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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

But do they work?

"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."

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."

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.

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

"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."

"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."

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."

"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."

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.

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:

• 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.

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."