Can Those Viral 'Cortisol Cocktails’ Really Help You Lose Weight?

Cortisol cocktails aren't a quick fix for stress or weight management and may be dangerous for some people.

It seems like there's a beverage for everything these days: cherry juice mocktails for sleep, lemon-cayenne "detox" drinks, apple cider vinegar for…basically everything, according to social media.

Advertisement

And lately, influencers have been singing the praises of something called a cortisol cocktail (sometimes called an adrenal cocktail) for stress and weight management.

Video of the Day

Video of the Day

We asked an endocrinologist and a registered dietitian to weigh in on whether these drinks are worth the hype.

What Is a Cortisol Cocktail?

The recipe might vary a bit based on whom you ask, but a cortisol or adrenal cocktail is a beverage typically made by combining orange juice, coconut water and sea salt. Other ingredients may include coconut milk, various spices and cream of tartar, a white powder sometimes used in baking that's high in potassium.

"In essence, an adrenal cocktail is a non-alcoholic drink that claims to support adrenal gland function and help combat stress and fatigue," says Andres Splenser, MD, a board-certified endocrinologist and internist with Endocrinology Clinics of Texas.

Your adrenal glands, by the way, are a pair of organs that sit on top of each kidney and produce hormones that help support your metabolism, immune system, blood pressure and other body functions, per Johns Hopkins Medicine. One of the hormones they produce is cortisol, aka the "stress hormone," which helps us deal with daily challenges, Dr. Splenser says.

Advertisement

The idea is that cortisol cocktails serve up a hefty dose of potassium, sodium and glucose, which support hydration and adrenal gland function, thus improving the body's response to stress and helping with weight loss, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

"I have tried versions of this drink and find them to taste a little salty depending on the recipe. However, if you don't add too much salt, they can be pretty tasty," says Amanda Beaver, RDN, LD, a registered dietitian nutritionist at Houston Methodist.

Advertisement

But do they work?

Can These Drinks Really Help With Stress and Weight Management?

"Typically, no," Beaver says. "While there are some situations where these drinks may be beneficial, there is no scientific evidence that they help with weight loss, lower stress levels or help improve stress hormones."

Advertisement

Advertisement

As for the idea that these beverages can help with "adrenal fatigue," Dr. Splenser notes that this is not a medically recognized disorder. Some people use the term to explain a group of symptoms including tiredness, trouble sleeping and weight gain supposedly caused by high levels of stress that overtax the adrenal glands. But there's no scientific evidence to back up this theory, according to the Endocrine Society.

Your adrenal glands "either work or don't work," Dr. Splenser says. "If your adrenal glands are not working or not producing cortisol, this is a medical condition called adrenal insufficiency, which manifests with significant medical symptoms and often leads to patients being hospitalized."

Advertisement

The most common symptoms of adrenal insufficiency are fatigue, muscle weakness, loss of appetite, weight loss and abdominal pain, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

In a nutshell, "I don't think these drinks have any benefit at all to help with adrenal health or stress management," Dr. Splenser says.

Advertisement

Potential Benefits of Cortisol Cocktails

Beaver notes these drinks may be beneficial in the following situations:

1. As a Sports Drink Replacement

"These could be helpful for those sweating a lot, such as [during] intense exercise or from 'hot' classes such as hot yoga," she says. "Those sweating heavily may need to replace the electrolytes they lose in their sweat, especially if they do not get a lot of sodium in their diet from the foods they eat."

Advertisement

2. For People Low on Potassium

"These could be helpful for those not eating adequate sodium or potassium," Beaver says. "It is common for Americans to not get enough potassium in their diets, and eating adequate amounts of potassium has a lot of health benefits, such as for heart health."

Advertisement

On the other hand, she says, most Americans get too much sodium. "Most of the sodium in our diet comes from packaged and restaurant foods, so individuals who eat a lot of these typically don't need the extra sodium that these drinks provide. For individuals who eat mostly home-cooked foods who don't add a lot of salt, having a drink like this could be useful if they are not getting enough sodium from their diet, especially if they are frequently doing exercise where they sweat a lot."

