3 Things I Noticed After Drinking a Cortisol Cocktail Every Day for a Week

Forget coffee. The internet swears it’s found another miracle drink to lift your spirits when you’re feeling exhausted: the cortisol cocktail.

The viral drink is believed to support hormonal regulation during times of chronic stress, giving you more energy, improving your sleep and reducing cravings.

These are pretty lofty claims. As a naturally skeptical health editor (and stressed-out back-to-school mom), I wanted to put this wellness trend on social media to the test. Here’s what I found.

Despite its name, a cortisol cocktail (aka the adrenal cocktail) contains no alcohol, usually just three ingredients:

• orange juice (for vitamin C)
• Coconut water (for potassium)
• Sea salt (for sodium, an essential electrolyte)

Internet users are praising the “transformative” effects of this drink on social networks.It’s said to reduce burnout by reducing cortisol, the hormone released by your adrenal glands to give you energy when you’re stressed.

It is also believed to replenish the adrenal glands – which, in addition to the stress response, help regulate blood pressure, metabolism and other essential functions – when they are “tired.”

But experts say these claims don’t really hold water.

Chronic stress can keep cortisol levels high, potentially contributing to burnout symptoms, said Arti Thangudu, MD, an endocrinologist at Complete Medicine in San Antonio.

But There are no “cortisol-reducing foods” just some evidence that certain nutrients (like vitamin C or dietary fiber) may influence levels in specific situations.

And despite the claims, “the adrenal gland does not get tired or exhausted,” said Feyza Erenler, MD, an endocrinologist at Tufts Medical Center. Health.

There are real conditions that affect the glands – Cushing’s syndrome and adrenal insufficiency – but they are rare and usually caused by drugs, tumors or genes – not chronic stress.

As for the cortisol cocktail itself, Erenler is not aware of any studies examining its effects on adrenal function, cortisol, or general well-being.

With this research gap in mind, I decided to create my own experiment – ​​albeit a very unscientific one (to begin with, the group of participants was just one: me) – to see if this drink could make me feel different.

For seven straight days, I mixed the ingredients, following one creator’s recommendations: a pinch of sea salt plus 4 ounces each of orange juice and coconut water. I drank the cocktail around 1:30 p.m. each day, my sleepiest time, usually finishing it in five minutes. Here is what I experienced.

I started to… not hate him

Since I had never tried coconut water, I didn’t know what to expect. The first sip? Not great. I’m a fan of orange juice, but the coconut water diluted it and added a strange, somewhat bitter flavor.

That said, the drink was not terrible– and as the experience progressed, I adapted somewhat to the taste. By the end, I started looking forward to my afternoon mocktail. (Something I don’t think I can say about coconut water alone: ​​When I tried it later, I literally gagged.)

I received a temporary energy boost

Most of the time, I felt a little more energetic after drinking the cocktail– but unfortunately, the energy boost usually only lasted about twenty minutes.

Erenler said it’s likely the “carbohydrate effect” — in other words, the roughly 13 grams of carbohydrates in orange juice provide a quick, easily digestible source of energy. “Plus, electrolytes and hydration generally make people feel better,” Thangudu said. Health.

Whatever the reason, my overall energy level seemed no different than usual, still mostly related to how much I ran that day and how well I slept the night before.

My sleep and stress have not improved

Speaking of which, the cortisol cocktail didn’t seem to be doing me any favors in that area either. The week before my seven-day cocktail, my sleep was erratic—a mix of “fair,” “good,” and “optimal” according to my Oura ring—and my scores stayed about the same the following week. I also didn’t feel any more rested than usual.

As for stress, my Oura data actually showed that I had more “stressful” days during the experiment than the week before, based on metrics like heart rate and heart rate variability.

Probably not, unless you’re seriously craving a diluted, slightly bitter juice.

I didn’t notice any major benefits during the week, and while the drink gave me a brief afternoon boost, you’d probably get the same effect with a small glass of orange juice or any sugary drink.

That said, the cortisol cocktail is generally harmless. But Erenler said some people should stay away, like those watching their sugar intake or anyone with:

• High blood pressure (due to sodium)
• Kidney disease (due to potassium)

She also pointed out that it’s possible to get the same nutrients by focusing on whole foods throughout the day, which typically offer more minerals, vitamins and other beneficial compounds. Kiwis, bananas and sweet potatoes, for example, are good sources of potassium, while plain oranges, red peppers and broccoli are rich in vitamin C.

Moving forward, I think I’ll avoid the cortisol cocktail and follow Erenler’s advice: get to the root of my stress and stick to proven strategies to feel better, like meditation, a balanced diet, and solid sleep habits.