Female Saliva Adrenal Stress Test
Does Your Energy Change Throughout the Day?
Do you struggle to get going in the morning, experience afternoon energy dips or feel tired but unable to switch off at night?
This at-home test helps answer two important questions:
How does your cortisol change from morning to bedtime, and where does your DHEAS level sit within the laboratory’s expected range?
Collect four saliva samples across one day. Your ZRT Laboratory report shows your DHEAS result and four cortisol measurements, compares them with the relevant reference ranges and presents them on clear visual graphs.
The report also includes individualised comments from ZRT’s hormone-specialist clinical team. These comments explain your results in context and, where appropriate, suggest what you could consider or discuss with your healthcare professional next.
£187 — laboratory analysis and specialist laboratory comments included
- Four saliva samples collected at home
- One DHEAS result and four cortisol results
- Visual graph showing your cortisol pattern across the day
- Age-related visual context for your DHEAS result
- Individualised hormone-specialist laboratory comments
- Suggestions for appropriate next steps
- Physician-reviewed ZRT Laboratory report
- Normally reported within 3–5 working days after the laboratory receives your samples
Is This Test Right for Me?
This test may be suitable if you experience:
- Persistent tiredness or changing energy levels
- Difficulty becoming alert in the morning
- Afternoon energy dips
- Feeling tired but unable to relax in the evening
- Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
- Waking feeling unrefreshed
- Feeling stressed, tense or overwhelmed
- Reduced stamina or difficulty recovering from everyday demands
It is particularly useful when your symptoms change during the day and one morning cortisol measurement would not provide enough information.
Women experiencing perimenopausal or menopausal changes may also find the profile useful when reviewing tiredness, sleep and changing energy. It measures cortisol and DHEAS rather than oestrogen, progesterone or testosterone.
What Will My Results Help Me Understand?
Your report is designed to show your individual hormone levels and how your cortisol changes across the collection day.
1. See Your Cortisol Pattern Across the Day
Your report shows cortisol measurements from:
- Morning
- Before lunch
- Before dinner
- Before bed
Each result is compared with the laboratory range for that time of day and plotted on a visual graph.
This helps you see whether your measured cortisol follows the expected pattern of being higher earlier in the day and lower towards bedtime.
2. Understand Your DHEAS Result
DHEAS is produced mainly by the adrenal glands and normally changes with age. Your report shows your measured DHEAS level and places it in age-related visual context.
This provides additional information about adrenal androgen production. DHEAS can be converted into other hormones in body tissues, but the result does not directly show your oestrogen or testosterone levels.
3. Relate the Results to Your Symptoms
Your Test Requisition Form records relevant information about your symptoms, medicines, supplements, hormone treatments and collection times.
ZRT’s hormone-specialist clinical team uses the information provided, where relevant, when preparing the individualised laboratory comments in your report.
This helps you consider whether your results correspond with concerns such as morning tiredness, afternoon energy dips, evening restlessness or disturbed sleep.
4. Consider What to Do Next
Your laboratory comments explain the findings and may identify relevant considerations or points to discuss with your healthcare professional.
Depending on your results and symptoms, this may help you decide whether to:
- Review sleep timing, workload, caffeine use, exercise and recovery
- Discuss a high or low result with your healthcare professional
- Investigate other possible reasons for persistent tiredness or sleep problems
- Consider whether reproductive-hormone, thyroid or nutritional testing may be useful
- Monitor your symptoms and repeat testing after an agreed period
- Discuss any suggested supplement or hormone use before starting treatment
The test provides measured hormone information to support your next decision. It cannot determine the cause of your symptoms by itself.
What Will My Report Include?
Your physician-reviewed ZRT Laboratory report includes:
- One morning DHEAS result
- Four cortisol results from different times of day
- A separate reference range for each collection time
- Clear within-range, high or low result indicators
- A visual graph showing your cortisol pattern
- An age-related graph for DHEAS
- Your recorded sample collection times
- Relevant medicines and hormone treatments reported on your form
- Your reported symptoms, where applicable
- Individualised hormone-specialist laboratory comments
- Relevant suggestions or considerations based on the findings
If previous ZRT results are available, they may also appear for comparison, helping you follow changes over time.
View the Saliva Adrenal Stress Sample Report.
What Does the Test Measure?
The test measures two hormones through five reported results:
- DHEAS: One measurement from the morning sample
- Cortisol: Four measurements collected from morning to bedtime
Cortisol naturally changes throughout the day. Testing at four time points provides more information than a single morning measurement and allows the laboratory to plot your results across the collection day.
DHEAS provides an additional adrenal androgen measurement that can be interpreted alongside your age, symptoms and reported treatments.
Test Details
Test ID: S-121
Sample type: Saliva
Hormones measured: DHEAS and cortisol
Results reported: 5 — DHEAS once and cortisol four times
Testing method: ECLIA
Collection: Four saliva samples collected across one day
Laboratory: ZRT Laboratory — CLIA-certified
Specialist interpretation: Individualised hormone-specialist laboratory comments included
Report review: Physician-reviewed
Suitable for: Adults and children
Laboratory reporting time: Normally 3–5 working days after the laboratory receives your samples
What Is Included?
