Picture cortisol as your body’s built-in alarm system—it’s the hormone that kicks you into gear when you face a challenge and helps you chill out when it’s over. Produced by your adrenal glands, it’s famously known as the “stress hormone” because it gears up during stressful times. But it’s not just about stress; cortisol helps control blood sugar levels, regulate metabolism, and reduce inflammation. It plays a key role in helping you wake up in the morning, powering through the day, and calming down at night.
Testing your cortisol levels is like checking the status of your internal stress thermostat. It’s essential for diagnosing conditions like Addison's disease, where cortisol is too low, or Cushing's syndrome, where it's too high. Abnormal levels can impact more than just mood—they can affect sleep, weight, and how your body fights infections. Understanding your cortisol levels can help tailor strategies to manage stress, diet, and medication more effectively.
Cortisol levels can be influenced by a variety of factors, including your sleep pattern, physical activity level, stress, diet, and underlying health conditions. Even the time of day can affect your cortisol levels, as they naturally fluctuate throughout the day.
Balancing cortisol is all about managing how you charge up and wind down. High cortisol can often be tackled by incorporating relaxation techniques, such as mindfulness, yoga, or regular exercise, and by ensuring you have a sleep-friendly bedtime routine. Low cortisol might need a diet rich in vitamins and minerals that support adrenal health, and possibly medical interventions like hormone replacement if advised by your doctor.
Balancing cortisol is all about managing how you charge up and wind down. High cortisol can often be tackled by incorporating relaxation techniques, such as mindfulness, yoga, or regular exercise, and by ensuring you have a sleep-friendly bedtime routine. Low cortisol might need a diet rich in vitamins and minerals that support adrenal health, and possibly medical interventions like hormone replacement if advised by your doctor.
Our baseline performance test designed for those who want to assess their health in relation to their training.
A thorough health check that provides a detailed assessment, specifically tailored to men's health. Includes PSA test.
