Cortisol Stress Hormone Testing: Beyond The Nervous System

Yes.  We only use scientifically validated saliva and urine panels from leading functional laboratories (including the DUTCH and Adrenal Stress Profile tests). These tests map your cortisol rhythm over a full 24-hour cycle, giving a far more accurate picture than a single blood sample.

Your GP can order a basic cortisol test, but it’s usually done once, at one time of day, to rule out serious conditions such as Addison’s or Cushing’s disease.
Functional testing goes further - it looks for suboptimal cortisol patterns that can explain ongoing fatigue, poor sleep, anxiety, or burnout even when your standard blood work looks “normal.”

No - All our tests are home-based kits. But if we can find a more cost effective alternative for you, we will! Depending on the test, you may need to provide a saliva, urine, or stool sample. Clear instructions are provided, and once you’ve collected the sample, you simply send it back to the lab by post.

Once the lab receives your samples, results are typically ready within 2–3 weeks. As soon as they arrive, I’ll contact you to arrange your personalised results consultation.

In most cases, no. Because functional tests go beyond standard NHS testing, they are privately paid. Some private health insurance plans may cover part of the cost, but this varies. For a list of insurance partners that cover functional medicine testing, please visit our article on 'FAQ on Functional Medicine' 

Pricing depends on the exact panel, but most range between £90 for a basic 4x cortisol panel or up to  £350 for a DUTCH panel which looks at other sex hormones such as testosterone and estrogen plus your consultation fee. We will always confirm costs and options before proceeding.

Some medications, including steroid creams or hormone treatments, can influence results. Before ordering the test, we will review your current medication list and advise whether timing adjustments are needed.

Yes. In fact, it’s ideal. The test helps identify whether your adrenals are still producing too much cortisol (the “wired-but-tired” stage) or too little (the “burnt-out” stage), so we can tailor your recovery plan precisely.