Cortisol, Free, 24-Hour Urine
Measures total bioavailable cortisol over a full day, the main screen for cortisol excess.
Consider this test if:
- Signs of cortisol excess such as central weight gain, purple stretch marks, easy bruising, or new high blood pressure
- Screening for Cushing syndrome or following up an abnormal serum or salivary cortisol
- Monitoring for recurrence after treatment of Cushing disease
- Unexplained muscle weakness, thinning skin, or hard-to-control blood sugar
- HSA/FSA eligible
- Results delivered to your dashboard · Reviewed by a real clinician
- Drawn at a CLIA/CAP-accredited lab near you ·
Pre-test considerations
No fasting required. Collect all urine over a full 24-hour period in the provided container, kept refrigerated, since a missed or partial collection skews the result. Note any glucocorticoid use (oral, inhaled, or topical), and avoid licorice, which can affect cortisol metabolism. This test is not recommended if you have significant kidney impairment or high urine volume.
Video consult with your Care Team
A 1:1 call to discuss your health.
What members say on Trustpilot
What this test is for
Free cortisol in a 24-hour urine collection measures the cortisol your body excretes over an entire day, capturing the active, unbound hormone rather than the portion locked to binding proteins. Because it averages the natural circadian and hour-to-hour swings of cortisol, it is one of the preferred screens for Cushing syndrome, the state of chronic cortisol excess linked to central weight gain, easy bruising, muscle weakness, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar. Two or more elevated results help establish the diagnosis once non-neoplastic causes are excluded, and the test is also used to watch for recurrence after treatment of Cushing disease. Levels can run high from obesity, heavy alcohol use, depression, and PCOS, so an elevated result is interpreted against clinical history, and the test is not reliable with impaired kidney function or high urine output.
This is the integrated, whole-day measure. A single serum cortisol shows one moment and depends on draw time, the AM and PM serum tests target the peak and trough, and late-night salivary cortisol checks the normal overnight dip; the urine collection is the right test when you want total daily exposure independent of binding proteins.
Biomarkers tested
Includes 4 biomarkers
- Specimen
- Urine
- Measures
- Volume
- Specimen
- Urine
- Measures
- Ratio
- Specimen
- Urine
- Measures
- Ratio
- Specimen
- Urine
- Measures
- Ratio
What to expect
- 1 Book instantly
Click, book, done. Choose a convenient lab location near you. Transparent, up-front pricing.
- 2 Quick lab visit
Testing to fit your busy schedule, usually 15 minutes or less. Walk-in and appointments available.
- 3 Fast, dashboard-delivered results
Your results post straight to your dashboard as soon as the lab completes them.
- 4 Expert guidance
Included with Mito membership. A clinician reviews your results and your personalized action plan follows, with clear next steps.
Everything your health needs,
in one membership
-
Every test at our cost
Members pay our cost on every test, with lab fees passed straight through. The full receipt is itemized, never padded.
-
Continuous tracking, all in one place
Upload past labs and watch your trends over time. Every marker and visit lives in one longitudinal record, so all your care stays together.
-
Year-round clinician support
Text anytime and get clinician-reviewed answers. When you want to go deeper, 1:1 consultations are available at affordable rates.
All for $9/month
Order any test or consult without joining. For $9/month, members unlock member prices, trend tracking, and year-round clinician guidance.
Mito Membership
$9 /mo
cancel anytime
Without membership
$0
pay as you go
At-cost pricing on labs, scans, and more
Priority turnaround on your results
On-demand clinician consults when you need guidance
Personalized action plans across supplements, exercise, nutrition, and sleep
AI health coaching to help you act on your results
Year-round medical support, with in-chat clinician escalation
All your health records in one personal vault, with trends and biological age tracking
Early access to new diagnostics and product releases
More tests to consider
Loading essentials…
Frequently asked questions
View all FAQsHow does pricing work?
Every test shows the member price next to the standard non-member price, so you can see what membership saves you. The member price is our cost — covering the lab and what it takes to run the service — never a profit on the test itself; Mito makes its money on the $9 membership, not on marking up your tests. Membership is $9/mo, and you still pay the lab’s order fee. Prices are itemized before you pay, with no hidden fees.
Where do I get tested?
Choose a partner lab (Quest, Labcorp, or BioReference) at checkout. If your cart spans multiple tests, we consolidate the whole order onto a single lab so you only make one visit.
Is this eligible for HSA/FSA?
Yes. This test is HSA/FSA eligible, and you can pay with your HSA/FSA card at checkout.
When will I get my results?
Your results post to your dashboard once your lab completes them, then a clinician reviews them and your full analysis and personalized action plan (with clear next steps) follow. Turnaround varies by test: specialty assays and at-home kits take longer, and each test shows its expected turnaround before you buy.
Do I need a doctor’s order?
No. Mito provides the lab order for you, so you can book and get tested without a separate doctor visit.
Recently viewed
Loading essentials…