I know all about chronic stress.
I know it personally.
I know it professionally.
But you won't hear me use the term "adrenal fatigue".
I'm not a doctor who is anti-wellness community (I'd actually like to think I'm part of it) but this is one thing I'm not saying.
If you've seen "cortisol cocktails" on social media, you've probably also seen "adrenal fatigue."
A cocktail of any kind is not going to correct the constant onslaught of stressors in the modern world, garbage habits, or a combination thereof that anyone may have battering their cortisol system.
From what I've seen, this particular cocktail is some combination of coconut water, salt, orange juice, lemon juice, and magnesium powder.
It sounds nice. Let's break it down.
The problem is that pre-packaged commercial coconut water usually contains sugar. Pre- packaged commercial orange juice can also contain sugar.
I don't often consume things with added sugar. Occasionally, yes. The average American consumes 19 teaspoons of added sugar per day, most of which comes from sugar-sweetened beverages (24%). Another source of sugar isn't going to decrease stress to the body, it's going to increase it.
If those things are fresh squeezed, then I'm all about this cocktail.
So how did this get branded as at least a health drink, at most a cure for a terrible lifestyle (whether it's self-induced or not)?
Hydration: I have to talk about hydration because unfortunately, it's a basic need of living things but I constantly see people who do not drink water (literally, none).
Goal: Consistently drinking small amounts of water throughout the day is generally better absorbed than drinking a larger quantity all at once. We also get some of our water from our food.
Electrolytes: We actually can't have just water. This is why salt is added to the above cocktail.
Just water in extreme amounts results in hyponatremia, or low sodium in the blood. That causes brain swelling which can be fatal.
Electrolytes are imperative for cellular processes in the body.
This is very important during a fasted state, fasting is a form of stress (but like exercise, a useful form of stress if performed correctly)
70% of the salt in the American diet comes from packaged and restaurant foods
Goal: less than 1500 mg per day of sodium according to the American Heart Association.
Vitamin C: Humans are unable to make vitamin C, so we have to obtain it from our diet.
Required for synthesis of collagen, neurotransmitters, and protein metabolism
Known for antioxidant activity, limiting the damaging effects of free radicals
Improves absorption of iron
Citrus fruits offer vitamin C, so do broccoli and peppers.
A 1/2 cup of red pepper has 95 mg
1 medium orange has 70 mg
1/2 cup of broccoli has 51 mg
Goal: 90-120 mg per day for most adults (120 mg for breastfeeding moms)
Magnesium: I'm a huge fan of magnesium before bed, it changed sleep for me in the best possible way.
I use this from Thorne mixed in my water every night about 1 hour before bed
I would use this for a capsule version
Goal: 200-300 mg per day can help relax, ease muscle cramps (including period cramps)
What is chronic stress actually doing if it's not adrenal fatigue?
The adrenal glands are not actually puttering out. That's the amazing thing. The body keeps going.
Cortisol Resistance
You've likely heard about insulin resistance, a condition where the overload of glucose stimulates a constant elevation of insulin, leading the body to be unable to respond to it. It's likely the predecessor to pre-diabetes and diabetes. In this state, any excess gets stored as fat.
A similar phenomenon exists with cortisol, our stress hormone produced by the adrenal glands. I haven't seen anyone discuss this (but I bet they will now).
When the adrenals are constantly producing cortisol because of constant stress, as opposed to short spurts of stress followed by response and reset, the brain stops being able to respond.
Yes, the brain.
This actually changes the structure of the brain, namely the hippocampus, the portion responsible for the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. In other words, the part of the brain that regulates our hormones shrinks due to chronic cortisol.
Overstimulation and chronic stress isn't just annoying, it's a health hazard.
What You Can Do
Hydration, electrolytes and nutrition are paramount in chronic stress management and overall health.
For me, I healed my nervous system from chronic stress with very intentional steps. I knew that if I continued, I would be burned out.
Sleep
Magnesium as discussed
Black silk sleep mask. I use this one
Blackout curtains
Exercise
A mix of cardio and resistance
My routine depends on my sleep (which depends on work)
No Alcohol
Alcohol disrupts sleep. It's a toxin
Faith
Reconnecting to my religion with church
Reading the bible with help from alabaster Co
Reminding myself of faith with The Chosen (I know it's a TV show, the only one I watch) and Hallow app
Boundaries
From toxins including people, technology, work
Put the phone away, put it on do not disturb
Limit exposure to toxic people
My Final Take
I know chronic stress all too well.
I'm a proponent of wellness and holistic health. In fact, I've unwound my chronic stress with zero medications (in fact, I got off a medication that I was on due to stress). But when it comes to the "cortisol cocktail" and "adrenal fatigue" I have to call the bluff. Do not let yet another sugar-sweetened beverage be rebranded into a health drink.
Resources:
Some of the information contained in this article is the result of my training, medical knowledge, and personal experience without a specific source to be cited.
Disclaimer: This is not medical advice. This is for educational purposes only. Discuss with your
doctor.
The author may earn commission on affiliate links.
American Heart Association. (n.d.). How much sugar is too much? Retrieved August 23, 2025, from https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/sugar/how-much-sugar-is-too-much
American Physiological Society. (2021, July). The science of hydration. The Physiologist Magazine. Retrieved August 23, 2025, from https://www.physiology.org/publications/news/the-physiologist-magazine/2021/july/the-science-of-hydration?SSO=Y
American Heart Association. (n.d.). How much sodium should I eat per day? Retrieved August 23, 2025, from https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/sodium/how-much-sodium-should-i-eat-per-day
National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. (2024, March 22). Vitamin C: Fact sheet for health professionals. Retrieved August 23, 2025, from https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/