Home / Hormone Tests / Cortisol Blood Test
74% of people feel so stressed they have been overwhelmed or unable to cope
Our cortisol blood test checks if the levels of cortisol in your blood are too high or low. High levels of cortisol can be an indicator of stress, over-exercising, obesity and pregnancy. But in some rare cases it can be an indicator of something more serious, such as Cushing syndrome and Addison’s disease.
Checking your stress levels via a cortisol test can help identify why you’re feeling tired, aren’t sleeping well or are having mood changes.
Your cortisol levels rise and fall throughout the day, but are highest in the morning, when you wake up, so it’s best to collect your blood sample before 10am or within 3 hours of waking up. Our cortisol blood test kit has everything you need to collect a blood sample at home, including free return postage to our labs. Our doctors will review your results to provide feedback on your levels and advice on how to improve them.
Consistently high cortisol levels can be bad for your health. Symptoms of high cortisol include:
This is what our customers ask us most about this test. For more information, try our help centre.
What is cortisol?
Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands. Abnormal cortisol levels can lead to health conditions.
Cortisol impacts:
How can I lower my cortisol levels?
Lifestyle changes can help to control cortisol. Diet, exercise and stress-relieving exercises can all help to keep stress and cortisol levels down.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Programmes can help to improve the way the body deals with stress. Exercises such as yoga, Pilates and meditation may be beneficial, too. If you can try to take yourself away from the situation which is causing you stress.
What are good cortisol levels?
The normal range for Cortisol is 160 – 600 nmol/L.
What causes high levels of cortisol?
Cortisol is known as the “stress hormone”. When we experience stress, our body will produce more cortisol in response.
High training load in athletes can also increase cortisol levels in response to the stress the training is putting on your body.
How soon will the test arrive?
If you order your test before midday on a Monday to Friday then your kit will be dispatched the same day. All our kits are sent out via Royal Mail first class post, so it should be with you within 1-2 working days.
How secure is my data?
We have strict processes in place to ensure the protection of your data. Following GDPR the company also operates under tight legal rules about the sharing of data which ensures that data is only shared if it is crucial to the delivery of our service. For example, our doctors see customer results at the time of review, however, after review, access to results is withdrawn.
Can I have someone take my blood for me?
Yes. We offer two options if you do not want to do our finger prick test. The first is a home appointment where a nurse comes to your home to take a blood sample. The second is to visit a Phlebotomy clinic near you that offers a blood sample service.
A blood sample will be taken from your vein and we will provide you with everything you need to give to the nurse to allow them to take the sample.
The nurse will give you the blood sample to return to us using the pre-paid envelope provided.
Does a doctor review my results?
We have a team of doctors and nurses who look at all results and will comment on any results that are outside of the normal range for your age.
If your levels are low or you need further advice, you should consult a medical professional.
Can I download the results to share with my GP?
Yes, you can download your results from your health dashboard as a PDF to share with your GP.
We are dedicated to supporting you on improving your health
Dr Thom Phillips
Clinical Lead
BSc. (Hons) MSc. MB BCh. MRCGP. Dip SEM. PGCert (Diabetes)
Renee McGregor
Nutrition Lead
BSc (hons) PGDIP (DIET) PGCERT(sportsnutr) RD BASES
Dr Michael Cornes
Scientific Officer
Consultant clinical scientist, FRCPath, BSc Biochemistry, MSc Clinical Biochemistry, PhD Biochemistry
Getting the insights you need to improve your health has never been easier.
No need to wait for a GP appointment, choose from our wide range of tests which come with everything you need to take your sample and return to our lab.
Take your finger prick blood sample at home, or choose to have your blood taken at a Superdrug health clinic or a nurse at home. Return to our NHS lab using our prepaid envelope.
View your results on your secure health dashboard within 2 working days of our lab receiving your sample. Read personalised comments from our GPs.
With more in-depth results, you will be able to identify areas that need improving. Make the changes and track your progress.
From hormones to nutrients, we offer 70+ different tests
We’ve helped over 50,000 people gain an understanding of their biological health
We’ve delivered over 550,000 scientific tests
Additional markers can be added by personalising this test
Biomarkers are specific compounds we can detect in your blood sample that reflect different things about your health. Your test will tell you your levels for each of the above biomarkers, and whether they are in a normal range.
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When you purchase this test subscription plan, we will automatically send you another test kit in a few months. Don’t worry – you have full control over when this will be, and you can change/cancel it anytime.
When you first purchase this test, you can choose your subscription options in the checkout. We do this, because we recommend taking multiple tests over time to track how your health markers change. You’ll be charged per test kit (rather than monthly, for example).
One test will show you what areas you need to focus on, continued testing will help you learn how your training, diet and lifestyle is impacting your health.
We recommend a follow up test 3 months after your first test, followed by a test every 6 months depending on your results, but its up to you!
Yes, you can tailor/customise subsequent tests (via your app) to focus on just the areas that need improving.
You can choose your preferred collection method when you checkout
You can do this test at home without the need for a doctor. We’ll send you everything you need to collect your sample and post it back to us. And it’s all included in the cost. We’ve put together a video that covers the process, making it easy to check and track your health from home.
We’ll arrange for a medical professional to visit your home and collect your sample. This is great if you’re unsure on how it all works or have trouble collecting a sample. No need to book a doctor’s appointment or visit a clinic, we’ll send you everything you need to collect a sample and post it back to our labs.
Once you’ve ordered your test, look out for an email from our phlebotomy partners containing information and a link to book your appointment. We’ll send you everything the clinic will need to complete the sample and post it back to our labs.
If none of the above options work for you, you can arrange your own medical professional to collect your sample. There is no additional charge for this. Once you’ve ordered your test, we’ll send you everything you and your chosen medical professional will need to collect a sample and post it back to our labs.
Still unsure how it works? You can find more information on collection methods and the service we provide in our ‘How it Works’ section.
No need to wait for a GP appointment, choose from our wide range of tests which come with everything you need to take your sample and return to our lab.
Take your finger prick blood sample at home, or choose to have your blood taken at a Superdrug health clinic or a nurse at home. Return to our NHS lab using our prepaid envelope.
View your results on your secure health dashboard within 2 working days of our lab receiving your sample. Read personalised comments from our GPs.
With more in-depth results, you will be able to identify areas that need improving. Make the changes and track your progress.