Cortisol Unit Converter

Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced by your adrenal glands, often called the "stress hormone" because it plays a central role in your body's response to stress.

In your blood, about 90-95% of cortisol is bound to proteins (mainly cortisol-binding globulin and albumin), while only about 5% circulates as free, biologically active hormone.

Cortisol follows a natural circadian rhythm, with levels peaking in the early morning (around 6-8 am) and reaching their lowest point around midnight.

Cortisol is produced in the zona fasciculata layer of the adrenal cortex (the outer part of the adrenal glands, which sit on top of each kidney). Its production is controlled by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis through a negative feedback system involving corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH).