Cortisol Supplements: What Actually Helps a Stressed-Out Body

"Cortisol supplements" is one of the fastest-growing wellness searches right now. Social media is full of claims about "cortisol face," "cortisol belly" and drinks that promise to flush cortisol out of your body. At Ocean Ki Wellness we hear the question every week: is there a supplement that will bring my cortisol down?

The honest answer is that no pill switches cortisol off, and you would not want one to. Cortisol is the hormone that gets you out of bed, steadies your blood sugar and helps you respond to a challenge. The problem is not cortisol itself. It is cortisol that stays high when it should be winding down, especially in the evening.

Signs your stress response is stuck in "on"

• Tired all day, then wide awake at night

• Waking between 2 and 4 a.m. with a racing mind

• Craving sugar or caffeine to get through the afternoon

• Tight shoulders, jaw clenching or tension headaches

• Feeling "wired but tired"

These signs can also come from thyroid problems, blood sugar issues, sleep apnea, medications or perimenopause, so it is worth talking with your doctor if they are new or getting worse. Cortisol can be measured with blood, saliva or urine tests if your provider thinks it is needed.

Supplements with research behind them

• Ashwagandha. This is the best-studied option. In several small clinical trials, adults taking ashwagandha root extract for 6 to 8 weeks had lower morning cortisol and lower stress scores than people taking a placebo. It is not for everyone: skip it if you are pregnant, have a thyroid condition or autoimmune disease, or take sedatives, thyroid medicine or immune-suppressing drugs, unless your doctor says it is okay.

• Magnesium glycinate. Stress increases the magnesium your body loses, and low magnesium is linked with poor sleep and muscle tension. The glycinate form is gentle on the stomach and a good evening choice.

• B vitamins. Your body uses B vitamins to make energy and calming brain chemicals. A balanced B-complex can help when stress is draining you, especially if your diet has been running on coffee and convenience food.

• L-theanine and phosphatidylserine. These have smaller bodies of research but may help some people feel calmer without drowsiness.

Start one product at a time, at the low end of the dose on the label, so you can tell what is helping.

Shop the Calm and Steady plan

In the Ocean Ki Wellness Shop, Dr. Jen Jackson, DACM, built the Calm and Steady plan for exactly this problem: Thorne Ashwagandha, Stress B-Complex and Magnesium Glycinate, with plain-English directions for each. Choose "I am stressed and wired" on the shop page to see how to take them and who should check with a doctor first, or get the Calm and Steady plan from Dr. Jen's Thorne store.

Habits that lower cortisol for free

• Get outside light within an hour of waking. Morning light helps set a healthy cortisol rhythm.

• Keep caffeine before noon.

• Eat protein at breakfast instead of running on coffee alone.

• Take a 10-minute walk after meals.

• Put screens down 30 to 60 minutes before bed.

• Breathe slowly for two minutes, with a longer exhale than inhale. It is one of the quickest ways to tell your nervous system it is safe.

Support that goes beyond a bottle

Acupuncture is one of the most relaxing ways to reset a stress response that has been running too hot for too long. Many patients tell us they sleep better the night of their first treatment. Read more in Supplements for Stress and Slept 8 Hours and Still Tired?

Ready to feel like yourself again? Book a visit at Ocean Ki Wellness in Middletown or Warwick, Rhode Island.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This article is for education and is not a substitute for advice from your own health care provider.