Hormones
The endocrine map — vitality, drive and the daily rhythm that governs stress load.
The endocrine map governs vitality, drive and metabolic balance. Total and free testosterone, estradiol (dementia risk, bone density), the diurnal cortisol rhythm (morning spike, evening taper), DHEA-S and a full thyroid panel (TSH, T3, T4) make up the readout. The recovery question: what do Arete's protocols do to the cortisol awakening response — the cleanest daily readout of stress load?
What we track
| Marker | Captures | Cadence |
|---|---|---|
| Testosterone (total + free) | Vitality, muscle synthesis, drive | Annual |
| Estradiol | Bone density, dementia risk, metabolism | Annual |
| Cortisol rhythm | Stress-load readout | Annual + events |
| Thyroid (TSH, T3, T4) | Metabolic rate regulation | Annual |
Cortisol rhythm as the daily stress readout
A healthy curve spikes within 30–45 minutes of waking (the cortisol awakening response) and tapers through the evening. A flattened or inverted curve is one of the clearest signatures of chronic stress load. The recovery question: what do Arete's protocols do to the CAR over a membership?