Measuring hair for a hormone produced by stress could help identify people at greater risk of cardiovascular disease, say scientists. Cortisol is a hormone produced by the body during periods of stress. Researchers looked at the cortisol levels in the hair of older people. They found that the people who had higher long-term levels of the hormone were more likely to have cardiovascular disease. While cortisol levels can be measured by blood tests, these only provide a ‘snapshot’ of levels at a moment in time. By testing hair, scientists were able to see a person’s cortisol levels over the course of several months. British Heart Foundation Senior Cardiac Nurse Maureen Talbot said: "Long-term stress can be a trigger for habits, such as smoking, drinking alcohol to excess and overeating, that can increase our risk of heart disease. "A test that can confirm a sustained increase in cortisol levels could help be a useful way of assessing a person’s cardiovascular risk. "While this study demonstrates a link between raised cortisol levels and cardiovascular disease, the elderly population they studied may already have other risk factors for heart disease too. "Larger studies are required before such a test can be confirmed as a predictor for cardiovascular disease. In the meantime we should all focus on how we handle extra or sustained stress in our lives. A healthy diet, getting plenty of exercise and taking time to relax can all help." The research was published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
Showing posts with label Hair. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hair. Show all posts
Thursday, April 18, 2013
More research needed into hair test for heart disease (UK)
Measuring hair for a hormone produced by stress could help identify people at greater risk of cardiovascular disease, say scientists. Cortisol is a hormone produced by the body during periods of stress. Researchers looked at the cortisol levels in the hair of older people. They found that the people who had higher long-term levels of the hormone were more likely to have cardiovascular disease. While cortisol levels can be measured by blood tests, these only provide a ‘snapshot’ of levels at a moment in time. By testing hair, scientists were able to see a person’s cortisol levels over the course of several months. British Heart Foundation Senior Cardiac Nurse Maureen Talbot said: "Long-term stress can be a trigger for habits, such as smoking, drinking alcohol to excess and overeating, that can increase our risk of heart disease. "A test that can confirm a sustained increase in cortisol levels could help be a useful way of assessing a person’s cardiovascular risk. "While this study demonstrates a link between raised cortisol levels and cardiovascular disease, the elderly population they studied may already have other risk factors for heart disease too. "Larger studies are required before such a test can be confirmed as a predictor for cardiovascular disease. In the meantime we should all focus on how we handle extra or sustained stress in our lives. A healthy diet, getting plenty of exercise and taking time to relax can all help." The research was published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Bad hair days stress heart
"The predictor of your future health might be on top of your head. Two University of Western Ontario medical researchers have established a link between elevated levels of the hormone cortisol in human hair and heart attack risk in men. Doctors Gideon Koren and Stan Van Uum have developed a way to measure cortisol - a stress-related hormone produced by the adrenal glands - that accurately measures stress levels in the months prior to an acute event such as a heart attack. The research is published on-line in the journal Stress"
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