What is the reference range for Adrenocorticotropic Hormone?

The standard reference range for Adrenocorticotropic Hormone is Approximately 6–50 pg/mL (1.3–11 pmol/L) in morning samples; time- and assay-dependent.. Reference ranges vary by laboratory and assay platform — interpret in context of the issuing laboratory's stated range.

Which tests measure Adrenocorticotropic Hormone?

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone is measured in 2 tests on BiomarkersLabs.com, including ACTH, Plasma, Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH).

Biomarker Reference · ACTH

What does the Adrenocorticotropic Hormone test measure?

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) is a clinical biomarker used in adrenal-stress assessment. Adrenocorticotropic hormone is a 39-amino-acid polypeptide synthesised and secreted by corticotroph cells of the anterior pituitary. It is measured in 2 laboratory tests on BiomarkersLabs.com.

Reference Range: Approximately 6–50 pg/mL (1.3–11 pmol/L) in morning samples; time- and assay-dependent.
Units: pg/mL, pmol/L
Measured In: 2 tests
Category: Adrenal

Functional medicine optimalReference intervals are method- and time-specific; morning samples are required for interpretation. There is no single 'optimal' ACTH — the value must be interpreted with concurrent cortisol and the clinical picture.

What is Adrenocorticotropic Hormone?

Adrenocorticotropic hormone is a 39-amino-acid polypeptide synthesised and secreted by corticotroph cells of the anterior pituitary. It is cleaved from the larger precursor pro-opiomelanocortin and drives adrenal cortisol synthesis by binding to melanocortin-2 receptors on the zona fasciculata. ACTH secretion follows a pronounced circadian rhythm, peaking in the early morning hours and reaching a nadir in late evening. Its release is pulsatile, governed by hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing hormone and subject to negative feedback by circulating cortisol, forming the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis.

Why is Adrenocorticotropic Hormone measured?

Plasma ACTH is the central test for distinguishing ACTH-dependent from ACTH-independent causes of hypercortisolism and for diagnosing primary and secondary adrenal insufficiency. An elevated ACTH with low cortisol points to primary adrenal failure; a suppressed or inappropriately normal ACTH with low cortisol suggests secondary or tertiary insufficiency. In Cushing syndrome, a detectable or elevated ACTH indicates a pituitary or ectopic source, while suppressed ACTH implicates an adrenal tumour. Because of its short half-life, lability, and circadian variation, ACTH measurement demands rigorous pre-analytic handling and careful interpretation in the context of paired cortisol.

Reference ranges

Standard reference: Approximately 6–50 pg/mL (1.3–11 pmol/L) in morning samples; time- and assay-dependent.
Functional medicine optimal: Reference intervals are method- and time-specific; morning samples are required for interpretation. There is no single 'optimal' ACTH — the value must be interpreted with concurrent cortisol and the clinical picture.
Units: pg/mL, pmol/L

Reference ranges vary by laboratory and assay platform. Interpret in context of the issuing laboratory's stated range.

Tests that measure Adrenocorticotropic Hormone

2 tests on BiomarkersLabs.com include this biomarker.

BML-THY-028Comprehensive

ACTH, Plasma

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone reference range in this test: Approximately 6–50 pg/mL (1.3–11 pmol/L) in morning samples; time- and assay-dependent.

BML-THY-029Comprehensive

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH)

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone reference range in this test: Approximately 6–50 pg/mL (morning), assay- and time-of-day-specific.

Related clinical conditions

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