5 Adrenal Cocktail Health Benefits (Plus a Recipe)

Located on top of both kidneys, your adrenal glands are responsible for regulating the hormones associated with various functions throughout the body. These include things like your metabolism, your immune system, your blood pressure, and the ways in which you respond to stress.

The main hormones regulated by the adrenals are cortisol, adrenaline, and aldosterone. They form part of your body’s “fight or flight” response, increasing your heart rate and blood pressure in stressful situations and controlling your energy levels.

In cases of very severe stress – or if you experience chronic stress for an extended period of time – your body may start to struggle to make the hormones it needs to keep that stress under control. 

As a result of this hormonal imbalance, your fight or flight response may be impaired. This may then have an adverse effect on your “rest and repair” system. Sometimes called the parasympathetic system, this is the response that should help your body enter into a more relaxed state.

If it doesn’t function properly, you may begin to experience what is called adrenal fatigue where your adrenal health starts to suffer.

Although not an officially recognized diagnosis, adrenal fatigue is becoming more widely accepted as the cause of a range of symptoms. 

A good functional medicine doctor can help you figure out if you have adrenal fatigue and what to do about it.

Symptoms can include:

• Exhaustion
• Brain fog
• Low energy levels
• Body aches
• Sleeping difficulties
• Agitation/anxiety
• Cravings for very sweet or very salty foods
• Light headedness
• Low blood pressure
• Digestive issues
• Low mineral levels
• Low stress hormones including low cortisol levels

Learn more about the reasons you may always be tired and some lab tests that women should take.

The adrenal cocktail was invented to try to address this hormonal imbalance by supporting the adrenal glands.

It is a simple yet effective way to supply your body with the nutrients it needs to maintain a good balance of hormones and electrolytes.

The exact origins of this cocktail and the original source of this recipe are unclear. It’s part of the root cause protocol designed to help heal disease. It’s also extremely popular with advocates of the pro-metabolic diet – a way of eating designed to support the health of your metabolism.

It uses just 3 common and simple ingredients and has no major contraindications (medical reasons to avoid consuming it). The ingredients are orange juice, coconut water, and sea salt.

See my related article on the Best Orange Fruits.

That being said, the fact that it contains orange juice means that it is quite high in sugar that may affect blood sugar levels. If you prefer, you can use lemon or cranberry juice instead, as they still provide the required amount of whole food vitamin C.

Your body needs a balanced intake of minerals in order to keep your hormones well balanced.

The problem with the typical American diet, however, is that people tend to consume a lot of sodium, but very little potassium. This creates a problem with the production of the hormone aldosterone, for example, which needs just the right amount of both. 

When your levels of aldosterone become too low, you end up feeling very tired – a typical symptom of adrenal fatigue. 

Thanks to the coconut water it contains, the adrenal cocktail is packed with plenty of potassium and can help correct this imbalance. It equips your body to make the hormones it needs and increases your electrolyte levels, so that you can process nutrients efficiently. This helps fight fatigue and leaves you feeling energized.

If – for any reason – you prefer to avoid consuming coconut water, you can choose to replace it with either aloe vera juice or 1/4 tsp cream of tartar, both of which are naturally high in potassium.

See the recipe card below for all my notes and suggestions.

An additional boost of minerals comes from the sea salt in the recipe. It contains the potassium, sodium, and magnesium that your body needs for the production of energy and efficient adrenal function. It also makes this healthy drink taste amazing!

2. It provides lots of vitamin C

One of the main ingredients of the adrenal cocktail is orange juice, a rich source of vitamin C. This valuable nutrient helps heal your body from stress-related damage. It also assists your liver in absorbing glucose and boosts your immune system.

The adrenals use vitamin C frequently in order to make cortisol and other hormones, storing some for future use. This means that you need to keep your vitamin C levels topped up at all times – something the adrenal cocktail can help you achieve.

Have you ever experienced episodes of tiredness throughout the day, either between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. or (more typically) between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.?

These are the times of day when your body’s supply of adrenal hormones tends to run quite low. Without a boost of minerals at these times, your adrenals will struggle to make the hormones you need for extra vitality.

This is where the adrenal cocktail comes in very useful, as it can be consumed at those times to maintain stable energy levels all day long. 

It’s a much healthier – and more effective – solution than coffee or sugary drinks that are devoid of essential nutrients.

Although these may provide a brief spike in blood sugar and accompanying energy boost, that spike is invariably followed by a crash, leaving you feeling more tired than before.

To maintain well-balanced hormonal levels, your body needs a healthy diet containing nutrient-dense carbohydrates, along with a range of vitamins and minerals. The problem is that many of us lead fast-paced lives and don’t always pay proper attention to the foods we eat, sometimes reaching for unhealthy snacks instead. 

Making an adrenal cocktail is a quick and easy way to ensure you are delivering the essential vitamins and nutrients your body needs in a convenient but natural form. 

Natural health practitioners recommend incorporating an adrenal cocktail into your diet at least once a day on a regular basis (not just during times of stress). You can even pre-mix the ingredients so it’s waiting for you in the fridge.

Enjoying an adrenal cocktail or two each day can be a great way to provide much-needed support for your adrenal glands.

It supplies just the right nutrients to help balance your hormones and is a safe, convenient way to improve your energy levels at those times of day when you often feel fatigued. 

Above all else, preparing this cocktail is the perfect way to take control of your own health and improve your overall feelings of well-being, using natural and delicious ingredients.