Evaluation of a method to measure long term cortisol levels

Manenschijn, Laura; Koper, Jan W.; Lamberts, Steven W. J.; Rossum, Elisabeth F.C. van

doi:10.1016/j.steroids.2011.04.005

Cited by 282 publications

(280 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…Confounders of HCC considered elsewhere were explored (Wells et al, 2014). There was no evidence for correlations between HCC and: age (ρ=.017, p=.850); BMI (ρ=.101, p=.256); or frequency of hair washing (ρ=-.161, p=.068), which is consistent with some other findings Manenschijn et al, 2011). There was some evidence of: lower HCC in females compared with males (10.21±8.28 vs. 13.41±12.56 pg/mg, t(130)=2.006, p=.047); lower mean HCC in those who did use hair dye/treatment, compared with those who did not (9.94±8.58 vs. 12.40±10.25, t=-2.27(128), p=.026); higher HCC with higher alcohol consumption (r=.176, p=.046); higher HCC with more deprivation approaching significance (r=-.170, p=.055).…”

Section: Hair Cortisol Concentrationsupporting

confidence: 74%

Hair cortisol and self-reported stress in healthy, working adults

Gidlow

Randall²,

Gillman

et al. 2016

Psychoneuroendocrinology

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Chronic stress can be important in the pathology of chronic disease. Hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) are proposed to reflect long term cortisol secretion from exposure to stress. To date, inconsistencies in the relationship between HCC and self-reported stress have been attributed to variation and limitations of perceived stress measurement. We report data from employees of two large public sector worksites (n=132). Socio-demographic, health, lifestyle, Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and work-related Effort Reward Imbalance (ERI) were collected at baseline. Participants were asked to respond to mobile text messages every two days, asking them to report current stress levels (Ecological Momentary Assessment, EMA), and mean stress was determined overall, during work hours, and out of work hours. At 12 weeks, the Appraisal of Stressful Life Events Scale (ALES) was completed and 3cm scalp hair samples were taken, from which HCC was determined (to reflect cortisol secretion over the past 12 weeks). Mean response rate to EMA was 81.9±14.9%. Associations between HCC and the various self-reported stress measures (adjusted for use of hair dye) were weak (all <.3). We observed significant associations with HCC for EMA measured stress responses received out of work hours (ρ=.196, p=.013) and ALES Loss subscale (ρ=.241, p=.003), and two individual items from ERI (relating to future work situation). In regression analysis adjusting for other possible confounders, only the HCC-ALES Loss association remained significant (p=.011). Overall, our study confirms that EMA provides a useful measurement tool that can gather perceived stress measures in real-time. But, there was no relationship between self-reported stress collected in this way, and HCC. The modest association between HCC and stress appraisal does however, provide some evidence for the role of cognitive processes in chronic stress.

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Section: Hair Cortisol Concentrationsupporting

confidence: 74%

Hair cortisol and self-reported stress in healthy, working adults

Gidlow

Randall²,

Gillman

et al. 2016

Psychoneuroendocrinology

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“…Consequently, a loss of the substances may occur by washout effects, for example, cosmetic treatment (permanent waving, dyeing), or leaching out caused by mechanical damages of the hair structure. 43,44 The washout was also observed by several others 9,19,21,45 but not by all 46,47 groups. Manenschijn et al 46 assumed that washout of steroids results from hair sample decontamination steps before analysis.…”

mentioning

confidence: 59%

“…43,44 The washout was also observed by several others 9,19,21,45 but not by all 46,47 groups. Manenschijn et al 46 assumed that washout of steroids results from hair sample decontamination steps before analysis. Opposed to this assumption, our studies show that a decrease of corticosteroid concentration from distal to proximal hair segment is also present without a decontamination step during sample preparation.…”

mentioning

confidence: 59%

Diagnostic Value of Concentration Profiles of Glucocorticosteroids and Endocannabinoids in Hair

