Free Cortisol Evening

High levels of free cortisol in the evening could indicate that your body is not following its normal pattern of reducing cortisol production to prepare for sleep. This could be due to a variety of reasons. For instance, it could be a sign of Cushing's syndrome, a condition where your body produces too much cortisol over a long period. It could also be due to chronic stress, which can cause your adrenal glands to overproduce cortisol. Certain medications, such as corticosteroids or hormonal contraceptives, can also increase cortisol levels. Additionally, conditions like depression, alcoholism, malnutrition, or physical trauma can also lead to elevated cortisol levels. It's important to note that while high cortisol levels can be indicative of these conditions, they are not definitive and further testing would be needed for a diagnosis.

Symptoms of high levels of free evening Cortisol evening could include difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, fatigue, weight gain, mood swings, high blood pressure, and muscle weakness.

Low levels of free cortisol in the evening could indicate that your body isn't producing enough cortisol, a condition known as adrenal insufficiency or Addison's disease. This might be due to problems with your adrenal glands or pituitary gland, which controls cortisol production. Certain medications, like steroids or opioid painkillers, can also lower cortisol levels. Additionally, chronic conditions such as kidney or liver disease, depression, or hypothyroidism can result in lower cortisol levels. It's also possible that lifestyle factors like high levels of physical or emotional stress, poor diet, or lack of sleep could be contributing to low cortisol levels.

Symptoms of low levels of free cortisol in the evening may include fatigue, muscle weakness, loss of appetite, weight loss, low blood pressure, and abdominal pain.