Convenient Location

8054 Yonge St. Thornhill. Just south of the intersection of Yonge and HWY 7/407

About Referrals

You need to be referred by your physician. Click here for information.

Covered by OHIP?

Most services are covered by the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP)

Convenient Location

8054 Yonge St. Thornhill. Just south of the intersection of Yonge and HWY 7/407

Patient Referral Form

You need to be referred by your physician. Click to download your form here.

Waiting Time

Your timeframe depends on the type of procedure.

OHIP Covered Services

Most services are covered by the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP)

WILDERMAN MEDICAL CLINIC

Adrenal Function Panel

Stress is unavoidable, which makes stress management important for maintaining health.

Everyone experiences stress at times, but how well we cope with stress depends on several factors, one of which is hormone balance. The body’s experience of stress is carefully mapped out by a series of hormone responses.

Fight or Flight

In an extremely stressful situation, the body releases bursts of the hormones cortisol, adrenaline, and noradrenaline to prepare for a “fight or flight” response. High levels of cortisol free up stored energy to help the body physically resist or flee from physical danger.

Modern-Day Stressors

Unlike the physical stressors of past centuries, our modern-day stresses tend to be less dramatic, but of longer duration. This means that cortisol levels may stay mildly elevated, resulting in symptoms like feeling tired but wired, difficulty sleeping, and anxiety.

Excess cortisol also interferes with the action of other hormones (progesterone, testosterone, and thyroid), creating more hormone imbalance and more symptoms.

Low Cortisol

With continued stress, the adrenal glands may become depleted from producing too much cortisol or may reduce cortisol production significantly in response to the detrimental effects of high cortisol.

Symptoms of low cortisol may include fatigue (particularly morning fatigue), increased susceptibility to infection, decreased recovery from exercise, allergies, low blood sugar, burned-out feelings, depression, and low sex drive. Other adrenal hormones can be affected, particularly aldosterone and DHEA. Low aldosterone may result in reduced sodium and potassium levels.

Symptoms of low DHEA are not well defined, although low DHEA is often associated with chronic illness.

Why Get an Adrenal Function Panel?

Since cortisol is the major stress hormone produced by the adrenal glands, measurement of cortisol levels may be a useful means of assessing the ability to cope with stress.

Download the Adrenal Function Sheet