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Cortisol Trough Optimization

Meaning

Cortisol trough optimization is a targeted strategy in clinical endocrinology focused on regulating the lowest point of the diurnal cortisol rhythm, typically occurring late at night or in the early hours of sleep. This optimization aims to ensure the nocturnal nadir is sufficiently low to permit adequate deep sleep, facilitate the necessary pulsatile release of growth hormone, and maintain optimal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis sensitivity. A persistently elevated trough can indicate chronic stress or HPA axis dysregulation, interfering with restorative physiological processes.