Its aboutcortisol, a hormone whose secretion is greater during times of stress. Traditionally, their levels have been measured in serum, urine, and saliva, but these tests only show stress at one point in time. However, cortisol is also captured in the hair and, according to Gideon Koren, responsible for the study, “on average, hair grows one centimeter per month andIf we take a six-centimeter-long hair sample, we can determine stress levels for six months.measuring the level of cortisol in the hair “.
With this technique, researchers have been able to make an accurate assessment of thestress levels in months leading up to a heart attack, providing the first direct evidence that chronic stress plays an important role in cardiovascular problems.
Specifically, in the study, three-centimeter-long hair samples were collected from 56 adult men from the Meir Medical Center in Kfar-Saba (Israel) who suffered from heart attacks, as well as from a control group without heart problems. Cortisol levels in hair in the previous three months were much higher in heart attack patients compared to the control group. And the prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, smoking, and family history of coronary artery disease did not differ between groups, socortisol content in hair was the strongest predictor of heart attack.
Although stressors such as work, marital and financial problems were considered linked to the increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, until now there was no biological marker formeasure chronic stress.
