Torres-Harding, Susan, Sorenson, Matthew, Jason, Leonard et al. · Journal of applied biobehavioral research · 2008 · DOI
This study looked at cortisol, a stress hormone, in 108 people with ME/CFS to see if abnormal cortisol levels were connected to symptoms like fatigue and pain. The researchers found that people with unusual cortisol patterns—especially those who didn't show the normal daily rise and fall—reported higher levels of fatigue. While abnormal cortisol appears linked to some ME/CFS symptoms, scientists still aren't sure whether this hormonal change causes the illness or results from it.
Identifying abnormal cortisol patterns in ME/CFS patients could help explain some biological mechanisms underlying the condition and potentially guide future treatment approaches targeting neuroendocrine dysfunction. For patients, understanding hormonal factors may validate symptom reports and contribute to more personalized medical approaches.
This study does not prove that low or abnormal cortisol *causes* ME/CFS or its symptoms—only that they are associated. The cross-sectional design cannot determine whether cortisol abnormalities precede illness onset or develop as a consequence of it. The findings describe correlation, not causation, and may not apply to all ME/CFS patients.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
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