Tip

You might already be getting more sodium than you think. On average, Americans consume about 3,500 milligrams of sodium per day, according to the American Heart Association. The AHA recommends no more than 2,300 mg per day and encourages an ideal limit of 1,500 mg per day.

3. As an Addition to Your Self-Care Routine

"These drinks could be helpful for those who are feeling a lot of stress due to a lack of self-care," Beaver says. "Relaxing while you sip on a (non-alcoholic) drink you made for yourself while you reflect on your enjoyment of the drink, read a book, watch your favorite show or have a conversation with a loved one will provide stress-reducing benefits."

She adds this caveat, though: "Just make sure you are not adding too much salt if you have high blood pressure or eat out a lot."

4. As a Replacement for Higher-Sugar Drinks

Drinking a cortisol cocktail in place of soda or other very sweet drinks could have benefits.

"While adrenal cocktails do have some sugar from juice, they are typically much lower in sugar than soda, sweet tea and sweetened coffee drinks, so these could help with weight loss if an individual is replacing something less healthy with this beverage," Beaver says.

Dr. Splenser notes that these drinks may not be ideal for weight loss, though, as juices still tend to be calorie-dense. "It is better to eat your fruit than drink it," he says.

Potential Risks of Cortisol Cocktails

If you're a healthy adult, occasionally sipping one of these cocktails is unlikely to do you harm. But certain people should avoid these beverages or at least talk to their doctor before drinking them, according to Beaver and Dr. Splenser, including folks with the following conditions:

Advertisement

  • Kidney disease
  • High blood pressure
  • Diabetes or prediabetes
  • Cushing's disease

People taking diuretics should also steer clear because of the high amount of potassium in these drinks, Beaver notes.

Dr. Splenser adds that these beverages can be dangerous in a sense if you're using them to try to treat a serious medical problem that should be evaluated and managed by a doctor.

"If a patient has significant symptoms, they may delay diagnosis of more concerning medical problems that may explain their fatigue, dizziness or other symptoms like adrenal insufficiency, sleep apnea or other hormonal imbalances. Hence, it is likely better to consult your doctor to discuss your symptoms and get evaluated," he says.

The Bottom Line

Don't expect dramatic changes. "These drinks are not the cure-all that social media makes them out to be," Beaver says. "They can provide some valuable nutrients such as vitamin C and potassium, but there are plenty of other great ways to get these nutrients. These drinks are pretty, enjoyable and tasty, and they may help us feel like we are taking care of ourselves, but they will not directly help us with many of the health conditions they are purported to help with."

