All eligible living donors were considered for participation in the study unless exclusion criteria were present: active corticoid medication, known adrenal disease such as hypercortisolism, hyperaldosteronism or adrenal insufficiency, or the presence of metallic implants precluding MRI investigation. All living kidney donor candidates underwent a standard somatic and psychological eligibility testing during a brief hospitalization in accordance with the Swiss Transplantation Act and the guidelines of the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences.