SHEET /vs/cortisol-vs-epinephrine · COMPARISON
Cortisol vs Adrenaline: what is the difference?
How they differ
These are the two stress hormones, and they run on different clocks. Adrenaline is released within seconds by the adrenal medulla and clears within minutes, producing the immediate racing heart and widened pupils of an acute fright. Cortisol is a steroid built from cholesterol, released over minutes to hours by the adrenal cortex, and it changes how the body handles glucose, immunity and inflammation for the rest of the day. Cortisol also follows a daily rhythm on its own, peaking shortly after waking, which adrenaline does not. Structurally they have nothing in common: cortisol is a four-ring steroid at 362.5, adrenaline a small catecholamine at 183.2.
Side by side
| Cortisol | Adrenaline | |
|---|---|---|
| Formula | C21H30O5 | C9H13NO3 |
| Molecular weight | 362.5 g/mol | 183.2 g/mol |
| Family | Steroid hormones | Neurotransmitters |
| Everyday group | Body | Body |
| Functional groups | Alcohols, Ketones | Alcohols, Amines, Aromatics, Phenols |
| GHS signal wordThe supplier-filed hazard label, not a statement about ordinary use. | Warning | Danger |
| LD50A single acute animal measure. It ranks nothing about human safety. | not recorded | 62 mg/kg (dermal, rat) |
| CAS number | 50-23-7 | not recorded |
| PubChem CID | 5754 | 5816 |
Common questions
- What is the difference between Cortisol and Adrenaline?
- These are the two stress hormones, and they run on different clocks. Adrenaline is released within seconds by the adrenal medulla and clears within minutes, producing the immediate racing heart and widened pupils of an acute fright. Cortisol is a steroid built from cholesterol, released over minutes to hours by the adrenal cortex, and it changes how the body handles glucose, immunity and inflammation for the rest of the day.
- Is Cortisol bigger than Adrenaline?
- Cortisol is the heavier molecule, 362.5 g/mol against 183.2 g/mol for Adrenaline. Cortisol is C21H30O5 and Adrenaline is C9H13NO3.
Read the full records: Cortisol and Adrenaline.