Stress hormone measured in hair predicts who is likely to suffer from cardiovascular diseases

New research presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Dublin, Ireland, suggests that the levels of glucocorticoids, a class of stress hormones, found in an individual's hair may indicate their likelihood of developing cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in the future.

The study, conducted by researchers from Erasmus University Medical Centre Rotterdam in the Netherlands, examined the long-term levels of scalp hair cortisol and hair cortisone, which are biomarkers representing the cumulative exposure to glucocorticoids over several months.

The researchers analysed hair samples from over 6,000 adults enrolled in the Lifelines study, a large-scale research project in the Netherlands.

After following the participants for an average of 5-7 years, the researchers found that individuals with higher long-term cortisone levels were twice as likely to experience a cardiovascular event such as a stroke or heart attack. This risk was even higher in participants aged 57 or younger, where the likelihood rose to over three times.

It is important to note that this study is observational and does not establish a cause-and-effect relationship between stress and cardiovascular disease. However, the findings suggest a strong link between long-term stress hormone levels and the incidence of CVD.

The study has some limitations. It only included participants from a specific region in the Netherlands, and most participants self-identified as white. Therefore, the findings may not be generalisable to other populations.

Overall, this research highlights the potential role of chronic stress in determining an individual's cardiovascular health and underscores the importance of further investigation in this area.