Cortisol & Low Energy Levels in Fibromyalgia

NEWSBRIEF: New research suggests that the weakness frequently felt by people with fibromyalgia could be tied to low cortisol levels.

Cortisol is a key stress hormone that other studies have show was low in fibromyalgia. Most studies, however, have looked at cortisol levels in saliva. This study used urinary levels and confirmed that they were significantly lower in participants with fibromyalgia.

The researchers theorize that low cortisol levels and a functional deficit of the HPA axis could be to blame for adynamia, which is a loss of strength or vigor due to disease. Adynamia is often linked to other neurological conditions, including multiple sclerosis.