Krumbholz¹,

Anielski²,

Reisch

et al. 2013

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring

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Background: Endogenous corticosteroids and endocannabinoids are both known to be involved in stress adaption and anti-inflammatory and immuneregulatory effects. The application of hair as retrospective specimen for long-term recording of corticosteroids and its association with stress-induced biochemical alterations was intensively examined. Methods:To evaluate the stability and correlation of various parameters of the endocannabinoid and corticosteroid systems, a prospective study was carried out. Hair samples were collected monthly over a pregnancy cycle (sixth week of pregnancy to 9 weeks postpartum). By comparison of hair concentrations in particular segments (ie, grown in the same time span but collected at different times), an examination of analyte stability in hair was achieved. Additionally, the comparison of proximal segments provided on biochemical information that is independent of alteration due to physical instability. The detection limits of a validated procedure using solid-phase extraction cleanup and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry proved to be suitable to identify the endogenous levels of cortisol (limits of detection = 1.6 pg/mg), cortisone (2.1 pg/mg), anandamide (AEA, 0.3 pg/mg), and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (15 pg/mg).Results: Corticosteroid concentrations in corresponding hair segments were found to be reduced with increasing hair age; an average decline of cortisol and cortisone by 50% in 4 months was estimated. Independently, an increase of cortisol and cortisone in proximal segments collected during pregnancy was confirmed, which is assumed to be stress related. Endocannabinoids proved to be by far more stable, as demonstrated by subsequent monthly collection of corresponding segments and there was hardly any washout of AEA detectable. Elevated hair concentrations of AEA and 2-arachidonoylglycerol were detected in the first-second trimester of pregnancy, which corresponds to negative correlations between AEA, cortisol, and cortisone.

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“…In such cases it is especially important to be aware of the previously mentioned "washout" effect produced by repeated hair washing. Although some studies have failed to replicate this effect 8,9 , it is worth noting that in those studies the samples were not washed prior to methanol extraction. This important methodological difference may help explain why hair CORT levels did not decline with distance from the scalp.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2. Some investigators have reported a decline in human hair CORT levels with distance from the scalp 6 , which may be due to washout from repeated exposure to water and shampoo 7 (though see Manenschijn et al 8 and Thomson et al 9 for contrary results in which no segmental decline was observed) To minimize the impact of this potential "washout effect", we recommend collecting hair segments proximal to the scalp with a length no greater than 3 cm (assuming an average growth rate of 1 cm/month 10 , a 3 cm segment contains CORT that has been deposited over approximately the last 3 months). To accomplish this, use a ruler to measure 3 cm from the first cut and cut again to yield the 3 cm sample.…”

Section: Sample Collection and Storagementioning

confidence: 99%

Extraction and Analysis of Cortisol from Human and Monkey Hair

Meyer

Novak

Hamel

et al. 2014

JoVE

134

151

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The stress hormone cortisol (CORT) is slowly incorporated into the growing hair shaft of humans, nonhuman primates, and other mammals. We developed and validated a method for CORT extraction and analysis from rhesus monkey hair and subsequently adapted this method for use with human scalp hair. In contrast to CORT "point samples" obtained from plasma or saliva, hair CORT provides an integrated measure of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) system activity, and thus physiological stress, during the period of hormone incorporation. Because human scalp hair grows at an average rate of 1 cm/month, CORT levels obtained from hair segments several cm in length can potentially serve as a biomarker of stress experienced over a number of months.In our method, each hair sample is first washed twice in isopropanol to remove any CORT from the outside of the hair shaft that has been deposited from sweat or sebum. After drying, the sample is ground to a fine powder to break up the hair's protein matrix and increase the surface area for extraction. CORT from the interior of the hair shaft is extracted into methanol, the methanol is evaporated, and the extract is reconstituted in assay buffer. Extracted CORT, along with standards and quality controls, is then analyzed by means of a sensitive and specific commercially available enzyme immunoassay (EIA) kit. Readout from the EIA is converted to pg CORT per mg powdered hair weight. This method has been used in our laboratory to analyze hair CORT in humans, several species of macaque monkeys, marmosets, dogs, and polar bears. Many studies both from our lab and from other research groups have demonstrated the broad applicability of hair CORT for assessing chronic stress exposure in natural as well as laboratory settings. Video LinkThe video component of this article can be found at

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Evaluation of a method to measure long term cortisol levels

Cited by 282 publications

References 16 publications

Hair cortisol and self-reported stress in healthy, working adults

Hair cortisol and self-reported stress in healthy, working adults

Diagnostic Value of Concentration Profiles of Glucocorticosteroids and Endocannabinoids in Hair

Extraction and Analysis of Cortisol from Human and Monkey Hair

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