Further evidence that cortisol levels are an unreliable witness for stress, undermining earlier confidence in their role in disease causation, related to stress.
Evidence from:
PMC Mommersteeg et al. Psychoneuroendocrinology (2006) Vol.31 p 216 – 225
“Clinical burnout is not reflected in the cortisol awakening response, the day-curve or the response to a low-dose dexamethasone suppression test”
Seventy five burnout cases were compared with thirty five controls.
The cortisol response upon wakening was identical in both groups as was the response to dexamethasone (the test here is of the responsiveness of the endocrine system).
Further detail: