Cortisol cocktail: 3 blends for relieving daily stress and ensuring well-being

Modern people tend to experience more stress on a daily basis, which frequently leads to cortisol building up in your body and affecting your health. A cortisol cocktail is considered to be a natural remedy that can help you promote mental well-being. Typically containing vitamin C and essential electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium, a cortisol drink can give you such benefits as:

• Cortisol regulation
• Energy boost
• Weight loss

Although currently there are not enough studies to confirm these benefits, we can state for sure that consuming such drinks can help you balance your electrolytes and receive additional vitamin C, which might be beneficial for your physical and mental health.

Unfortunately, stress is an unavoidable part of modern life. Surveys reveal distressing results–in 2018, 74% of respondents in the UK stated they felt so stressed in the past year that they have felt overwhelmed and unable to cope. Studies, work, financial burden, interpersonal relationships, and social pressure–these are just a few of the many factors contributing to constant and high levels of stress in a modern person. But what happens when cortisol overflows you? And what can you do to cope with it on your own?

In this article, we’ll guide you through this matter and introduce the concept of a cortisol cocktail–a natural remedy that can help you secure mental well-being!

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What Is Stress? Understanding the Concept, Causes, and Science Behind It

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines stress as a state of mental tension or worry that typically arises from a difficult situation. It’s a natural brain response activated in response to challenges and threats you encounter in life. However, while everyone experiences this state occasionally or to a certain extent, modern people tend to remain in this state almost constantly, which doesn’t go unnoticed in their bodies.

Why Do Modern People Experience More Stress Than Years Before?

Researchers and healthcare professionals have been noticing alarming changes in stress patterns over the entire 21st century. A big comparative study by Penn State researchers revealed that people in the 2010s have shown a higher level of day-to-day stress and generally lower sense of well-being compared to same-aged people in the 1990s.

This tendency remains to this day. And though stress is not a new concept, there are a few things contributing to its increasing levels in modern society:

• Technological overload;
• Fast-paced lifestyle;
• Economical downs and the growing cost of living;
• Increasing societal expectations (including idealized images of success promoted by media);
• Environmental issues;
• Increasing demandingness and competitiveness of the labor market, etc.

To complicate matters, there are also growing health concerns. Studies reveal an increasing prevalence of chronic diseases in people living today. While this impacts the overall well-being, it’s also worth noting that certain chronic conditions, such as PCOS, also have increased stress and anxiety among their symptoms.

Cortisol and Its Role in Stress

In order to understand the impact of stress and find effective coping techniques, it’s important to understand what happens in your brain when you experience stress.

In a nutshell, when you get into a stressful situation, this activates your adrenal glands, which produce cortisol. Cortisol is a steroid hormone, which is also known as a “stress hormone.” Apart from regulating how you react to stress, cortisol is also responsible for regulating a range of other important functions, such as:

• Glucose metabolism
• Inflammation
• Blood pressure
• Sleep-wake cycle, etc.

What Happens When You Have Too Much Cortisol?

Lastly, in order to understand why you even need a “cortisol cocktail,” it’s important to understand how high levels of this hormone affect your body in the long term.

Although it may not be harmful in small amounts, it’s important to understand that cortisol can build up in your system, especially under prolonged stress or caused by certain medical conditions like PCOS that hinder your hormonal balance and create mood swings. 

When your body accumulates too much cortisol, you can notice the following problems:

• Weight gain, especially in the belly or face;
• Atypical face swelling (moon face);
• Sleep disruption;
• Mood changes;
• Development of serious mental health problems, such as anxiety or depression, etc.

All in all, constant stress and high cortisol levels can hinder the work of your entire organism and lead to many severe health issues. Luckily, it’s possible to combat this yourself, with the help of natural remedies, such as a cortisol drink.

What Is a Cortisol Cocktail?

In a nutshell, a cortisol cocktail (also known as an adrenal cocktail) is a natural, often homemade, beverage aimed to promote health and mental wellness. This beverage uses a combination of ingredients to decrease cortisol levels, enhance your energy, and promote weight loss.

