Forget coffee. The internet swears it’s found another miracle drink to perk you up when you’re feeling run down: the cortisol cocktail.
The viral beverage is supposed to support hormone regulation during periods of chronic stress, giving you more energy, improving your sleep, and squashing food cravings.
Those are some pretty lofty claims—so as a naturally skeptical health editor (and a stressed-out mom during back-to-school time), I wanted to put this social media wellness trend to the test. Here’s what I found.
Despite its name, a cortisol cocktail (aka the adrenal cocktail) doesn’t contain any alcohol, usually just three ingredients:
- Orange juice (for the vitamin C)
- Coconut water (for the potassium)
- Sea salt (for the sodium, an essential electrolyte)
People on social media tout the drink’s “transformative” effects—it’s said to reduce burnout by lowering cortisol, the hormone your adrenal glands release to give you energy when you’re stressed.
It’s also supposed to replenish the adrenal glands—which, in addition to the stress response, help regulate blood pressure, metabolism, and other essential functions—when they’re “fatigued.”
But experts said those claims don’t really hold up.
Chronic stress can keep cortisol elevated, potentially contributing to burnout symptoms, said Arti Thangudu, MD, an endocrinologist at Complete Medicine in San Antonio.
But there are no “cortisol-lowering foods,” just some evidence that certain nutrients (like vitamin C or dietary fiber) may influence levels in specific situations.
And despite claims, “the adrenal gland does not get fatigued or exhausted,” Feyza Erenler, MD, an endocrinologist at Tufts Medical Center, told Health.
There are real conditions that affect the glands—Cushing’s syndrome and adrenal insufficiency—but these are rare and usually caused by medications, tumors, or genes—not chronic stress.
As for the cortisol cocktail itself, Erenler isn’t aware of any studies investigating its effects on adrenal function, cortisol, or overall well-being.
With this research gap in mind, I decided to create my own experiment—albeit a highly unscientific one (for starters, the participant pool was just one: me)—to see if this drink could make me feel any different.
For seven days straight, I mixed up the ingredients, following one creator’s recommendation: a pinch of sea salt plus 4 ounces of both orange juice and coconut water. I drank the cocktail at around 1:30 p.m. each day, my drowsiest time, usually finishing it within five minutes. Here’s what I experienced.
I Started To… Not Hate It
Because I had never tried coconut water, I didn’t know what to expect. The first sip? Not great. I’m a fan of orange juice, but the coconut water diluted it and added a strange, somewhat bitter flavor.
That said, the drink wasn’t terrible—and as the experiment went on, I adjusted somewhat to the taste. By the end, I actually started looking forward to my afternoon mocktail. (Something I don’t think I’ll ever say about coconut water on its own—when I tried it later, I literally gagged.)
I Got a Temporary Energy Boost
Most days, I felt a little peppier after drinking the cocktail—but unfortunately, the energy boost usually lasted only about 20 minutes.
Erenler said it was probably the “carbohydrates effect”—in other words, the roughly 13 grams of carbs from the orange juice providing a quick, easily digestible energy source. “Also, electrolytes and hydration typically make people feel better,” Thangudu told Health.
Whatever the reason, my overall energy levels didn’t seem any different than usual—still mostly tied to how much I’d been running around that day and how well I slept the night before.
My Sleep and Stress Didn’t Improve
Speaking of which, the cortisol cocktail didn’t seem to do me any major favors in that department, either. The week prior to my seven days of cocktailing, my sleep was spotty—a mix of “fair,” “good,” and “optimal” per my Oura ring—and my scores remained about the same the following week. I also didn’t feel more rested than usual.
As for stress, my Oura data actually showed that I had more “stressful” days during the experiment than the week before, based on metrics like heart rate and heart rate variability.
Probably not—unless you’re seriously hankering for some watered-down, slightly bitter juice.
I didn’t notice any major benefits during the week—and while the drink gave me a brief afternoon boost, you’d likely get the same effect from a small glass of OJ or any sugary drink.
That said, the cortisol cocktail is generally harmless. But Erenler said certain people should steer clear, such as those watching their sugar intake or anyone with:
- High blood pressure (due to the sodium)
- Kidney disease (due to the potassium)
She also pointed out that it’s possible to get the same nutrients by focusing on whole foods throughout the day, which generally offer more minerals, vitamins, and other beneficial compounds. Good sources of potassium, for example, include kiwis, bananas, and sweet potatoes, while plain oranges, red peppers, and broccoli are rich in vitamin C.
Moving forward, I think I’ll skip the cortisol cocktail and follow Erenler’s advice instead: tackle the root of my stress and stick to tried-and-true strategies for feeling better, like meditation, a balanced diet, and solid sleep habits.
