Symptoms & complaints
Stress, burnout and your blood
Long-term stress and burnout are primarily symptoms of your mental and physical balance. Blood testing does not diagnose burnout, but it can reveal physical factors that relate to the symptoms or that are treatable.
In short
- Bloedonderzoek stelt geen burn-out vast. Het sluit lichamelijke oorzaken uit die op burn-out lijken.
- Schildklier, bloedarmoede en een tekort aan vitamine B12 of D geven klachten die er sterk op lijken.
- Cortisol alleen verklaart zelden iets: een enkele meting zegt weinig over langdurige stress.
- Normale waarden betekenen niet dat uw klachten er niet zijn. Ze betekenen dat de oorzaak elders ligt.
Bij ernstige somberheid, uitputting die uw dagelijks functioneren blokkeert of gedachten aan zelfdoding hoort hulp, geen bloedonderzoek. Bel uw huisarts of 113 (0800-0113).
What you can measure
Not every cause is visible in blood. These are the values that most often explain something.
Recommended test
Aanbevolen bij langdurige stressklachten
Fatigue & Sleep
8 markersSluit de lichamelijke meespelers uit die bij langdurige stress vaker wel iets opleveren.
- Personal assessment by a registered doctor
- Clear laboratory report, in plain language
- No referral needed
- 800+ blood draw locations
€189
Plus 29,- blood draw fee per order, free from 225,-.
What blood testing can and cannot do
Burnout is diagnosed based on your symptoms and functioning, not a blood test. However, blood testing can rule out or reveal physical causes that resemble the same symptoms, such as a thyroid problem or a vitamin deficiency.
The stress hormone cortisol can give additional insight, but must be carefully interpreted in context.
When testing is useful
Targeted blood testing can help not to miss treatable physical factors with:
- persistent fatigue
- concentration problems
- a feeling of exhaustion
It does not replace support for stress or burnout; discuss persistent symptoms with your GP.
Frequently asked questions
Can you see burnout in your blood?
No. Burnout is diagnosed based on your symptoms and functioning. Blood testing can reveal physical factors that resemble the same symptoms.
What does cortisol tell you?
Cortisol is the stress hormone and fluctuates strongly during the day. One measurement says little without context; a doctor weighs the timing and your situation.
Do I need to fast?
For these markers fasting is usually not needed. For cortisol the timing (often in the morning) does matter.
Sources
Recommended test
Aanbevolen bij langdurige stressklachten
Fatigue & Sleep
8 markersSluit de lichamelijke meespelers uit die bij langdurige stress vaker wel iets opleveren.
- Personal assessment by a registered doctor
- Clear laboratory report, in plain language
- No referral needed
- 800+ blood draw locations
€189
Plus 29,- blood draw fee per order, free from 225,-.
Read more