Cortisol daily profile (7 readings) - comprehensive insight into your stress hormone
This is a complementary test. This test is not (h)recognized by general practitioners and mainstream care. For follow-up care with Blood Value Test, ask for the specialized therapists.
The cortisol daily profile gives you a comprehensive and reliable insight into the course of your cortisol levels throughout the day. Cortisol is an important stress hormone that follows a distinct day-night rhythm and affects energy, sleep, recovery and stress resilience.
This test uses a user-friendly saliva kit with clear instructions. You collect 7 saliva samples spread throughout the day. Based on a combined ("pool") of 3 samples, the morning value is determined, followed by 4 additional readings.
Make sure you keep yourself to the exact saliva collection times of set hormone sample collection times. The collection times and reference values are linked. So the more accurate the collection at the set times the more accurate the results will be.
- Directly after waking up
- ½ hour after waking up
- 1 hour after waking up
- 2 hours after waking up
- 5 hours after waking up
- 8 hours after waking up
- 12 hours after waking up
In case of deviating times the sample can be rejected and you will have to take it again.
The last measurement must be taken exactly 12 hours after the first measurement, so it depends on what time you wake up. If the last measurement is taken after 5 p.m., the filled tubes can be kept in the refrigerator's vegetable drawer, so mail all tubes the next day.
The measurement should be taken on an average day where there is not excessive stress. It is also important to stop hormone preparations that may affect cortisol 48 hours before the saliva measurement. Think hydrocortisone, etc.
This creates a detailed daily curve of your cortisol level. This gives a much more complete picture than standard tests with only 3 measurement times, making deviations in your stress response and daily rhythm more visible.
This test is suitable for complaints such as fatigue, sleep problems, stress, burnout complaints or hormonal imbalance.
*Blood tests give the most complete and reliable overall picture, while saliva tests are especially suitable for measuring diurnal rhythms, active hormones and tracking hormone supplementation.
In bound form, hormones are inactive. Therefore, to determine specific hormonal activities, it is important to determine the concentration of free hormones. About 95 to 99% of adrenal hormones in blood are bound to proteins, for example CBG (corticosteroid-binding globulin), SHBG (sex hormone-binding globulin) and albumin. In contrast, in saliva this is only 1-5%.
Watch this instruction carefully:
