Irregular Stress Hormone Levels Linked to Frailty in Seniors

Older adults with abnormal levels of stress hormones are more likely to be frail, according to a new study.

The latest research revealed that lower morning and higher evening cortisol levels increase the risk of frailty in seniors. Researchers said the findings are important because frailty, which is characterized by unintentional weight loss, feelings of exhaustion and fatigue, physical inactivity, slow gait speed and low grip strength, is a risk factor for institutionalization and early death.

The study involved 745 participants between the ages of 65 and 90 years old. Participants gave saliva samples at three points: awakening, 30 minutes after awakening and evening.

The participants were considered frail if they met three or more of the following criteria: exhaustion, physical inactivity, low walking speed, weakness (measured by grip strength) or weight loss (loss of more than 5 kilograms in the past six months).

"Cortisol typically follows a distinct daily pattern with the highest level in the morning and the lowest basal level at night," study author aid Karl-Heinz Ladwig, PhD, MD, of Helmholtz Zentrum München in Neuherberg, Germany, said in a news release. "Our findings showed dysregulated cortisol secretion, as featured by a smaller morning to evening cortisol level ratio, was significantly associated with frailty status."

"Our results suggest a link between disrupted cortisol regulation and loss of muscle mass and strength, as the underlying pathophysiology of frailty," added co-author Hamimatunnisa Johar, a PhD student at Helmholtz Zentrum München, said in a news release. "In a clinical setting assessment of frailty can be time-consuming, and our findings show measurements of cortisol may offer a feasible alternative."

The findings are published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).