Symptoms

Symptoms of Unbalanced Cortisol include:

• Severe fatigue
• Headaches
• Cognitive difficulties
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Bone loss and weakness
• High blood pressure
• Decreased libido
• Decreased fertility
• Weight gain or weight loss
• Erectile dysfunction
• Irregular periods
• Low blood sugar
• Diarrhoea, nausea or vomiting

When is best to test?

You should take the test if you:

• constantly feel run down
• are body-building competitively
• are presenting with symptoms of Cushing syndrome
• have Cushing syndrome
• are presenting with symptoms of Addison’s disease
• have Addison’s disease
• take or have been taking testosterone

The Science

Cortisol is a steroid hormone that is released by the adrenal gland in response to stress or low blood glucose. It is responsible for controlling the body’s blood sugar levels, regulating metabolism, acting as an anti-inflammatory, influencing memory formation, controlling salt and water balance, influencing blood pressure and helping the development of a fetus in pregnant women.