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.
May 2016 in “Endocrine Abstracts” Proximal hair cortisol is a reliable tool for diagnosing Cushing's Syndrome.
August 2015 in “Psychoneuroendocrinology” October 2008 in “Experimental and Clinical Endocrinology & Diabetes” Long-term unemployment leads to higher stress levels.
January 2026 in “Neuroscience Applied” Hair cortisol levels decrease as children age, stabilizing around age 4.
122 citations
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October 2013 in “PEDIATRICS” Maternal stress during pregnancy affects a child's stress levels.
April 2020 in “Journal of the Endocrine Society” Hair cortisol measurement can help diagnose and monitor Cushing’s disease.
489 citations
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June 2005 in “The FASEB Journal” Human hair follicles can produce cortisol like the body's stress response system.
134 citations
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March 2015 in “Clinical Endocrinology” A new method accurately measures long-term steroid levels in human hair.
February 2026 in “TURKISH JOURNAL OF VETERINARY AND ANIMAL SCIENCES” Hair cortisol is better than blood cortisol for measuring long-term stress in pregnant goats.
10 citations
,
November 2018 in “Developmental Psychobiology” Hair can effectively measure DHEA and testosterone levels in children.
July 2024 in “Occupational Medicine” Higher cortisol levels are linked to poor coping, while higher DHEA levels are linked to job confidence.
January 2026 in “Phaidra - Repository of the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna” Hair cortisol levels in wolves reflect stress and vary by season and body region.
8 citations
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October 2020 in “Infant behavior & development” Collecting hair for cortisol analysis is possible in low-income mother-toddler pairs.
24 citations
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January 2019 in “Hormone Research in Paediatrics” Hair cortisol levels in children are influenced by puberty, age, gender, and body mass index.
November 2022 in “Innovation in aging” Older adults in Puerto Rico often couldn't be tested for hair cortisol due to refusal or lack of hair, with race and hair products affecting results.
July 2024 in “Nursing Research” Hair and nail cortisol levels can show long-term stress in young males.
January 2026 in “Psychoneuroendocrinology” Self-collected hair samples can measure stress but may need adjustments for accuracy.
December 2019 in “Case Medical Research” 
May 2021 in “Journal of the Endocrine Society” A patient produced cortisol after adrenalectomy, possibly due to residual tissue or other body parts making steroids.
March 2025 in “Institutional Repositories DataBase (IRDB)” Hair cortisol can measure chronic stress but has inconsistent results.
July 2011 in “Neurotoxicology and Teratology” 
November 2023 in “Journal of animal science/Journal of animal science ... and ASAS reference compendium” Pig hair cortisol levels are inheritable and linked to stress responses, which could help select for more resilient pigs.
Depressed teens have different steroid levels in urine, which may help identify and treat them.
23 citations
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October 2008 in “Experimental and Clinical Endocrinology & Diabetes” Hair can show increased cortisol levels during late pregnancy.
9 citations
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January 2005 in “Experimental Dermatology” Human hair follicles can produce stress hormones like the body's main stress response system.
November 2025 in “Canadian Journal of Diabetes” Measuring cortisol in hair helps understand stress and manage related health issues.
May 2026 in “Research Square” June 2025 in “Journal of Kufa for Chemical Sciences” Higher adrenaline and prolactin levels may indicate stress-related alopecia areata in adults.
May 2026 in “Indian Journal of Medical Biochemistry” Hair biomarkers can help assess chronic stress in women's reproductive health but need standardized methods and regional studies.