Can TikTok's Viral Cortisol Drink Actually Reduce Your Stress Levels? Here's What We Know

Over 744,000 social media users have been following along as content creator Ebby Moyer chronicles her holistic health journey on TikTok. Along with recipes, hair care tips, sleep hacks, and more, the creator's viral mocktail videos continue to be a fan favorite. This includes her adrenal cocktail series, one of which is said to help ward off chronic fatigue due to stress, which Moyer refers to as "adrenal fatigue" in the video.

The concoction is simple enough to make, requiring just four basic ingredients. The drink purportedly replenishes the body with essential nutrients that naturally get depleted throughout the day. Moyer explains that a lack of nutrients can throw off our hormones and keep the body in a stress-induced state of "fight-or-flight." Adrenal cocktails, however, may help the body switch to "rest-and-repair" mode to restore our energy wells. The ingredients consist of a whole food source of vitamin C (Moyer suggests orange juice), a scoop of collagen, potassium (which can be obtained through coconut water or ½ teaspoon of cream of tartar), and high-quality salt. While there is some evidence to suggest certain ingredients in this adrenal cocktail may potentially reduce our stress levels, Mayo Clinic experts state that stress-related adrenal fatigue is not an established medical diagnosis.

@ebbymoyer

If you have specifc health needs you can totally adjust the ingredients to work for you but for most people this simple recipe is magicallll!

♬ original sound – Ebby Moyer

Among other hormones, our adrenal glands produce cortisol, commonly known as the stress hormone, explains the Cleveland Clinic. The first ingredient in the adrenal cocktail — vitamin C — may help lower levels of cortisol in the body. Findings of an early 1999 study presented to the American Chemical Society showed that rats who were fed large doses of vitamin C and placed in stressful situations exhibited lower levels of stress hormones in their blood. In her TikTok video, Moyer recommends using orange juice as a vitamin C food source, which may have additional benefits. "Orange juice is also a natural carbohydrate source, so that can provide energy instead of triggering the adrenal glands to stimulate the body's own glucose production," registered dietitian Jenna Stangland told Bustle.

The second ingredient in the cocktail is collagen, which mostly gets praised for its purported ability to revitalize skin when taken as a supplement. Experts at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health explain that having chronically high cortisol levels can cause the body's natural collagen production to drop, but the adrenal cocktail may help restore this essential protein.

Whether from coconut water or cream of tartar, potassium is the third ingredient in the viral cortisol detox drink that may help stave off fatigue related to a lack of potassium. The body can lose potassium in small, everyday ways, such as when excessively sweating during vigorous exercise. This can result in muscle weakness, decreased energy, and mental and physical fatigue, according to Medical News Today. The adrenal cocktail, however, may help boost our potassium intake. Topping off the beverage with a dash of high-quality salt, Strangland told Bustle that sea salt provides the body with sodium, potassium, and magnesium. All of these electrolytes can help prevent overstimulation of the adrenal glands and subsequent fatigue. 

While there may be some science to support the potential health benefits of adrenal cocktails, these claims are best taken with a grain of (sea) salt. Mayo Clinic experts note that the term "adrenal fatigue" is often used in reference to generic symptoms, but is not a formal medical diagnosis. While adrenal insufficiency is an established medical condition in which the adrenal glands fail to produce necessary hormones, it is largely caused by surgery, the use of certain medications, or an alternate health condition, not stress.