references
universo-virtual.com
buytrendz.net
thisforall.net
benchpressgains.com
qthzb.com
mindhunter9.com
dwjqp1.com
secure-signup.net
ahaayy.com
soxtry.com
tressesindia.com
puresybian.com
krpano-chs.com
cre8workshop.com
hdkino.org
peixun021.com
qz786.com
utahperformingartscenter.org
maw-pr.com
zaaksen.com
ypxsptbfd7.com
worldqrmconference.com
shangyuwh.com
eejssdfsdfdfjsd.com
playminecraftfreeonline.com
trekvietnamtour.com
your-business-articles.com
essaywritingservice10.com
hindusamaaj.com
joggingvideo.com
wandercoups.com
onlinenewsofindia.com
worldgraphic-team.com
bnsrz.com
wormblaster.net
tongchengchuyange0004.com
internetknowing.com
breachurch.com
peachesnginburlesque.com
dataarchitectoo.com
clientfunnelformula.com
30pps.com
cherylroll.com
ks2252.com
webmanicura.com
osostore.com
softsmob.com
sofietsshotel.com
facetorch.com
nylawyerreview.com
apapromotions.com
shareparelli.com
goeaglepointe.com
thegreenmanpubphuket.com
karotorossian.com
publicsensor.com
taiwandefence.com
epcsur.com
odskc.com
inzziln.info
leaiiln.info
cq-oa.com
dqtianshun.com
southstills.com
tvtv98.com
thewellington-hotel.com
bccaipiao.com
colectoresindustrialesgs.com
shenanddcg.com
capriartfilmfestival.com
replicabreitlingsale.com
thaiamarinnewtoncorner.com
gkmcww.com
mbnkbj.com
andrewbrennandesign.com
cod54.com
luobinzhang.com
bartoysdirect.com
taquerialoscompadresdc.com
aaoodln.info
amcckln.info
drvrnln.info
dwabmln.info
fcsjoln.info
hlonxln.info
kcmeiln.info
kplrrln.info
fatcatoons.com
91guoys.com
signupforfreehosting.com
faithfirst.net
zjyc28.com
tongchengjinyeyouyue0004.com
nhuan6.com
oldgardensflowers.com
lightupthefloor.com
bahamamamas-stjohns.com
ly2818.com
905onthebay.com
fonemenu.com
notanothermovie.com
ukrainehighclassescort.com
meincmagazine.com
av-5858.com
yallerdawg.com
donkeythemovie.com
corporatehospitalitygroup.com
boboyy88.com
miteinander-lernen.com
dannayconsulting.com
officialtomsshoesoutletstore.com
forsale-amoxil-amoxicillin.net
generictadalafil-canada.net
guitarlessonseastlondon.com
lesliesrestaurants.com
mattyno9.com
nri-homeloans.com
rtgvisas-qatar.com
salbutamolventolinonline.net
sportsinjuries.info
topsedu.xyz
xmxm7.com
x332.xyz
sportstrainingblog.com
autopartspares.com
readguy.net
soniasegreto.com
bobbygdavis.com
wedsna.com
rgkntk.com
bkkmarketplace.com
zxqcwx.com
breakupprogram.com
boxcardc.com
unblockyoutubeindonesia.com
fabulousbookmark.com
beat-the.com
guatemala-sailfishing-vacations-charters.com
magie-marketing.com
kingstonliteracy.com
guitaraffinity.com
eurelookinggoodapparel.com
howtolosecheekfat.net
marioncma.org
oliviadavismusic.com
shantelcampbellrealestate.com
shopleborn13.com
topindiafree.com
v-visitors.net
qazwsxedcokmijn.com
parabis.net
terriesandelin.com
luxuryhomme.com
studyexpanse.com
ronoom.com
djjky.com
053hh.com
originbluei.com
baucishotel.com
33kkn.com
intrinsiqresearch.com
mariaescort-kiev.com
mymaguk.com
sponsored4u.com
crimsonclass.com
bataillenavale.com
searchtile.com
ze-stribrnych-struh.com
zenithalhype.com
modalpkv.com
bouisset-lafforgue.com
useupload.com
37r.net
autoankauf-muenster.com
bantinbongda.net
bilgius.com
brabustermagazine.com
indigrow.org
miicrosofts.net
mysmiletravel.com
selinasims.com
spellcubesapp.com
usa-faction.com
snn01.com
hope-kelley.com
bancodeprofissionais.com
zjccp99.com
liturgycreator.com
weedsmj.com
majorelenco.com
colcollect.com
androidnews-jp.com
hypoallergenicdogsnames.com
dailyupdatez.com
foodphotographyreviews.com
cricutcom-setup.com
