Cortisol and DHEA Testing

[Guest guest]

Are Cortisol and DHEA results more reliable by getting saliva or blood tested?

Does it matter? When getting your saliva tested, is it better to get the test

that measures it throughout the day?

Thank you for your help!

Sue

[Guest guest]

Thanks to all who have answered my burning feet Inquiry.

Cortisol is in two forms in the body.Free cortisol plus bound cortisol.Some

cortisol is bound by cortisol binding globulins and is not available for use.

It has been observed that CBG levels of PWC's are higher than normal population.

" The SST relies on serum total cortisol responses. A

large proportion of serum total cortisol is bound to

CBG (80-90%). Thus, serum total cortisol levels are

affected by variation in CBG. It has been shown that

the changes in serum total cortisol levels do not correlate

with cortisol production rates unless differences in

CBG are corrected for (4). However, CBG is not routinely

considered in the interpretation of total cortisol

measurements. Our data suggest that CBG is important

for the correct interpretation of dynamic tests of the

HPA axis. "

http://www.eje-online.org/content/146/2/231.full.pdf+html

There was another article which stated that PWC's had higher CBG levels but I

could not find it at the moment.

Serum cortisol test measures total cortisol level which is free plus

bounded.Therefore it does not give correct picture of available cortisol. Saliva

test gives directly free cortisol which is preferable but than there is problem

of finding and MD who will interpret and use it. You may need to see naturopath

for that.

24 hour urinary free cortisol test may also give better picture than serum

cortisol test.

DHEA So4 test gives good picture of DHEA status.

Best wishes

nil

Cortisol and DHEA Testing

Are Cortisol and DHEA results more reliable by getting saliva or blood tested?

Does it matter? When getting your saliva tested, is it better to get the test

that measures it throughout the day?

Thank you for your help!

Sue

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