Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
What Is The Normal Cortisol Secretion Level In Body?
Question: I took dexamethasone at 11pm at night and had a .6 cortisol level at 8am the next day. My lab result said this was normal . Is this correct?
Brief Answer:
normal for a overnight suppression test
Detailed Answer:
HI, thanks for using healthcare magic
The secretion of cortisol in humans is diurnal. It is an important hormone that plays in rule in controlling glucose levels and the body's response to stress.
This means that levels tend to peak in the day time, for cortisol this occurs at approximately 8 am.
There are different potential tests that can be used to assess cortisol levels. One is called the overnight suppression test which is the test that you had.
This is the test where dexamethasone is given the night prior to the test.
In this test the normal cortisol levels are less than 2 nanograms/l
Your value of 0.6 is less than 2 and would be considered normal.
I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions
normal for a overnight suppression test
Detailed Answer:
HI, thanks for using healthcare magic
The secretion of cortisol in humans is diurnal. It is an important hormone that plays in rule in controlling glucose levels and the body's response to stress.
This means that levels tend to peak in the day time, for cortisol this occurs at approximately 8 am.
There are different potential tests that can be used to assess cortisol levels. One is called the overnight suppression test which is the test that you had.
This is the test where dexamethasone is given the night prior to the test.
In this test the normal cortisol levels are less than 2 nanograms/l
Your value of 0.6 is less than 2 and would be considered normal.
I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions
Note: For more information on hormonal imbalance symptoms or unmanaged diabetes with other comorbid conditions, get back to us & Consult with an Endocrinologist. Click here to book an appointment.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
