What’s the Viral “Cortisol Cocktail” and Does It Really Work?

We’re taking a closer look at the viral “cortisol cocktail” trend, what cortisol actually does in the body, and whether this wellness drink can actually help lower stress.

If you’ve been on TikTok lately, you’ve probably seen the so-called “cortisol cocktail” popping up in your feed. It’s typically a mix of coconut water, juice, and salt that’s said to calm stress hormones and give energy a boost. But does this trendy drink actually do anything for your cortisol levels, or is it just another viral wellness fad?

To separate fact from hype, I spoke with Dr. Cassie Smith, MD, ABIM, Dual Board-Certified in Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism & Internal Medicine, founder of Modern Endocrine ™, and host of the podcast Hormones, Metabolism and You. She explains what cortisol actually does in the body, why cortisol balance matters, and whether this viral cocktail lives up to the buzz—or if it’s just another glorified electrolyte mix.

So before you stock up on coconut water and orange juice, give our interview a read.

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Can you explain what cortisol is and its role in the body on thyroid, hormones, and gut health?

Cortisol is a steroid hormone made by the adrenal glands, often called the “stress hormone.” While it’s crucial for daily function—helping regulate blood sugar, metabolism, immune activity, and our sleep-wake cycle—it becomes problematic when chronically elevated.

Cortisol follows a diurnal rhythm, meaning it’s highest in the morning when you wake up and lowest at night, which allows for your body to rest and repair. However, a lot of people have elevated or hyperactive cortisol or autonomic nervous systems, so their cortisol is high at night as well as in the morning, which causes issues with sleeping.

Chronic stress and high cortisol can set off a cascade, slowing thyroid function, depleting sex hormones, and weakening gut health. Over time, this cycle leads to fatigue, hormonal imbalance, digestive problems, and worsening thyroid symptoms.

Have you seen any evidence that “cortisol cocktails” reduce stress or regulate cortisol levels?

The short answer is no. It won’t harm you to drink a “cortisol cocktail”, and the ingredients, like coconut water, juice, and salt, can help with hydration and blood sugar stabilization. So some people may feel less stressed or fatigued after drinking one.

But there’s no scientific evidence—and I have not seen any clinical evidence or laboratory evidence in my practice that they directly reduce cortisol levels or treat adrenal dysfunction. They’re more of a quick energy or electrolyte support drink, but not a proven treatment for stress.

How do cortisol fluctuations affect overall health, energy, and mood?

Cortisol is one of the body’s key regulators, helping you wake, respond to stress, and then rest. When it spikes or crashes at the wrong times, it disrupts energy, mood, immunity, digestion, and hormones.

Cortisol peaks about 30 to 45 minutes after waking, giving you energy, focus, and motivation to start the day. Levels then gradually decline, keeping you alert but balanced, before dropping at night so melatonin can rise and your body can rest and repair.

When cortisol is too high for too long, it suppresses the immune system, drives inflammation, raises blood pressure, promotes belly fat and insulin resistance, and leaves you feeling “tired but wired.” Sleep becomes restless, mood becomes anxious or irritable, and food cravings spike.

When cortisol is too low (after prolonged stress), stress tolerance plummets. If this happens, people often experience low blood pressure, salt cravings, fatigue, dizziness, frequent illness, brain fog, low mood, and depression-like symptoms.

When cortisol is dysregulated and someone experiences high cortisol at night, it can cause insomnia and racing thoughts, while low cortisol in the morning makes it hard to get out of bed without caffeine. Fluctuations throughout the day lead to energy crashes, sugar cravings, and mood swings.

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Are there particular lifestyle habits, like quality sleep, regular exercise, a healthy diet, or mindfulness, that are the most impactful for lowering cortisol levels?

Daily lifestyle choices have a powerful impact on cortisol balance. Sleep, movement, nutrition, mindfulness, sunlight, and strong social connections are the most powerful tools you can use every day to keep cortisol in check and protect your long-term health.

1. Prioritize Quality Sleep

Staying up late or getting poor sleep disrupts cortisol’s natural rhythm, keeping cortisol elevated at night. Aim for 7–8 hours of restful sleep, ideally get to bed by 10 p.m.

2. Exercise—But in Moderation

Regular movement lowers baseline cortisol and makes your body more resilient to stress. Walking, strength training, yoga, or cycling are excellent options; just avoid overtraining, which can actually drive cortisol higher. Moderate exercise 5 days a week, with a mix of strength and aerobic activity, is ideal.

3. Eat for Blood Sugar Balance

Big blood sugar swings, whether from processed foods, overly long fasting, or very low-carb diets, can spike cortisol. Balanced meals with protein, fiber, and healthy fats stabilize energy and reduce stress hormone surges.

4. Practice Mindfulness

Stress-reduction techniques like meditation, breathwork, journaling, or gratitude practices help calm the nervous system and have been shown in studies to lower cortisol levels and strengthen immune health.

5. Support Your Circadian Rhythm with Sunlight

Morning light exposure helps anchor your cortisol rhythm and supports healthy melatonin production at night. Limit evening screen time, or use blue-light blocking glasses, to protect your sleep and hormone balance.

6. Nurture Social Connections

Strong, supportive relationships buffer stress and help keep cortisol levels healthy. On the flip side, loneliness is linked to higher cortisol and more inflammation.

Check out my new book Gut Hormone Harmony, releasing in October, for an entire chapter dedicated to how cortisol affects hormones and how to fix high levels.

For someone experiencing high stress regularly, when should they consider consulting a doctor or getting their hormones checked?

If you’re under high stress regularly, it may be time to consult a doctor—especially if symptoms persist despite efforts to improve your lifestyle.

Signs you should get checked include ongoing fatigue or burnout, sleep problems, hormonal changes like unexplained weight gain, hair thinning, dry skin, irregular cycles, worsening PMS, hot flashes, or low libido, as well as anxiety, irritability, depression, brain fog, or memory issues, digestive, dizziness, salt cravings, low blood pressure, frequent illness, or slow recovery.

If you feel stressed all the time, can’t fully relax, and continue to struggle with unexplained symptoms despite healthy changes, it’s worth consulting a doctor—ideally a functional medicine provider who can look at the full picture and check your hormone balance.

What should readers know before spending money on viral trends like the “cortisol cocktail”?

Your body was made to heal itself, but you have to put in the work and modify your lifestyle in order for true healing and change to occur. So, find a functional medicine provider that understands how hormones and the gut play into all chronic diseases, symptoms, and illnesses, and start unwinding the web of hormone imbalances you have.

Then, make a roadmap of exactly how to fix all these imbalances. Most of the time, your biggest healing can be done with lifestyle changes that are 100% free. Check out my podcast for tips and health advice.

Photo courtesy of Avocado.

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Meredith is a freelance writer specializing in wellness, sustainability, and the outdoors. When she's not writing or brainstorming new content, you can find her barefoot in her backyard, cooking up a new recipe, and spending time with her husband, her beagle, and her cat.