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Learn · Pituitary & Adrenal Signals

Cortisol, AM

Measured in mcg/dL — draw 7–9 AM

The main stress hormone. Sets energy, blood sugar and recovery. Chronically high cortisol suppresses testosterone directly.

What the numbers mean

These are the ranges BioForge works to. They are not the same as a lab's reference range, which is built from the general population rather than from people who feel well.

Low
<6.2 · Work up adrenal · insufficiency
Optimal
10–18
High
>19.4 · AM interval; PM is 2.3–11.9

What moves Cortisol, AM

Sleep debt, chronic psychological stress, alcohol, overtraining, acute illness, steroid medications, and Cushing's syndrome. Highly time-of-day dependent — a late draw looks falsely low.

Related markers in Pituitary & Adrenal Signals

This page is educational and is not medical advice. Ranges are general and do not account for your history, medications or symptoms — a single number never decides a protocol. Your results are interpreted by a licensed clinician alongside everything else about you. Back to the Learning Center

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