Hair Cortisol as a Novel Biomarker of Stress

The document discussed the potential of hair cortisol as a novel biomarker for assessing stress levels. It highlighted that cortisol, a hormone released in response to stress, could be measured in hair, providing a long-term indicator of stress exposure. This method was considered advantageous over traditional measures, such as blood or saliva tests, which only reflected short-term cortisol levels. The study suggested that hair cortisol measurement could offer a non-invasive, reliable, and practical approach for evaluating chronic stress in various populations. However, as this research was conducted 13 years ago, further studies would have been needed to validate these findings and establish standardized protocols.