The Key Ingredients of a Cortisol Drink

Although you can use a different combination of ingredients in an adrenal cocktail, the key active components typically used in it include:

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is one of the most essential vitamins for skin, bones, blood vessels, and overall health. It’s known for its ability to stimulate one’s immune system and protect you from a variety of health issues.

Studies show that vitamin C supplementation can also be effective in addressing hypercortisolemia, especially in females. That is, this active compound can indeed reduce cortisol levels and stimulate mental well-being.

Sodium

Sodium (or salt) is one of the essential electrolytes that perform a number of important functions in your body. In particular, maintaining a good electrolyte balance is crucial for your fluid balance, blood pressure regulation, pH levels regulation, and nerve and muscle function. To gain these benefits, many people drink salt water for the right balance of electrolytes.

In terms of your mental wellness, sodium doesn’t directly reduce the amount of produced cortisol. However, studies show that its increased intake stimulates urinary cortisol excretion, which means that your body becomes able to get rid of excess cortisol better.

Potassium

Potassium is another essential body electrolyte that supports all the aforementioned functions. Just like sodium, potassium is believed to support the work of your adrenal glands and stimulate cortisol excretion.

However, some studies also reveal a potential negative link between cortisol and potassium levels. Further research is needed to gain more clarity.

Magnesium

Finally, magnesium is also frequently used to make an adrenal cocktail. It’s an essential mineral that supports your muscles, bones, nerves, and blood sugar levels.

Additionally, magnesium has been linked to reduced cortisol levels and improved anxiety. It can also help improve your sleep by regulating the neurotransmitter GABA.

What Are the Main Adrenal Cocktail Benefits?

According to cortisol cocktail advocates, this magical drink can give you a range of benefits, including:

• Cortisol regulation
• Energy boost
• Weight loss

At the moment, there are not enough studies that would confirm all these benefits from the scientific side. Nevertheless, consuming natural drinks packed with vitamin C and electrolytes can still be very good for you. Such beverages will help you maintain the right electrolyte balance and receive additional vitamins that are vital for your physical and mental health.

As for using a cortisol cocktail for weight loss, it may not directly stimulate fat-burning. However, it can help you maintain fluid balance and possibly control your daily calorie intake.

Cortisol Cocktail Recipe: 3 Delicious Options to Try

Now that you know more about stress and its effect on your body and understand the potential adrenal cocktail benefits, you might be wondering how to use it for your own health. Here are a few recipes you can try:

Option 1:

• 1 cup cold water
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup fresh blackberries
• 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• Ice cubes
• Lemon slices and mint leaves

Option 2:

• 1/2 cup coconut water (or cream)
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tbsp collagen peptides (for added benefits)

Option 3:

• 1/4 cup Sparkling water
• 1/2 cup coconut water
• 1/2 cup mixed berry juice
• 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
• 1 tsp chia seeds
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• Ice cubes

FAQ

What is a cortisol cocktail?

A cortisol or adrenal cocktail is a drink meant to lower your cortisol levels and support weight loss. It typically includes such active elements as vitamin C, sodium, potassium, and magnesium.

Is a cortisol drink effective?

Currently, there is a limited number of studies on its effectiveness and benefits. Thus, we cannot state for sure that this beverage can give you the claimed benefits. On the other hand, the active elements contained in it are all proven to have a positive effect on one’s health, which makes it potentially good for you.

Is it effective to use a cortisol cocktail for weight loss?

Although the direct link between this drink and weight loss is yet to be proven, drinking it can have a few benefits for weight loss. In particular, it can help you maintain the right electrolyte balance, which is especially important if you are on a diet and lose essential electrolytes fast. Additionally, drinking such cocktails can replace snacks and help you minimize your daily calorie intake.

Conclusion

A cortisol cocktail is a natural blend of vitamin C and essential electrolytes meant to support the work of your adrenal glands and relieve stress. Although studies on this matter are still limited, the benefits of the components in this drink suggest that there might be certain benefits from consuming it.

Use the knowledge and adrenal cocktail recipes from this guide to reduce your cortisol levels and support your well-being!

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