December 2021 in “Acta Marisiensis” Insulin resistance increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and other health issues.
September 2017 in “Springer eBooks” Certain supplements, like whey protein isolate and growth hormones, can worsen hair loss.
June 2025 in “Current Issues in Molecular Biology” Meloside A may help protect hair cells from damage linked to hair loss.
567 citations
,
October 2007 in “Clinical and investigative medicine” Hair cortisol can be used to measure long-term stress exposure.
501 citations
,
October 2008 in “Psychoneuroendocrinology” Hair cortisol levels can show increased stress during late pregnancy but only for up to six months.
489 citations
,
June 2005 in “The FASEB Journal” Human hair follicles can produce cortisol like the body's stress response system.
237 citations
,
September 2018 in “Clinical Biochemistry” Hair cortisol analysis can help diagnose stress-related conditions but needs more refinement for widespread use.
217 citations
,
July 2009 in “Experimental and Clinical Endocrinology & Diabetes” Hair analysis can track past cortisol levels in Cushing's Syndrome patients.
199 citations
,
July 2007 in “General and Comparative Endocrinology” Hair cortisol can reliably indicate chronic stress in cats and dogs.
189 citations
,
January 2014 in “Journal of Visualized Experiments” Hair cortisol analysis effectively measures long-term stress.
122 citations
,
October 2013 in “PEDIATRICS” Maternal stress during pregnancy affects a child's stress levels.
122 citations
,
October 2010 in “Clinica Chimica Acta” Washing hair with water or shampoo lowers cortisol levels in hair.
101 citations
,
January 2014 in “Journal of Visualized Experiments” The method effectively measures long-term stress levels using hair samples.
95 citations
,
September 1979 in “Acta Paediatrica” Girls have higher DHEA levels earlier in puberty than boys, indicating earlier development.
90 citations
,
July 2014 in “Conservation Physiology” Hair cortisol levels in brown bears can be affected by both long-term and short-term stress.
80 citations
,
January 2011 in “Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (CCLM)” Hair cortisol levels can reflect salivary cortisol levels in humans.
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.
69 citations
,
August 2016 in “PubMed” High stress can disrupt hair growth, but certain supplements might help.
69 citations
,
May 2016 in “General and Comparative Endocrinology” External factors can significantly affect hair cortisol levels, so it's not always a reliable stress marker.
65 citations
,
December 1986 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism” The woman had a genetic condition causing high cortisol and androgen levels, treatable with dexamethasone.
50 citations
,
November 2020 in “Physiology & behavior” People with depression often have higher hair cortisol levels, while those with PTSD tend to have lower levels, but more research is needed to understand this fully.
50 citations
,
July 2018 in “Psychoneuroendocrinology” Hair cortisol can indicate long-term stress levels, but hair growth rate differences may affect accuracy.
50 citations
,
June 2014 in “Experimental and Clinical Endocrinology & Diabetes” Hair hormone levels can indicate obesity-related changes and are useful for research and clinical practice.
47 citations
,
January 2016 in “MethodsX” Hair cortisol analysis is a reliable tool for monitoring long-term stress in captive chimpanzees if certain variables are controlled.
44 citations
,
June 2018 in “Journal of Visualized Experiments” A culturally sensitive method was developed to collect hair samples from African Americans for stress analysis.
44 citations
,
February 2016 in “Zoology” Hair cortisol levels in primates are useful for stress assessment but vary by age, sex, species, and hair collection methods.
43 citations
,
January 1999 in “Endocrinology” Cortisol increases a specific protein in bone cells, which may help explain its negative effects on bone.
33 citations
,
January 2017 in “Psychoneuroendocrinology” Hair dyeing and washing frequency do not affect hair cortisol levels.
24 citations
,
October 2018 in “Addiction Biology” Alcohol dependence affects stress hormone levels more than childhood maltreatment.
24 citations
,
April 2008 in “Fertility and sterility” Pioglitazone improved insulin sensitivity and altered cortisol metabolism in PCOS patients.