, and metabolism, and blood spot tests are good for assessing baseline levels. When choosing your kit, also pay special attention to the brand and its reputation.
2. Read the instructions. Like all over-the-counter kits, your home cortisol test requires accurate adherence to instructions in order to secure the most accurate results.
3. Collect, store, and ship your samples. Be sure to follow all the manufacturer instructions, including the timing for collecting your samples, proper storage, etc.
4. For maximum accuracy, try to avoid stressors and certain medications and foods before collecting your samples.

What Is a Normal Cortisol Level for a Woman?

After you take your home cortisol test, the next big task is to interpret the results correctly. To do this, you need to understand the normal values, which are as follows:

• Morning - Between 6 to 23 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL) or 138 to 635 nanomoles per liter (nmol/L)
• Evening - Between 3 to 13 µg/dL or 83 to 358 nmol/L.

Please note that the results can vary depending on multiple factors, including the type of test, your health profile, medications you take, and so on. Thus, you can use the values provided above for reference but it’s recommended to interpret your results with a healthcare professional for maximum accuracy.

What’s Next?

After you take a test and interpret the results, you may either find your cortisol levels within a normal range or see that they are above the normal levels. In the second case, there are a few things you can do post-testing to improve your cortisol:

• Integrate a steady bedtime routine and make sure you get plenty of sleep.
• Limit nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol as they may increase your cortisol levels.
• Implement a whole and balanced diet that will support your physical and mental health. You can look up ideas from PCOS-friendly meals that target hormonal balance.
• Embrace regular physical activity and exercise to boost your dopamine levels and support overall health.
• Consider using natural remedies, such as cortisol cocktails and supplements.
• Integrate stress-management techniques that will help you minimize daily stress.
• Seek further medical assistance if needed.

FAQ

What is cortisol and how does it affect me?

Cortisol is a steroid hormone, frequently addressed as the “stress” hormone. It’s released by your adrenal glands in response to stress to help your body regulate a response to it. When its levels increase, for example, due to ongoing stress or certain health conditions, it can cause such symptoms as fatigue, irritability, high blood pressure, weight gain, and many others.

Can you test cortisol levels at home?

Yes. If you notice the signs of high cortisol, you can purchase a home cortisol test to assess your levels of this hormone. There are three types of such tests–saliva, urine, and blood spot. Depending on the specific kit you choose, you can easily take samples at home, ship them to a laboratory, and receive results.

Conclusion

As you now know, high cortisol can greatly affect your health and well-being. But this doesn’t mean that you can’t do anything about it.

With the help of a home cortisol test, you can assess your levels of this hormone and detect whether there is a need for any lifestyle changes to manage it. Use the knowledge you gained from this guide to keep an eye on your cortisol and support your health!

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