Latest news with #nutrition experts
Health Line
4 days ago
- Health
- Health Line
Can a 'Cortisol Cocktail' Actually Reduce Stress? What Experts Think
Proponents of the viral 'cortisol cocktail' claim the drink can reduce stress and improve sleep, but there's little evidence to support this claim. Its main ingredient, magnesium, may help support stress relief, but the dose in a single serving is quite low. Other ingredients, like citrus juice and coconut water, can be beneficial, but their effects are likely minimal. Experts say there's no harm in trying the drink, but it's not a replacement for stress management strategies like quality sleep, nutrition, and movement. If you follow nutrition content on TikTok or other social media platforms, you might have seen influencers sipping a fizzy drink before bed, claiming it helps them sleep better, feel calmer, and wake up more refreshed. The so-called 'cortisol cocktail' typically includes a blend of magnesium powder, coconut water, and citrus juice, with some content creators adding pink Himalayan salt or sparkling water for taste. Cortisol is a 'stress hormone,' and with stress, inadequate sleep, and burnout on the rise, it's not hard to understand the drink's appeal. The viral mocktail has been praised as a 'relaxation ritual' that provides natural nervous system support. Some proponents report that it helps them manage stress and fall asleep more easily. But is it an effective stress-reliever? And does it have any health drawbacks? Here's what the science and nutrition experts has to say. Does magnesium help with stress? There isn't any scientific evidence to support the stress-relieving benefits of the cortisol cocktail, but the individual ingredients could have some merit. Magnesium, in particular, may offer some benefits. 'Magnesium is a powerhouse of a nutrient responsible for hundreds of biochemical processes in the body,' nutritionist Beth Edwards told Healthline. 'When we're experiencing stressful episodes, our body will utilize and burn through our magnesium stores more quickly, plus we excrete more magnesium out in our urine when we're stressed. So, topping up levels is helpful,' she said. Similarly, nutritionist Amie Parry-Jones told Healthline that research published in 2020 found magnesium may lower elevated cortisol, especially in those with deficiencies. 'Elevated cortisol can contribute to loss of electrolytes,' Parry-Jones said. 'A deficiency can cause a number of stress-related symptoms.' Because of this, some people may find it helpful to supplement with magnesium. Cortisol cocktail contains vitamin C, electrolytes The lemon juice component of the cortisol cocktail may provide a boost of an important vitamin. 'Orange and lemon juice contain vitamin C, which we know is an important nutrient and antioxidant across the board, but especially when it comes to supporting the stress response and ensuring optimal adrenal function,' said Edwards. The adrenal glands sit near the kidneys and are responsible for making stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. 'The adrenals utilize vitamin C quickly, so ensuring we have adequate levels is important,' Edwards explained. That said, research is still limited. ' Studies that report benefits of vitamin C in managing symptoms related to stress generally use high dose supplementation of ascorbic acid rather than food sources,' Parry-Jones pointed out. So, the minimal amount of vitamin C you get in your cortisol cocktail may not provide any meaningful benefit. What about the inclusion of coconut water? 'Coconut water contains good levels of electrolytes, notably potassium, which can address electrolyte imbalances, potentially supporting a reduction in cortisol,' said Parry-Jones. Still, both experts agreed that this effect is likely to be minimal. Are there any drawbacks to the cortisol cocktail? The cortisol cocktail could have some unintended effects, like disrupted sleep and elevated blood sugar levels. 'The sugars from orange juice are absorbed into the bloodstream rapidly due to the separation from fiber in the whole fruit,' Parry-Jones explained. 'A spike in blood glucose levels before bed will lead to a subsequent crash as the body releases insulin.' Due to these blood sugar fluctuations, you may feel hot, restless, and have difficulty falling or staying asleep. 'Poor sleep in turn increases cortisol levels the following day,' Parry-Jones pointed out. If you are trying the cortisol cocktail, Edwards recommends having it earlier in the day alongside a meal to lessen the blood sugar spike. For some, the cortisol cocktail may also lead to digestive issues. 'The sparkling water in the recipe may cause digestive symptoms such as bloating, reflux, or gas, again potentially leading to poor sleep,' said Parry-Jones. Cortisol cocktail is likely a harmless health trend You probably won't experience any significant stress-relieving benefits from this wellness drink. 'The cortisol mocktail sounds fun, but it's highly unlikely to lead to any real results in reducing cortisol or addressing stress levels in the long term,' said Parry-Jones. Edwards agreed. 