TLDR First Nation individuals had higher hair cortisol levels, indicating more chronic stress.
The study investigated hair cortisol as a biomarker of chronic stress among 55 Walpole Island First Nation (WIFN) volunteers compared to white volunteers in Canada. Results showed that WIFN participants had significantly higher median hair cortisol levels (177 ng/g) than the white controls (116 ng/g), indicating higher chronic stress levels. Factors such as gender, smoking status, and self-reported diabetes correlated with increased hair cortisol. The Perceived Stress Scale, which measures short-term stress, did not show differences between the groups, highlighting the distinction between chronic and acute stress. The study suggested that socioeconomic factors and poorer health might contribute to the elevated stress levels in the First Nation community.
76 citations
,
October 2011 in “Clinica Chimica Acta” Hot water and UV exposure reduce hair cortisol levels, with the back of the head showing the most consistent levels.
122 citations
,
October 2010 in “Clinica Chimica Acta” Washing hair with water or shampoo lowers cortisol levels in hair.
217 citations
,
July 2009 in “Experimental and Clinical Endocrinology & Diabetes” Hair analysis can track past cortisol levels in Cushing's Syndrome patients.
501 citations
,
October 2008 in “Psychoneuroendocrinology” Hair cortisol levels can show increased stress during late pregnancy but only for up to six months.
567 citations
,
October 2007 in “Clinical and investigative medicine” Hair cortisol can be used to measure long-term stress exposure.
25 citations
,
February 2007 in “Forensic science international” Different hair cleaning methods caused varying levels of damage to the hair's outer layer.
1 citations
,
December 2018 in “IntechOpen eBooks” Human hair shows promise for non-invasive medical testing, but more research is needed to standardize its use.
90 citations
,
July 2014 in “Conservation Physiology” Hair cortisol levels in brown bears can be affected by both long-term and short-term stress.
33 citations
,
January 2017 in “Psychoneuroendocrinology” Hair dyeing and washing frequency do not affect hair cortisol levels.
11 citations
,
February 2005 in “Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics/Clinical pharmacology & therapeutics” Hair cortisol could be a marker for chronic stress in pregnancy, but depression affects cortisol levels differently.
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.
