Why Saliva Cortisol Testing

Years ago in 2002, as thyroid patients were gathering in a group started by Janie A. Bowthorpe, M.Ed, it was clear a lot of members had a cortisol problem as revealed by their symptoms. Why did so many have this problem? 1) Due to having undiagnosed hypothyroidism or autoimmune Hashimoto’s 2) Being on nothing but T4 meds, 3) Being underdosed even with T3 in one’s treatment due to TSH-obsessed doctors.

To see what was going on, blood cortisol testing was used. But curiously, the results of blood cortisol testing did not, and do not, give us correct information.

Soon, it was discovered there was a far better test than blood: saliva cortisol testing. Saliva reveals one’s useable, unbound cortisol, whereas blood is measuring mostly bound, unuseable cortisol. And the saliva results matched one’s symptoms!

Additionally, saliva is measuring at four key times in a 24 hour period, not ONE time as blood testing does. Knowing those four times helps reveal how to treat a problem.

But a second interesting fact was discovered during those early years!

We began to see that those without a cortisol problem, and without key symptoms of a cortisol problem, were consistently falling in a certain part of the provided range. It wasn’t just falling anywhere in those silly “normal” ranges. It was a huge discovery and first reported in the Stop the Thyroid Madness books and website!

Today, you can compare the results of your ZRT saliva cortisol to where others fall who do NOT have a cortisol problem. i.e. where your cortisol may be too low (which causes problems) and/or where you may be too high (which causes problems). It’s even better information than the graphic you will get with your results.

After receiving your results, this is where you will go to compare your results to where they should be. You’ll also see a handy Lab Values card you can purchase so you don’t have to keep coming back to the page.