At-home lifestyle test developed by UK scientists

A new breakthrough hair test developed by UK scientists is set to revolutionise the way we monitor our health and wellness.

The simple at-home test uses strands of hair to record levels of the ‘lifestyle hormone’ cortisol over several months. It provides those tested with a dashboard showing how the long-term effects of everyday lifestyle factors such as stress, diet, exercise and sleep are impacting their health.

People then use the information to take action to improve their immunity, fertility, brain health and biological wellness.

Preventative health tech start-up Cortigenix, based at Oxford Science Park, have developed the science and technology that enables users to track their inner health metrics over time. It will empower millions of people to get their health back on track as lockdowns lift in the UK and around the world.

Cortigenix’s ‘Cortisol Over Time (COT) test’ works by tracking levels of the glucocorticoid ‘lifestyle hormone’ cortisol that have accumulated in hair over 3 months. It can demonstrate how lifestyle changes, such as exercise, diet changes, sleep patterns or relaxation techniques are impacting on health.

The scientists say tracking cortisol hormone levels in hair is a more powerful and accurate way of assessing the body’s main ‘lifestyle hormone’ than previous blood or saliva tests that only provide a snapshot in time.

Professor Kavita Vedhara, Professor of Health Psychology at the University of Nottingham said:

“Cortisol is really important for regulating the normal functioning of every cell and system in our body. It’s particularly important for regulating our immune system, reproductive function, and for helping to maintain optimal brain health. So it can give you a general systemic picture of overall wellness”.

“This technology builds on over 30 years of scientific evidence and research into Cortisol and it’s really exciting to see this technology used to help people improve their health and well-being.”

Cortigenix users provide their sample from home and post their hair sample back to a laboratory where it is analysed and results are accessed through a personalised portal where users can track their inner health metrics according to their goal outcomes such as improving their immunity and fertility.

Cortigenix CEO, Dr Adam Massey, said: “Most people are aware that prevention really is better than cure but don't always take action on their health until there is a problem. We want to change that.

“In our modern fast paced world, we are used to tracking everything about our lives to ensure we are living our best life, from finances in our mobile banking apps to the number of steps we take or the amount of water we drink. What we don’t always have access to is how well things are working inside our body.

“One of the obstacles for many people is the prospect of providing regular blood tests to check their health. Many people are unsure where to start, what test is best for them - and how it can improve their health goal. This means people often wait until they are feeling unwell or may be experiencing a condition before taking action.

With our COT test, each 1cm of hair provides a month window into how a range of lifestyle factors have been affecting your main ‘lifestyle hormone’ during that time. To put all of this in context, with just a few strands of hair from your head, we can now track your health longitudinally over 84 days - which is the equivalent of needing over 200 blood or saliva cortisol tests. So, it’s a really easy, completely painless and super powerful way for people to get access to how their lifestyle is stacking up in relation to their long-term health.”

Further information on the new test can be found at: www.cortigenix.com

Issued by Empica Ltd on behalf of Cortigenix. For further information contact Martin Powell on 01275 394400 or Judith Skorupski on 020 8983 0779.