Correlation of Cortisol in 1-Cm Hair Segment with Salivary Cortisol in Humans: Hair Cortisol as an Endogenous Biomarker

January 2011 in “ Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (CCLM) ”

Qiaozhen Xie, Wei Gao, Jifeng Li, Ting Qiao, Jing Jin, Huihua Deng, Zuhong Lu

cortisol hair cortisol salivary cortisol hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal activity endogenous biomarker

TLDR Hair cortisol levels can reflect salivary cortisol levels in humans.

The study validated the direct correlation between cortisol levels in 1-cm hair segments and salivary cortisol in healthy humans. Researchers collected saliva samples at three different times and hair samples 4 weeks later, measuring cortisol levels using high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Significant correlations were found between salivary cortisol at different times and between hair cortisol and salivary cortisol at Time 2 and the average salivary cortisol. The results confirmed that blood-related diffusion is a biologically endogenous source of hair cortisol.

View this study on degruyter.com →

Discuss this study in the Community →

Research cited in this study

4 / 4 results

research Effects of Shampoo and Water Washing on Hair Cortisol Concentrations

122 citations , October 2010 in “Clinica Chimica Acta”

research Measurement of Cortisol in Human Hair as a Biomarker of Systemic Exposure

567 citations , October 2007 in “Clinical and investigative medicine”

research Neuroimmunology of Stress: Skin Takes Center Stage

375 citations , July 2006 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology”

Stress can worsen skin and hair conditions by affecting the skin's immune response and hormone levels.

research Human Hair Follicles Display a Functional Equivalent of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis and Synthesize Cortisol

489 citations , June 2005 in “The FASEB Journal”

Similar Research

5 / 1000+ results

research Hair Corticosterone Measurement in Mouse Models of Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

32 citations , January 2017 in “Physiology & Behavior”

New hair growth corticosterone levels are higher in diabetic mice, indicating long-term stress.

research Analysis of Hair Cortisol as an Indicator of Chronic Stress in Pigs in Two Different Farrowing Systems

16 citations , January 2021 in “Frontiers in veterinary science”

Pigs in farrowing crates and loose-housing systems showed no difference in chronic stress levels as measured by hair cortisol.

research Hirsutism and Virilization in the Female

2 citations , January 2013 in “Elsevier eBooks”

The chapter explains the causes of excessive hair growth and masculinization in women and how to measure hormone levels related to these conditions.

research An Update on Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia

151 citations , December 2004 in “Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences”

Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia is a genetic disorder with two forms, causing symptoms like early puberty and severe acne, but can be identified through screening and treated with glucocorticoids.

research Is It Getting in the Hair? Cortisol Concentrations in Native, Regrown, and Segmented Hairs of Cattle and Pigs After Repeated ACTH Administrations

19 citations , June 2020 in “General and comparative endocrinology”

Hair cortisol is a reliable stress indicator in cattle but may not be valid for pigs.

Correlation of Cortisol in 1-Cm Hair Segment with Salivary Cortisol in Humans: Hair Cortisol as an Endogenous Biomarker

Research cited in this study

research Effects of Shampoo and Water Washing on Hair Cortisol Concentrations

research Measurement of Cortisol in Human Hair as a Biomarker of Systemic Exposure

research Neuroimmunology of Stress: Skin Takes Center Stage

research Human Hair Follicles Display a Functional Equivalent of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis and Synthesize Cortisol

Related Community Posts Join

community Ray Peat: Testosterone Isn’t the Culprit, Prolactin and Cortisol Drive Hair Loss (2016)

community How all hormones affect our hair follicles. Not just DHT. Take a look at this paper. Prolactin, melatonin, cortisol, progesterone, testosterone and more

community No luck with meds, Check your Cortisol.

community How to reduce cortisol (stress hormone) naturally?

community How uninformed the general public is about hair loss