August 27, 2025
Could a ‘cortisol cocktail’ really reduce stress and boost energy?
Proponents claim the drink can lower high cortisol levels and help with “adrenal fatigue”
Have you heard of a “cortisol cocktail”? Rather than something you might order at a bar, this drink is one of the latest wellness trends floating around social media.
Proponents claim the drink – which is made with ingredients including orange juice, coconut water and salt – can lower high cortisol levels and help with “”. This in turn is supposed to lead to a range of benefits, from reduced stress to improved energy levels.
But can a cortisol cocktail really achieve these things? And do we actually need to lower our cortisol levels in the first place? Let’s see what the evidence says.
First, what is cortisol?
Cortisol is often portrayed as being bad for us, but we couldn’t live without it.
Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands. The also produce many other hormones including adrenaline, sex hormones and aldosterone (this helps balance salt in the body and affects blood pressure).
Cortisol is in response to stress. Physical stress (for example, injury or sleep deprivation) and psychological stress (such as work pressures or grief) stimulate the stress response – also known as the fight-or-flight response – and cortisol secretion.
We often hear cortisol described as “”. But cortisol has many too – it increases glucose (sugar) in the blood to provide energy, regulates metabolism and reduces inflammation.
Our bodies constantly produce cortisol but the level . It increases just before we wake, is highest during the morning, drops off in the afternoon and is lowest overnight.
We want high cortisol in the morning to wake us up and release energy. We also want higher cortisol in stressful situations, for example if we need to run for a train or be alert during an important discussion. On the flip side, we want low cortisol overnight to help us sleep.
But there’s often .
Many symptoms regularly blamed on high cortisol, such as weight gain and tiredness, are in fact linked to low cortisol. People with chronic fatigue syndrome .
Chronic stress can lead to , but ongoing stress can also cause low cortisol.
Notably, , which is not a medically recognised condition, means the adrenal glands produce less cortisol.
So it doesn’t make sense to suggest a cortisol cocktail could help with both high cortisol and adrenal fatigue (low cortisol).
What’s in a cortisol cocktail?
Recipes vary, but typically are half a cup each of orange juice and coconut water, around one-quarter of a teaspoon of salt, and sometimes extra potassium or magnesium powders.
The health claims are linked to the vitamin C from the orange juice, the potassium from the coconut water, the added magnesium, and the sodium from the salt.
Vitamin C, an with a range of , to healthy adrenal gland function and cortisol balance.
Coconut water (and sometimes ) is included as a source of potassium. Potassium is essential for healthy , and maintaining a regular heartbeat.
Potassium won’t affect cortisol, but can help with some of the effects of chronic stress and high cortisol .
Sometimes magnesium powder is added. Magnesium is essential for energy production, and relevant to chronic stress which uses a lot of energy and .
don’t get enough magnesium. Good include leafy green vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, legumes and meat.
However, any claim sodium is good for high cortisol or your adrenal glands is incorrect. High salt intake is linked with , and increases cortisol levels and .
Too much salt and sugar makes this trend risky for some people
While the cortisol cocktail contains some , it’s unlikely to meaningfully lower your cortisol levels, and is high in sugar and salt.
It contains around 16 grams of sugar ( and about from the coconut water). This is around one-third of the of sugar.
Due to its sugar content, a cortisol cocktail may not be suitable .
One-quarter of a teaspoon of salt is . is common and should especially be avoided by people with high blood pressure.
The high potassium content of a cortisol cocktail is also risky for people with heart disease, diabetes and .
How can I maintain healthy cortisol levels?
Reducing stress is the best way to keep our adrenal glands and cortisol levels healthy. In a , mindfulness, meditation and relaxation were the best ways to lower high cortisol.
In a , I described five types of activities which can help to reduce stress: exercise, cognitive and creative activities, socialising and self-soothing (for example, breathing exercises and meditation).
Dedicating time for at least one of these every day could offer benefits. But even short resets to de-stress during the day can help, such as taking a few minutes to , chat to a friend, stretch, or do a quick puzzle.
As for the cortisol cocktail, its benefits are questionable. Instead of the orange juice, salt and mineral powders, eating an orange and some nuts or seeds will give you the nutritional benefits without the high sugar and salt content.
This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .
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