ArticleComprehensive psychoneuroendocrinology2026
Hair cortisol and cortisone and psychological well-being: an analysis of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.
Article in Comprehensive psychoneuroendocrinology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
Objectives: The study aimed to investigate the cross-sectional association of hair cortisol and cortisone with multiple dimensions of psychological well-being in older adults. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted in 3899 participants aged ≥ 50 who provided hair samples in wave 6 (2012/13) of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). Psychological outcomes included evaluative well-being (life satisfaction), hedonic well-being (feelings of happiness, pleasure, depression and anxiety), and eudaimonic well-being (living a worthwhile life). Multivariable linear regressions were used to explore the relationship between hair cortisol and cortisone concentration and psychological well-being. Results: After adjusting for sociodemographic factors, lifestyles, body mass index and hair treatment factors, hair cortisol concentration was positively related to depressive symptoms (β = 0.130; 95% CI 0.036, 0.224) and anxiety (β = 0.158; 95% CI 0.005, 0.310) but was not associated with other aspects of psychological well-being. Higher hair cortisone levels were associated with higher depressive symptoms (β = 0.276; 95% CI 0.101, 0.450) and anxiety (β = 0.317; 95% CI 0.035, 0.599), lower life satisfaction (β = -0.352; 95% CI -0.600, -0.104), lower ratings of living a worthwhile life (β = -0.427; 95%CI -0.651, -0.203), and lower happiness (β = -0.277, 95%CI -0.514, -0.039) after adjusting for sociodemographic factors, lifestyle, BMI, and hair-related covariates. Subgroup analyses showed significant associations between hair cortisone and psychological well-being in those aged <65 and in female participants. There was a significant interaction between age and hair cortisone on anxiety, showing an association only in those aged<65. Conclusions: We found robust associations between hair cortisone and different dimensions of positive psychological well-being, but the only significant association for hair cortisol was with depression and anxiety. Further research is needed to explore whether hair cortisone is a potentially valuable biomarker for psychological well-being and to confirm the directionality and potential relevance of stress-related interventions in aging populations.
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