Self Test Stress Profile

Brand

NLS

Size

1 Test kit

Common Uses

Cortisol is a steroid hormone (made in the adrenal glands) and is vital for health. It has many functions which include: Helping to regulate blood pressure. Helping to regulate the immune system. Helping to balance the effect of insulin in regulating the blood sugar level. Helping the body to respond to stress.

Please download the Salivary Hormone Test Information here.Please read this prior to taking your saliva sample.

Suggested Dosage

How to collect your saliva. Saliva for hormone testing is generally collected in the early morning between 6-8am, before brushing/flossing your teeth, eating, drinking or applying makeup. To ensure the accuracy of the test results and avoid contamination: Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before beginning. Do not eat, brush or floss your teeth for one hour prior to collection of saliva. On the day of collection, avoid caffeine, alcohol and nicotine, if possible. Rinse your mouth out using a large tumbler of water. Swish the water around your mouth, to cleanse your mouth. Spit out. Collection of saliva Remove the cap of the saliva collection tube and start to collect the new saliva that is produced. This will take quite a while to fill the vial with your saliva. Avoid touching the mouth of the tube with your hands. Do not cough or clear your throat into the collection tube. Fill the tube at least 3/4 full and put the cap on. Make sure it is on evenly and securely. Tap the tube with your fingernail or tap on a hard surface to reduce bubbles. Insufficient saliva cannot be processed. Neatly print your name, date and time of collection of the label affixed to the saliva tube(s). Complete the client details form enclosed with your collection kit. It is especially important to include the time and date of saliva collection and to list any hormonal product you are using. Once you have filled the vial with saliva, put this in the pre paid envelope, with the client detail form and put this in the post. It will take approximately 4 weeks to receive your test results, once your sample is received from Pathlab in Australia.

Important If you are having the Stress Profile done (4 orange vials) you need to include your credit card details and Pathlab will charge you an additional AUS$60 for this test. Make sure each of the 4 tubes are clearly marked with the correct collection times (8am, Midday, 4pm and 8pm). Failure to do this will result in the test being invalid. A resubmission fee of AUS$20 will be charged if this happens.

If you are doing the sleep profile this involves just 1 collection tube. Please use the pink tube. The test is taken at midnight and will test for 12am cortisol and melatonin. There is an additional charge of AUS$60 for the night stress profile. Please ensure you fill in your credit card details, so Pathlab in Australia can deduct this. If you are doing both the Stress and Sleep profiles the additional charge is AUS$100.

Health Information

Cortisol (the active form of cortisone) is a natural steroid hormone produced by the cortex of the adrenal gland. Cortisol has a strong diurnal variation, generally high early in the morning and falling during the day. Cortisol level typically increases over the first few minutes of the day, reaching a peak 20-30 minutes after waking. In a healthy adult, salivary cortisol levels increase by between 50 and 160% in the first 30 minutes immediately after waking. Cortisol (the stress hormone) is involved with a variety of different functions in the body, including the regulation of blood sugar and liver function, regulation of electrolyte levels/balance and production and with immune function (to name a few). Low cortisol levels have been observed in patients with different stress-related disorders such as chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Low cortisol symptom leads to enhanced stress sensitivity, pain, and fatigue. The phenomenon of hypocortisolism may occur after a prolonged period of hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis due to chronic stress. Despite symptoms such as pain, fatigue and high stress sensitivity, low cortisol level may also have beneficial effects on the organism. Elevated cortisol level is found in many diseases, including infectious, aging-related, depression and depression -associated conditions; even in some with no known origin. While it was initially thought that high cortisol level is the result of these diseases, there is mounting evidence to the contrary, namely, that high cortisol actually plays a major role in inducing them, opening the possibility that anti cortisol drugs might represent a new beneficial therapy. High cortisol levels for prolonged periods leads to fat deposition and often belly fat.

Ingredients

This kit includes 5 collection vials (4 orange and 1 pink), your client details form, a saliva collection via and a pre paid envelope (for NZ customers only)

Safety Information

Keep out of reach of Children.