ACTH stimulation test

The ACTH stimulation test is like a doctor's game of testing how well your body can make and respond to a hormone called cortisol.

Your body needs cortisol to help it handle stress, fight infections, and maintain a healthy blood sugar level.

So, here's how it works:

First, the doctor will put a small tube into your arm (like when you give blood).

Then they will draw some of your blood, and measure how much cortisol is already in your body.

After that, they give you an injection in your arm or leg with a man-made hormone called ACTH.

ACTH is like a messenger that tells your body to make more cortisol.

Your body then goes into action, and sends out signals to release more cortisol into your blood.

The doctor will take some more blood samples a while later (maybe in 30 minutes or an hour), and see if your body made enough cortisol in response to the ACTH.

If your cortisol levels go up like they should, then everything is normal. But if they don't go up enough, it could be a sign of a problem with your adrenal glands, which help make cortisol.

Don't worry, the test is fast and safe, and the doctor will explain everything to you along the way!