'It might support the optimal stress response, but dosage is important. The drink contains lowish amounts of ingredients and nutrients, meaning its potency is also low.' Plus, stress is rarely solved with a single mocktail. 'I'd encourage people to think about their overall lifestyle, nutrition as a whole, sleep and movement, rather than focusing on one drink,' Edwards said. 'Look at the bigger picture, rather than overly focusing on one 'quick fix'.' And if you are feeling better after drinking it? It might be something else. 'There may be an element of placebo effect when someone starts drinking this cocktail. This tends to be initially quite powerful but wears off over time,' Parry-Jones pointed out.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Artificial sweetener in Diet Coke and chewing gum could trigger early puberty
Children who consume artificial sweeteners found in Diet Coke and chewing gum may be at higher risk of reaching puberty earlier, researchers have said. Commonly-used sweeteners including aspartame, which are also added to light yogurts as a sugar alternative, have long been linked to certain cancers and heart issues. But now, Taiwanese experts have found high levels of the additives could also trigger central precocious puberty where the first signs of puberty emerge far earlier than normal, typically before the age of eight in girls and nine in boys. Higher consumption of 'added sugars', meaning those above the natural content of a food or drink item, was also linked with an earlier puberty. Experts said the study, which was one of the first of its kind, showed how sweeteners had a 'surprising and powerful impact' on children's development. Previous studies have warned that starting puberty at a very young age may increase the risk of other health conditions including depression, diabetes and cancers. Dr Yang-Ching Chen, is a co-author of the study, and an expert in nutrition and health sciences at Taipei Medical University She said: 'This study is one of the first to connect modern dietary habits - specifically sweetener intake - with both genetic factors and early puberty development in a large, real-world cohort. 'It also highlights gender differences in how sweeteners affect boys and girls, adding an important layer to our understanding of individualized health risks.' In the study, the scientists assessed 1,407 Taiwanese teens, who answered diet questionnaires and took urine tests, and discovered 481 had undergone early puberty. They found the artificial sweetener sucralose showed a stronger link with early puberty in boys, while aspartame, glycyrrhizin and regular added sugars showed a stronger link in girls. Experts also found the risk was most pronounced in those who already had a genetic predisposition towards an earlier puberty. The study was presented at ENDO 2025, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in San Francisco, and has yet to be published in full. But common limitations of diet studies include the fact eating habits are often self-reported. Sucralose is made from normal sucrose table sugar but is chemically altered so the body doesn't process it as a carbohydrate, meaning that it contains no calories. It is the main ingredient in the Canderel sweetener. Glycyrrhizin, on the other hand, comes from liquorice roots and is a natural sweetener. Previous research from the same team found that some sweeteners can affect the release of puberty-related hormones. They said the chemicals were having this effect by influencing the function of cells in the brain or by altering the make-up of bacteria in the gut. Concerns about the impact artificial sweeteners, which are added a plethora of products to make them TAST sweet with fewer calories, could be having health, including its cardiovascular impact, have circulated for years. But critics highlight such studies are only observational, meaning they are unable to prove artificial sweeteners are the culprit and cannot rule out other external factors being to blame. Fears have also been raised about links between artificial sweeteners and cancer. These worries were heightened in 2023 after the World Health Organisation controversially classified the artificial sweetener aspartame, found in drinks like Diet Coke, as 'possibly carcinogenic to humans'. However, the UN agency ruled it only posed a risk to those who consumed massive amounts and that a 155lb adult could safely drink about 14 cans a day. A growing body of research also suggests that girls who go through puberty at earlier ages could be at risk for health issues later in life. One 2023 U.S. study found that girls who started their period before the age of 13 were at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and suffering strokes in adulthood than their peers who began menstruating later. Another found that girls who started their periods at early ages were at an increased risk of breast cancer. Experts have put the surge in girls starting puberty younger down to the ongoing obesity crisis, with fat cells containing hormonal properties triggering puberty at a younger age.
