Adrenal Cocktails: The RDL

If you spend time on the functional health side of Instagram & Tik Tok, you’ll run into a drink called an “Adrenal Cocktail.” Usually made with Orange Juice, Coconut Water, and Sea Salt, this cocktail doesn’t actually contain any liquor. But does that make it healthy or even necessary to add to your daily routine?

The RDL: There is very little science to back the benefits of Adrenal Cocktails; in fact, the very thing that this drink claims to cure, Adrenal Fatigue, isn’t a real medical diagnosis or condition. It’s a theory that claims chronic stress causes the adrenal glands to not work properly, but no scientific studies back that theory.

Developed by a functional nutritionist, this elixir was created to help alleviate the supposed damage that chronic stress does to the body, particularly the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands are small, triangular-shaped organs that sit on top of each kidney. These glands make a few different but important hormones, such as cortisol, aldosterone, adrenaline, and noradrenaline. The glands themselves are directed by the hypothalamus, a small part of the brain. The hormones these glands control help with electrolyte balance, blood pressure, and your body’s ability to manage stress and blood sugar.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, the adrenal glands work with other endocrine system elements to help the body bounce back from stressors, fight off foreign invaders, metabolize food for energy, and reproduce. The glands are vital, so it would make sense that we would want to support them.

But do you need a special daily, sometimes twice daily, drink to help support your adrenals? Most medical professionals and nutritionists agree that the average adult can get all the nutrients they need to support the adrenal glands from their diet. The nutrients that the classic Adrenal Cocktail described above provides are:

• Vitamin C

• Sodium (Electrolyte)

• Potassium (Electrolyte)

Most Americans are meeting, if not over, their recommended daily salt intake and a well-rounded whole food-based diet can easily provide the daily recommended dose of Vitamin C and Potassium.

It’s much more likely that chronic stress is causing a poor diet, which may cause the symptoms commonly attributed to “adrenal fatigue.” Focusing on a well-rounded diet filled with healthy fats, complex carbs, and protein should be the first step in addressing the fatigue that chronic stress may be causing. Sufficient sleep, which is commonly the first thing to go in a stressful life, is also an essential component of a healthy body.

It is important to note that while Adrenal Fatigue is not a medical diagnosis, Adrenal insufficiency is.

• Addison’s disease,

• Cushing’s syndrome,

• Aldosterone-producing adenoma,

• Hereditary paraganglioma-pheochromocytoma,

• and Adrenal gland cancer

are all issues that could be causing symptoms such as:

• extreme fatigue,

• dizziness,

• nausea,

• vomiting,

• low blood sugar,

• low blood pressure,

• muscle or joint pain,

• and unexpected width gain or loss.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should see your doctor for additional testing to rule out any of the above.

While the “Adrenal Cocktail” may not be needed for one’s overall health, there isn’t anything detrimental about adding it to your daily habits. As with anything, if it makes you happy and doesn’t affect you negatively, go with God.