What topics does this cannabis study cover?

This study covers research on: Mental Health, Terpenes.

Where was this research published?

Published in Psychoneuroendocrinology on July 3, 2026.

Cannabis use affects stress hormone markers in hair

Beyond a simple marker of stress: A multiverse analysis of biopsychosocial associations with hair cortisol and cortisone.

Psychoneuroendocrinology • July 3, 2026 • Moderately Relevant

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AI Summary

This study examined whether hair cortisol and cortisone levels are reliable biomarkers of chronic stress, investigating over 60 biological, psychological, and social factors in young adults from a Swiss cohort. The researchers used a multiverse analysis approach—systematically testing different statistical models—to understand why previous research found inconsistent results. Importantly, they discovered that hair concentrations of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other drugs (cocaine, MDMA) were consistently linked to steroid hormone levels, suggesting that substance use significantly influences these stress biomarkers and must be controlled for in stress research.

The study identified several key factors that confound hair glucocorticoid measurements, including hair characteristics (color, washing intensity, chemical treatment), body mass index, hormonal contraception in women, and testosterone levels. Beyond biological factors, psychosocial variables like perceived stress, anxiety/depression symptoms, sports activity, and social exclusion showed associations with hair cortisol, though these relationships were weaker than expected and varied considerably by sex and age. Notably, women at age 24 showed stronger associations between psychosocial factors and hair steroids, while men at age 20 demonstrated more detectable correlations overall.

The practical implication of this research is significant for cannabis users and stress researchers alike: hair cortisol and cortisone should not be used as simple stress markers without carefully controlling for drug use, including cannabis consumption. The findings suggest that while hair glucocorticoids can reflect specific aspects of psychosocial stress, their interpretation requires careful consideration of multiple biological and behavioral confounders. This has important implications for clinical studies investigating cannabis effects on stress hormones, as THC presence in hair may be independently associated with measured cortisol levels regardless of underlying stress status.

📄 Original Abstract

Hair concentrations of cortisol and cortisone are increasingly used as potential biomarkers of chronic stress. However, their validity as indicators of psychosocial stress remains debated, as prior research shows variable associations with stress-related psychological and behavioral factors. This study systematically investigates a broad set of biopsychosocial correlates of hair glucocorticoids in young adults, leveraging a multiverse framework to evaluate the robustness of associations often reported as variable in prior work. Using data from the Zurich Project on the Social Development from Childhood to Adulthood, a large community-based age cohort, we employed a multiverse analysis to explore relationships between more than 60 biological, psychological, and contextual variables and three hair-based outcomes (cortisol, cortisone, and a combined score of both) at ages 20 (n = 1,002) and 24 (n = 887). Specification curve analyses were performed on the full sample and separately by sex, systematically varying model choices (i.e., inclusion/exclusion of covariates). Hair characteristics (i.e., color, washing intensity, chemical treatment), sampling season, body mass index, and, among women, hormonal contraception, showed strong associations with glucocorticoids and were included as covariates. Sweating intensity was associated with glucocorticoids primarily in females, but not in males. Hair concentrations of drugs (i.e., Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, cocaine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine [MDMA, "Ecstasy"], paracetamol) and the hormone testosterone were consistently linked to steroid outcomes. Several psychosocial factors were associated with hair glucocorticoids: migration background, perceived stress, symptoms of anxiety/depression, sports activity, and social exclusion. These factors exhibited stronger correlations with cortisol, while media use, aggression, and effective coping were more closely associated with cortisone. The combined steroid score mainly reflected associations detected for cortisol, but with weaker effect sizes. Associations varied descriptively by age and sex, with more associations detected in males at age 20 and in females at age 24. In cohort studies, corticosteroids in hair can reflect specific facets of psychosocial stress when critical confounders and sex are considered.

Paper Type

📄 Research

Publication

Journal: Psychoneuroendocrinology
Published: July 3, 2026
PMID: 42419163
DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2026.107953

Authors (10)

Clarissa Janousch Experimental Pharmacopsychology and Psychological Addiction Research, Department of Adult Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: clarissa.janousch@ki.se.
Lukas Eggenberger Experimental Pharmacopsychology and Psychological Addiction Research, Department of Adult Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Lydia Johnson-Ferguson Experimental Pharmacopsychology and Psychological Addiction Research, Department of Adult Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Suchtfachstelle Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Clarissa D Voegel Center for Forensic Hair Analytics, Zurich Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Markus R Baumgartner Center for Forensic Hair Analytics, Zurich Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
+5 more authors