11-Deoxycortisol, Serum or Plasma, Substance Concentration
This test measures the amount of 11-deoxycortisol, a hormone made by the adrenal glands, in your blood. It helps evaluate how well your body produces cortisol.
["An 11-deoxycortisol level helps your care team assess adrenal hormone production and screen for certain adrenal or pituitary conditions."]
Key facts at a glance
- LOINC
- 57498-8
- Short code
- 11DC 2D p Dex SerPl-sCnc
- Synonyms
- 11DC 2D p Dex SerPl-sCnc
- Category
- hormone
- Sample
- serum
- Container
- Red-top tube (SST)
- Units
- N/A
- Fasting
- false
- Population
- adult
- Sex
- all
- Age range
- 18–65 years
- Specimen volume
- 5 mL
- Stability
- Room temperature: 4h, Refrigerated: 24h, Frozen: 7d
- Hemolysis max
- 500
- Lipemia max
- 1000
- Icterus max
- 500
- TAT
- 4–24 hours
- Order
- routine
What Is 11-Deoxycortisol?
11-Deoxycortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands as part of the pathway that makes cortisol. Cortisol is the body's main stress hormone and helps regulate blood sugar, blood pressure, and the immune response. Because 11-deoxycortisol is a precursor to cortisol, measuring it can show whether this hormone pathway is working as expected.
Why This Test Is Ordered
Your clinician may order this test if you have signs suggesting an adrenal or pituitary problem, such as high blood pressure, weakness, or unusual hormone levels. It is often used together with other hormone tests to look for conditions in which the adrenal glands make too much or too little of the precursor hormones involved in cortisol production.
How the Test Is Done
The test uses a blood sample, usually drawn from a vein in your arm. In some cases your clinician may ask you to collect the sample at a specific time of day or after a medication, because hormone levels can change throughout the day and with certain drugs. Follow the instructions you are given about timing and any medications to pause.
What the Results Mean
Results are interpreted along with your symptoms, other hormone tests, and sometimes imaging. Levels outside the expected range do not by themselves confirm a diagnosis; they point your care team toward further evaluation. Your clinician will explain what your specific result means in your situation.
Clinical interpretation
How abnormal results are interpreted and what conditions they suggest.
11-Deoxycortisol is a precursor in the adrenal steroid pathway and is used to assess cortisol production. Abnormal results can be seen in conditions affecting adrenal or pituitary function, including disorders of excess or deficient cortisol synthesis. Interpretation requires correlation with other hormone measurements, clinical findings, and sometimes dynamic testing or imaging, and should always be done by a qualified clinician.
Short name
11-Deoxycortisol
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to fast or change my medications before this test?
Can a single result tell me whether I have an adrenal disorder?
Is this test the same as a cortisol test?
Sources
- 1
- 2Lab Tests OnlineSource
- 3
Click any link to access the full source. PubMed Central (PMC) links provide free full-text access.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
This content is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you have about a medical condition, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you read here.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your local emergency number or go to the nearest emergency department immediately.
Medically reviewed by WellAlly Editorial Team Last reviewed August 16, 2026. · Read our editorial policy