Blog — cortisol

By Dr. Tracy Tranchitella, ND (ZRT Laboratory) For anyone who has dealt with issues that are related to chronic fatigue has likely evaluated their hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis performance through a multi-point salivary test. The hormone Cortisol is measured in saliva when the samples are collected through predetermined intervals throughout a single day reveal one’s physiological resilience and metabolic reserve in response to daily stressors. HPA axis testing is a mainstay in the world of integrative, naturopathic, and functional medicine. For the past 2 years, the world has existed under the constant shadow of COVID-19. To say that we have been “stressed” is an...

  By Dr. Tracy Tranchitella, ND (ZRT Laboratory) The Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR) is the predictable rise in cortisol within the first hour of awakening. There are two events that contribute to this dynamic rise in morning cortisol. The first is in response to adrenocorticotropic hormone output from the pituitary as a part of the normal circadian activities of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis with involvement from the sympathetic nervous system. The second occurs in response to exposure to daylight with the activation of the suprachiasmatic nucleus in the hypothalamus, which happens within 30-45 minutes after awakening and can increase cortisol...

By Tracy Tranchitella, ND ZRT Laboratory SARS-CoV-2 has been circulating in the global population for over a year. According to Worldometer, at the time of this writing on March 2, 2021, 115 million people have been infected with the virus, 2.5 million have died, and 90 million have survived the infection to go on to have possible immunity. The immune response to the virus can range from asymptomatic to severe illness and death and has aroused fear and uncertainty around the world. For those who have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 and survived, some experience prolonged symptoms beyond recovery from the acute illness....

By Dr. Beth Baldwin, ZRT Laboratory If one were to create a word cloud of our clinical consulting calls in 2020, the word “phosphatidylserine” would likely float to the center in a large, bold, brightly colored font. After a year spent coping with a global pandemic, record high unemployment, social distancing, and remote learning for students, accompanied by not only an extreme wildfire season but also a contentious presidential election in the U.S., people are stressed – and it shows. We are seeing plenty of patients with abnormal salivary cortisol profiles, absent, blunted or exaggerated cortisol awakening responses, and symptoms typical of both high...

What is Cortisol? Cortisol is a steroid and a stress hormone. Production of cortisol is stimulated when stress is triggered.  Cortisol plays an important role in the different metabolic processes in the body. Through its increased distribution in stress situations, it is able to provide energy by consuming sugar, fat and protein reserves. By immune processes cortisol also helps with its anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effect, and has an important function in maintaining the health of the body. Excessively low cortisol levels It is well known that chronic stress is unhealthy – and stress is in turn the most important impulse that...