Do Cortisol Cocktails Work?

If you find yourself grappling with fatigue, sleepless nights and all-around burnout, it can be tempting to seek a speedy fix. Enter the cortisol cocktail, a trendy, good-tasting, nonalcoholic drink that promises to help your body fight stress and maintain peak performance.

But the question is: Do cortisol cocktails deliver all they promise?

Not really, says endocrinologist Pratibha Rao, MD, MPH.

Dr. Rao explains what a cortisol cocktail is and debunks claims about the drink.

What is a cortisol cocktail?

The nonalcoholic beverage typically contains orange juice, coconut water and a big pinch of sea salt. Other ingredients in a cortisol cocktail may include coconut milk, lemon juice and cream of tartar, as well as spices like ginger.

A magic elixir? A shortcut to good health? A fast way to fight off fatigue and the effects of stress? Those claims — and plenty more — have been made about cortisol cocktails (also known as adrenal cocktails).

What does an adrenal cocktail do?

The idea around cortisol cocktails is that they can fight “adrenal fatigue” and support your adrenal gland health.

Your adrenal glands are small, triangular organs that sit atop your kidneys and make vital hormones, like aldosterone, cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline. These hormones are essential for duties like regulating heart rate, ensuring electrolyte balance, maintaining blood pressure and dealing with stress.

But do we need to be worried about adrenal fatigue?

Probably not. Much like your heart or lungs, your adrenal glands have a huge functional capacity and don’t get tired out.

Dr. Rao says she’s familiar with the term, though.

“But in the medical profession, our practice is based on evidence,” she clarifies, “and there is no evidence that adrenal fatigue exists.”

There is a rare medical condition known as adrenal insufficiency, in which your adrenal glands don’t function properly and can’t secrete the vital hormones your body needs. Also, certain conditions can impact adrenal function, like Addison’s disease and Cushing syndrome. But these conditions aren’t the same as adrenal fatigue.

Do cortisol cocktails work?

According to the cocktail’s advocates, the combination of vitamin C (from orange juice), sodium (from the sea salt) and potassium (from the coconut water, and the cream of tartar, if you use it) replenishes your body’s hardworking adrenal glands.

But there’s no evidence that these cocktails nourish or support the adrenal glands, beyond what a healthy diet provides.

Additional claims say that cortisol cocktails can:

• Reduce your stress: It makes sense, right? High levels of stress result in high cortisol levels. But Dr. Rao reiterates that there isn’t any evidence to show that these cocktails can reduce cortisol levels and, therefore, your stress.
• Increase your energy: Looking for ways to stay alert? Adrenal cocktails aren’t really going to help. “The best way to keep energy levels consistently high is to stay well-hydrated, have a positive attitude and eat nourishing food,” states Dr. Rao.
• Help with weight management: Can you use a cortisol cocktail for weight loss? High cortisol levels tend to increase your appetite. But as cortisol cocktails don’t actually lower your cortisol, it won’t help those numbers on the scale.
• Replenish your electrolytes: While adrenal cocktails do provide hydration, the extra sodium from the cocktail’s sea salt isn’t necessary for the average person. Adopting a healthy diet and drinking plenty of water are far more beneficial for maintaining an electrolyte balance, says Dr. Rao.

Are they safe?

If you’re in good health, there’s nothing in a cortisol cocktail that’s unsafe.

“While there’s no evidence that cortisol cocktails can improve adrenal function, I don’t think they do any harm,” says Dr. Rao.

But you should proceed with caution in these specific situations:

• If you’re on dialysis or have been diagnosed with kidney failure or chronic kidney disease: Talk with your healthcare provider before trying a cortisol cocktail. The drink’s high potassium level could lead to potential harm, Dr. Rao cautions.
• If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes: The sugar content in these cocktails could cause problems in blood-sugar regulation, especially as the drink lacks sugar-regulating nutrients like fiber and protein.
• If you’re watching your weight: Consider the calories in a cortisol cocktail. Eight ounces of orange juice contains 110 calories, and 8 ounces of coconut water has about 60 calories. Plain water? Zero calories.

Key takeaways

Cortisol cocktails do offer some nutrients and provide some hydration — but remember that they’re not a cure-all for symptoms like fatigue and stress.

More importantly, lifestyle issues are likely to play a much larger role in your symptoms than any type of adrenal problem.

Dr. Rao advises looking for ways to improve your daily life — try deep breathing, meditation or taking a short walk to relieve stress. Also, focus on getting enough sleep, eating a well-balanced diet, prioritizing exercise and staying hydrated.

And it can be helpful to talk to a healthcare provider about how you’re feeling.

“Things like cortisol cocktails might seem helpful in the short term,” concludes Dr. Rao. “But they don’t help in diagnosing or treating the underlying problem. At that point, a trip to your healthcare provider is in order.”