Are Adrenal Cocktails Worth The Hype?
If you find yourself yawning in the late afternoon, instead of making yourself another latte, you may want to consider mixing up a little cocktail – but not the kind you think.
Adrenal cocktails are all the rage these days, but are they just another health fad? The verdict is in and the answer is: they're not! These delicious drinks actually do have real health benefits! They’re the pick-me-up your adrenal glands and hormones need.
Okay, So What Is It?
Your adrenal glands are found on top of your kidneys and function to regulate your metabolism, response to stress, immune system, and more. These glands can become “fatigued” by prolonged stress, because stress stimulates them to output cortisol. This requires loads of vitamins and minerals, quickly depleting your body. If this happens, you may experience a whole host of symptoms ranging from low energy to brain fog. An adrenal cocktail (or, more accurately, mocktail) helps replenish key vitamins and minerals that enable your adrenal glands to function properly, thereby fighting against fatigue, the ill effects of chronic stress, a sluggish metabolism, and imbalanced hormones.
The Key Components
There are three key ingredients necessary for an adrenal cocktail: vitamin C, sodium, and potassium. First up, vitamin C. Your adrenal glands use this vitamin to create cortisol and other hormones, so your body needs adequate amounts of it throughout the day. As a bonus, vitamin C’s antioxidant properties help boost your immune system and protect against oxidative stress. Freshly squeezed orange juice, lemon juice, or grapefruit juice are excellent options. You can also use a whole food vitamin C powder.
Next up is sodium. The adrenal glands control how well we hold onto sodium which, in turn, regulates our water and blood volume. If your adrenals are fatigued, then you may struggle with the symptoms that accompany low sodium, like lightheadedness and tiredness. A generous dash of Himalayan or Celtic sea salt (which also is high in magnesium, a key mineral that too many of us are deficient in) is all you need.
Last, but not least: potassium. With sodium, potassium helps to stabilize your blood pressure and regulate your fluids. Without this regulation, you could have an electrolyte imbalance which can cause a range of symptoms, including irritability, headaches, and nausea. Coconut water, aloe vera juice, or a pinch of cream of tartar works perfectly.
To balance blood sugar, you can also add a scoop (or two) of collagen for protein and milk or cream for healthy fat.
Adrenal Cocktail Recipes
I’ll be honest, when I’m making my adrenal cocktail, it usually involves haphazardly pouring OJ and whole milk or cream into a blender, eyeballing a “pinch” of cream of tartar, dumping a scoop of collagen in, going a little crazy with the sea salt, and then blending away until I have a delicious creamsicle-tasting beverage. But, if you like a more exact recipe, here are a few:
The Basic:
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 cup coconut water
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Shake or stir it up!
The Blended:
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons cream
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 scoop collagen peptides
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Blend all ingredients together!
The Anti-OJ:
½ squeezed lime (or lemon)
1 cup coconut water
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Shake or stir it up!
Will I Benefit?
How do you know if your adrenals need some lovin’? Signs of adrenal fatigue (or, more accurately, HPA axis dysfunction) include extreme fatigue, low blood pressure, low blood sugar, low libido, weight gain, nausea, salt cravings, lightheadedness, and skin discoloration. Even if you’re simply feeling run down on the daily, you can probably benefit from this boost of vitamins and minerals. Just be sure not to overdo it; one adrenal cocktail a day (typically when energy levels dip either mid-morning or mid-afternoon) is plenty. Be sure to consult your doctor if you have diabetes or other conditions related to blood sugar management as there are considerable amounts of natural sugars in fruit juices.
Closing Thoughts
When 3 o’clock rolls around and you’re feeling like you need to either down another cappuccino or take a nap, try shaking up a little adrenal cocktail instead. Chock-full of vitamins and minerals, this refreshing drink will have you feeling energized and glowy in no time. Your body will definitely thank you!
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