Cortisol is made by Adrenal glands. It is a steroid hormone and is used by the body to manage stress response, blood sugar levels as well as infection resistance. When you wake up in the morning the cortisol levels in the body are the highest and when you are relaxed or sleeping in the night, they are lowest. When you are stressed or nervous your glands produce excessive cortisol as a response to stress which may be dangerous for health. It is to be remembered that neither high nor low levels of cortisol in the body is good for health.

The Cortisol test measures the levels of cortisol in the body which is produced by Adrenal glands. High cortisol levels mean that you are under stress or anxious about something.

A cortisol test helps diagnose adrenal gland problems including Cushing’s syndrome in which your body produces too much cortisol and Addison disease which produces insufficient cortisol.

If you have following symptoms then your doctor may advise a cortisol test to be done:

• Obesity, particularly around the torso
• Hypertension
• High blood sugar
• On the stomach, purple streaks
• Bruised skin
• Weakness of muscle
• Women may have irregular menstrual periods and facial hair growth