Understand. Support. Don't obsess.
Our method.
Read the source.
Keep the limits.
Cortisol is easy to turn into a headline and hard to turn into a conclusion. This page explains how we handle that: what we read, how we decide what to say, and what we refuse to say.
Four steps we follow on every page
- Read and understand. We define the claim and the words in it before judging it. “High cortisol” can mean a lab result, a medical condition, or a feeling after a hard week. These are different things.
- Evaluate with judgment. We ask what evidence would be needed to support the claim, what the linked source actually says, and what remains uncertain.
- Apply with awareness. Where there is a practical next step, it is a habit or a question for a clinician, never a treatment. A routine can give your day structure. It cannot be shown to change a hormone level.
- Show the sources and the commercial context. We link to identifiable sources for the main clinical topics and describe the limits of the evidence. These pages are introductory summaries, not a complete clinical reference. We also tell you what we sell.
The sources we prefer
- Government health agencies, such as the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
- Professional endocrine societies and their published guidelines, such as the Endocrine Society.
- Peer-reviewed research, described with its limits (for example, whether it shows an association or a cause).
Sources inform our educational content. They do not endorse this site or its products, and linking to them does not imply that they do.
What we do not do
- We do not diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
- We do not estimate, score or infer your cortisol level, and the free tools do not either.
- We do not interpret your personal test results.
- We do not promise that any routine, product or guide will lower, raise or balance a hormone.
- We never suggest changing prescribed medication. Do not stop or change a medicine because of anything on this site.
Commercial transparency
This site offers an optional paid product, The Cortisol in Balance System: a digital guide, three practical tools and an audio companion series. The free tools and the educational pages do not require a purchase. The product is educational and makes no clinical claims.
Corrections
If you find an error, an outdated statement or a broken source, tell us. Send the page address, the wording you question and a source if you have one through the contact page. We review reported errors and update the relevant page when a correction is needed.
This page describes our editorial approach and is not medical advice.