Your purchase includes:
- At-home saliva collection kit
- One morning collection tube
- Three additional collection tubes
- Test Requisition Form
- Step-by-step collection instructions
- Laboratory analysis of DHEAS and four cortisol samples
- Complete ZRT Laboratory results report
- Time-specific reference-range comparisons
- Visual cortisol and DHEAS graphs
- Individualised hormone-specialist laboratory comments
- Suggestions or considerations for appropriate next steps
- Physician review of the report
- Laboratory analysis fee
The specialist interpretation is included within your ZRT Laboratory report, so there is no separate interpretation to wait for. Return postage to the laboratory is paid separately by the customer.
How It Works
1. Collect Four Samples at Home
Collect saliva at four points on the same day:
- Within 30 minutes of waking
- Before lunch
- Before dinner
- Before bed
No blood draw, appointment or clinic visit is required.
2. Send Your Samples to the Laboratory
Label each tube with the correct collection date and time, complete your Test Requisition Form and post everything to ZRT Laboratory using the packaging and return instructions supplied.
Providing complete details about your symptoms, medicines, supplements and treatments helps the laboratory prepare the most relevant comments.
3. Receive Your Explained Results
ZRT Laboratory analyses your samples and prepares your physician-reviewed report.
The report normally arrives within 3–5 working days after the laboratory receives your samples. It includes your DHEAS result, four cortisol results, visual graphs, individualised comments and relevant next-step considerations.
Kit delivery and return-postage time are separate from the laboratory reporting period.
Which Cortisol Test Should I Choose?
| What do you want to understand? | Recommended test |
|---|---|
| Is my cortisol within the expected range shortly after waking? | Female Morning Cortisol Saliva Test |
| How does my cortisol change from morning to bedtime? | Female All Day Cortisol Test |
| How does my cortisol change across the day, and what is my DHEAS level? | Female Saliva Adrenal Stress Test |
| How does my cortisol respond during the first hour after waking and then across the day? | Female Cortisol Awakening Response Test |
Choose this test if you want to see your daily cortisol pattern and measure DHEAS.
If you only want to assess cortisol across the day without measuring DHEAS, the Female All Day Cortisol Test may be sufficient.
Preparing for Your Test
For accurate and usable samples:
- Collect all four samples on the same day.
- Begin the morning collection within 30 minutes of waking.
- Do not eat, drink anything other than water or brush your teeth before the morning sample.
- Before later samples, avoid food, drinks other than water and brushing your teeth for at least two hours.
- Avoid anti-ageing or anti-wrinkle facial creams and biotin supplements for three days before testing.
- Record all medicines, supplements and hormone treatments on the Test Requisition Form.
- Label every tube with the correct collection date and time.
- Fill each tube at least halfway, excluding bubbles.
- Freeze the samples if you will not post them within 24 hours.
Because this test measures cortisol and DHEAS rather than oestrogen, progesterone or testosterone, it can be collected on any day of your menstrual cycle.
If you use hormone treatment, corticosteroids, troches or medication dissolved under the tongue, read the treatment-specific instructions before collecting your samples.
Read the Full Saliva Collection Instructions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Report Explain What My Results Mean?
Yes. Your ZRT Laboratory report includes individualised comments from its hormone-specialist clinical team and is physician-reviewed.
The comments explain your DHEAS and cortisol results in context and may include relevant considerations or suggestions about what to discuss with your healthcare professional next.
How Is This Different From a Morning Cortisol Test?
A morning cortisol test provides one result shortly after waking.
This test provides four cortisol results across the day and adds a DHEAS measurement. It is more suitable when your energy, stress or sleep concerns occur at different times.
What Does the DHEAS Result Tell Me?
DHEAS is an adrenal androgen that normally changes with age. Your result shows your measured level and how it compares with the laboratory’s expected range.
It does not directly show your oestrogen or testosterone levels. Symptoms such as menstrual changes, acne, increased facial hair or low libido may require separate hormone assessment.
Can This Test Assess PMS, Perimenopause or Menopause?
The test measures cortisol and DHEAS. It does not measure oestrogen, progesterone, testosterone or thyroid hormones.
It can add useful information when tiredness, changing energy or sleep problems occur alongside PMS, perimenopause or menopause. Separate testing may be needed to assess other symptoms.
When Should I Collect During My Menstrual Cycle?
Because the test does not measure oestrogen, progesterone or testosterone, you can collect your samples on any day of your menstrual cycle.
Follow the treatment-timing instructions if you use HRT or other hormone medication.
Can I Take the Test While Using HRT or the Contraceptive Pill?
Yes, subject to the collection instructions. Continue prescribed treatment and record HRT, contraception and any other treatments on the Test Requisition Form.
If you use topical hormones, follow the contamination-prevention and treatment-timing instructions supplied with your kit.
Why Are Four Cortisol Samples Needed?
Cortisol changes naturally during the day. Four samples allow the laboratory to compare your morning, midday, evening and bedtime measurements and display the pattern on a graph.
Why Use Saliva?
Saliva allows you to collect several timed samples at home without repeated blood draws or clinic visits. It measures the unbound fraction of cortisol and DHEAS present in each sample.
How Quickly Will I Receive My Results?
The laboratory normally reports within 3–5 working days after receiving your samples. Kit delivery and return-postage times are additional.
How Long Can I Keep the Kit?
Use the kit within 12 months of purchase.
Are There Any Additional Charges?
The collection kit, laboratory analysis and ZRT Laboratory report are included in the price. You are responsible for arranging and paying for return postage to the laboratory.
Not Sure Whether This Is the Right Test?
Email info@hormonelab.co.uk with your age, main symptoms, medicines and current treatments. Our team will forward your enquiry to our specialist doctors and respond with a suggested testing option within 24 hours.
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