What is the variability of plasma norepinephrine levels?
I’d assume there is a normal NE basal concentration. From some quick digging it looks like 3.38nmol/L. (That was just some quick internet searching, so take with a grain of salt.) Obviously that varies with levels of stress. That’s why they usually do a 24 hour catecholamine test instead so that the variation during the day is accounted for. (FYI: NE is a type of catecholamine.
I once had some tests run on my epinephrine levels in an effort to determine whether my adrenal gland was operating properly. I learned two relevant things. 1. If they’re on the high end of the normal range, then that means they’re probably elevated due to stress, anxiety, that sort of thing. 2. If they’re in the high range, that means you might have Addison’s, a tumor, or some other biological condition that would cause your adrenal gland to overproduce. So the test could certainly distinguish between an actual endocrine disease and plain old fashioned anxiety. I’m sorry, I don’t remember where the numerical cut offs were for “normal” and “high.” If you can’t get answers elesewhere, email me (address in profile) and I’ll sift through my medical records. I might be able to find something useful. Best of luck.
