Urine
Neurotransmitters basic
Urine analysis for the basic levels of important neurotransmitters.
€ 165,00
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Hormones · Urine
Adrenaline
Stress hormone from the adrenal glands in urine; rises with exercise, stress, caffeine and medicines.
At a glance
- Measured in urine
- In 2 test panels
- Check the preparation
Explanation
Adrenaline: what is measured?
Adrenaline is a hormone from the inner part (medulla) of the adrenal glands that is released during exercise and stress: it raises heart rate, blood pressure and blood sugar. It acts briefly and is quickly broken down, among other things into metanephrine; a small part ends up unchanged in the urine. Excretion varies strongly over the day and with what you do. Adrenaline in the urine comes from the adrenal glands, not from the brain.
What can it detect?
- Physical exercise or stress in the hours before collection
- The effect of caffeine, nicotine and medicines
- Rarely: a pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma, a usually benign tumor of the adrenal gland or of nerve ganglia that makes stress hormones; for this the hospital uses metanephrines, not this test
Result
What does the result mean?
Adrenaline too high
A raised value is usually caused by exercise, stress, pain or lack of sleep around the time of collection, by caffeine or nicotine, or by medicines such as antidepressants, ADHD medication and nasal spray with a decongestant that narrows blood vessels. A raised value is not a measure of chronic stress or burnout. Rarely: a pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma, a usually benign tumor that makes stress hormones; it causes attacks of headache, palpitations and sweating together with high blood pressure, and the values are then usually strongly raised.
Adrenaline too low
A low value usually has no meaning: at rest and in diluted urine, little adrenaline can be detected. A low value is not proof of 'adrenal fatigue'; that is not a recognized condition.
After an abnormal result
With a slightly raised value and no symptoms, there are usually no further tests. With a strongly raised value together with attacks of headache, palpitations and sweating, or high blood pressure that is hard to treat, the GP may have metanephrines measured in blood or 24-hour urine and refer you to an internist-endocrinologist if needed.
Reliability
How reliable is the test?
The measurements are not validated for mood, stress, burnout, ADHD or 'neurotransmitter balance'. Because the substances are largely made outside the brain, and the kidneys themselves make and process dopamine and serotonin, a result says nothing about the amount in the brain. In hospitals, only adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine are measured in urine, and preferably their breakdown products (metanephrines), for a specific question and with strict instructions for diet, medicines and collection. Outside that question, a result cannot be interpreted.
What can affect the result?
- Diet: foods including banana, pineapple, kiwi, walnut, tomato, avocado and vanilla can raise the result; protein-rich food and amino acid supplements also affect the values.
- Medicines, including antidepressants, ADHD medication, levodopa, some blood pressure medicines and nasal spray with a decongestant that narrows blood vessels, affect excretion.
- Caffeine, nicotine, exercise and stress around the time of collection mainly raise adrenaline and noradrenaline.
- A single urine sample depends heavily on how much you have drunk and on the time of day. Laboratories correct for this in different ways (for example with creatinine), and measurement methods and reference values differ between laboratories.
Preparation
- After getting up, first pass urine into the toilet as usual, then collect the second morning urine.
- You may have breakfast, but drink no more than 1 glass of water and no coffee before the second urine.
- Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol for 2 days beforehand.
- Do not exercise in the 8 hours before collecting the sample.
- Do you take medication? Then check with your doctor.
- Do not collect urine during your period.
Who it is for
Who is the test useful for?
Useful for
There is no group in whom the result has been shown to say something about mood or health. Not useful for assessing mood, stress, burnout, ADHD, sleep, appetite or 'neurotransmitter balance', or for choosing supplements, a diet or medicines based on it. With attacks of headache, palpitations and sweating together with high blood pressure, other tests in the hospital are needed, not this test.
How common is it?
No condition is diagnosed with this test, so there is no figure for how often an abnormal result means something. Abnormal values caused by diet, medicines, exercise and stress are common.
Get tested
Adrenaline: test panels
Adrenaline is part of these test panels. You order online and have your blood drawn at a collection point or collect the sample at home.
Evidence
Sources
This explanation is based on Dutch guidelines and independent information. It is general information, not a diagnosis. Discuss an abnormal result with your GP.
More about risks and results