chprowebdesign.com
katyrealty-kanepa.com
tasramar.com
bilgipinari.org
four-am.com
indiarepublicday.com
inquick-enbooks.com
iracmpi.com
kakaschoenen.com
lsm99flash.com
nana1255.com
ngen-niagara.com
technwzs.com
virtualonlinecasino1345.com
wallpapertop.net
nova-click.com
abeautifulcrazylife.com
diggmobile.com
denochemexicana.com
eventhalfkg.com
medcon-taiwan.com
life-himawari.com
myriamshomes.com
nightmarevue.com
allstarsru.com
bestofthebuckeyestate.com
bestofthefirststate.com
bestwireless7.com
declarationintermittent.com
findhereall.com
jingyou888.com
lsm99deal.com
lsm99galaxy.com
moozatech.com
nuagh.com
patliyo.com
philomenamagikz.net
rckouba.net
saturnunipessoallda.com
tallahasseefrolics.com
thematurehardcore.net
totalenvironment-inthatquietearth.com
velislavakaymakanova.com
vermontenergetic.com
sizam-design.com
kakakpintar.com
begorgeouslady.com
1800birks4u.com
2wheelstogo.com
6strip4you.com
bigdata-world.net
emailandco.net
gacapal.com
jharpost.com
krishnaastro.com
lsm99credit.com
mascalzonicampani.com
sitemapxml.org
thecityslums.net
topagh.com
flairnetwebdesign.com
bangkaeair.com
beneventocoupon.com
noternet.org
oqtive.com
smilebrightrx.com
decollage-etiquette.com
1millionbestdownloads.com
7658.info
bidbass.com
devlopworldtech.com
digitalmarketingrajkot.com
fluginfo.net
naqlafshk.com
passion-decouverte.com
playsirius.com
spacceleratorintl.com
stikyballs.com
top10way.com
yokidsyogurt.com
zszyhl.com
16firthcrescent.com
abogadolaboralistamd.com
apk2wap.com
aromacremeria.com
banparacard.com
bosmanraws.com
businessproviderblog.com
caltonosa.com
calvaryrevivalchurch.org
chastenedsoulwithabrokenheart.com
cheminotsgardcevennes.com
cooksspot.com
cqxzpt.com
deesywig.com
deltacartoonmaps.com
despixelsetdeshommes.com
duocoracaobrasileiro.com
fareshopbd.com
goodpainspills.com
kobisitecdn.com
makaigoods.com
mgs1454.com
piccadillyresidences.com
radiolaondafresca.com
rubendorf.com
searchengineimprov.com
sellmyhrvahome.com
shugahouseessentials.com
sonihullquad.com
subtractkilos.com
valeriekelmansky.com
vipasdigitalmarketing.com
voolivrerj.com
zeelonggroup.com
1015southrockhill.com
10x10b.com
111-online-casinos.com
191cb.com
3665arpentunitd.com
aitesonics.com
bag-shokunin.com
brightotech.com
communication-digitale-services.com
covoakland.org
dariaprimapack.com
freefortniteaccountss.com
gatebizglobal.com
global1entertainmentnews.com
greatytene.com
hiroshiwakita.com
iktodaypk.com
jahatsakong.com
meadowbrookgolfgroup.com
newsbharati.net
platinumstudiosdesign.com
slotxogamesplay.com
strikestaruk.com
trucosdefortnite.com
ufabetrune.com
weddedtowhitmore.com
12940brycecanyonunitb.com
1311dietrichoaks.com
2monarchtraceunit303.com
601legendhill.com
850elaine.com
adieusolasomade.com
andora-ke.com
bestslotxogames.com
cannagomcallen.com
endlesslyhot.com
iestpjva.com
ouqprint.com
pwmaplefest.com
qtylmr.com
rb88betting.com
buscadogues.com
1007macfm.com
born-wild.com
growthinvests.com
promocode-casino.com
proyectogalgoargentina.com
wbthompson-art.com
whitemountainwheels.com
7thavehvl.com
developmethis.com
funkydogbowties.com
travelodgegrandjunction.com
gao-town.com
globalmarketsuite.com
blogshippo.com
hdbka.com
proboards67.com
outletonline-michaelkors.com
kalkis-research.com
thuthuatit.net
buckcash.com
hollistercanada.com
docterror.com
asadart.com
vmayke.org
erwincomputers.com
dirimart.org
okkii.com
loteriasdecehegin.com
mountanalog.com
healingtaobritain.com
ttxmonitor.com
bamthemes.com
nwordpress.com
11bolabonanza.com
avgo.top