ATLANTA, Jan. 18 (UPI) -- Low morning levels of the hormone cortisol may be related to severe fatigue in women with chronic fatigue syndrome, a U.S. study found.
The study, accepted for publication in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, found a different profile for morning cortisol concentrations over time between women who had chronic fatigue syndrome, or CFS, and those who did not. The study confirms previous research linking the disease to an imbalance in the normal interactions among the various systems of the body that work together to manage stress.
"People with CFS have reduced overall cortisol output within the first hour after they wake up in the morning, which is actually one of the most stressful times for the body," study leader Dr. William Reeves of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta said in a statement.
Of 19,381 residents in Georgia, the study screened out 292 people with chronic fatigue syndrome, 269 who were considered chronically unwell and 163 who were considered well. Cortisol concentrations in their saliva were measured.
Women with chronic fatigue syndrome exhibited significantly lower morning cortisol profiles compared to women who did not have chronic fatigue syndrome. Men with and without CFS showed no difference in cortisol levels.
