lower cortisol peptide FAQ

Even though adrenal fatigue is a commonly used term in wellness circles, scientific research doesn’t recognize it — a “burnout” of your adrenal glands from overuse — as a medical cause of fatigue. What endocrinologists do sometimes diagnose is a condition called adrenal insufficiency (sometimes called Addison’s disease). When you have that condition, your adrenal glands don’t make enough cortisol. Adrenal insufficiency happens because of autoimmune issues, infection, cancer, problems with your pituitary gland, or genetic causes — not overuse of your adrenal glands. Treatment for adrenal insufficiency includes IV corticosteroids and doses of cortisol, aldosterone, or both. You may also need other medicines to help regulate your sodium and potassium. A cortisol cocktail wouldn’t treat adrenal insufficiency. Fatigue is a symptom of adrenal insufficiency, but adrenal fatigue and adrenal insufficiency aren’t the same thing. In fact, they have the opposite effect on cortisol levels in your body. “Adrenal fatigue gets described as a condition where your adrenal glands don’t produce enough cortisol because of high stress, but when you’re stressed out, your adrenal glands make more cortisol,” Friedman says.

Yes. Since you make adrenal cocktails with orange juice, drinking them will increase your blood sugar.

Yes. One role of magnesium in your body is to regulate your cortisol levels. It does this by blocking or reducing pathways that send cortisol to your brain.

Yes. Both sodium (from salt) and potassium (from coconut water and cream of tartar, if you add it) are electrolytes. Electrolytes are essential to many of your body’s functions.

There isn’t research to back claims that cortisol cocktails do any more for your adrenal glands than simply eating a healthy diet would. Here’s a breakdown of some of the common claims and what science says about them:

Instead of coconut water, you might try sparkling mineral water, aloe vera juice, unsweetened coconut milk, or just plain water.

According to promoters of cortisol cocktails, the ingredients of these drinks deliver important nutrients: The claim is that by boosting levels of these vitamins and minerals with this drink, you help energize worn-out adrenal glands so they can work better. “The adrenal glands, located just above your kidneys, produce more than 50 hormones, including the ‘stress’ hormone cortisol and aldosterone, which maintain your body’s sodium balance,” says Theodore C. Friedman, MD, PhD, professor of medicine at the UCLA School of Medicine and chief of the division of endocrinology, molecular medicine and metabolism at Charles R. Drew University. Cortisol helps regulate your response to stress by giving you an energy boost. If you’re feeling sluggish and tired, one theory is your adrenal glands have given out — a condition called adrenal fatigue.

Not unless you can’t have one of their ingredients because of an allergy or medical condition, or you have kidney disease, diabetes, or a condition that requires you to restrict your fluid intake.

To lower your cortisol levels, focus on stress management techniques like deep breathing, meditation, quality sleep, and regular exercise. Also eat a balanced diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods that are high in fiber.

Even if they don’t offer health benefits, cortisol cocktails are harmless on the whole. Their ingredients aren’t different from those in many whole foods or even other electrolyte drinks.

Your cortisol is typically lowest in the evening as you go to bed and highest in the morning as you wake up. That’s because cortisol plays a role in your circadian rhythm, which is your sleep-wake cycle. Getting good-quality sleep over time can help regulate your cortisol levels so they stay more steady.

If you live with any of these medical conditions, talk to your doctor before giving cortisol cocktails a try.

A cortisol cocktail — also called an adrenal cocktail — is a drink that includes orange juice, coconut water, and salt, among other ingredients. It’s become a popular wellness product because of claims it helps to boost your energy, ease the effects of stress on your body, and promote weight loss. But do these cocktails work? To understand the answer, it’s helpful to learn more about adrenal glands, cortisol, and how they affect you.