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Adrenocorticotropic Hormone
Abbreviation: ACTH
Panel: Hormone Tests · All hormones tests
Typical adult reference range
| Conventional units | 7.2–63.3 pg/mL |
| SI units | 1.6–13.9 pmol/L |
Ranges vary between laboratories and methods — compare your result with the range printed on your own report.
What a high or low result can mean
High adrenocorticotropic hormone: high values can be seen in primary adrenal insufficiency and in ACTH-dependent Cushing syndrome.
Low adrenocorticotropic hormone: low values may occur with pituitary disorders or glucocorticoid use.
These are associations, not a diagnosis: the same result can have several causes, and your clinician interprets it with the rest of your results and history.
Good to know
Usually measured in the morning alongside cortisol; the sample requires prompt processing.
Related tests — Hormone Tests
Please note: Reference ranges vary between laboratories, and between the methods and instruments they use — the range printed on your own report is the one your result should be compared with. A result outside the range is not by itself a diagnosis, and a result inside it does not rule out illness. These pages are an educational summary, not medical advice: always discuss your results with the clinician who ordered them, who can interpret them in the context of your health and history.