Adrenal Cocktail Recipe & Benefits
Adrenal cocktails help to nourish and support the adrenal glands. Drinking adrenal cocktails on a regular basis can help to improve your sleep at night and boost your energy levels throughout the day. Check out my favorite adrenal cocktail recipe below.
The adrenal cocktail is a mineral-rich beverage that is designed to nourish and support your adrenal glands.
I believe the very first version of the adrenal cocktail which includes OJ, cream of tartar, and salt was created by Susan Blackard, NP, ND, Ph.D.
Now you can find many different variations of the adrenal cocktail all over the internet.
The original adrenal cocktail recipe was created to help people support their adrenal glands and fight fatigue.
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What are the Adrenal Glands?
The adrenal glands are tiny organs that are located just above the kidneys. These glands are a part of the endocrine system and produce hormones that help regulate your metabolism, blood pressure, response to stress, and so much more.
Adrenal glands produce hormones in response to signals from the pituitary gland. They produce cortisol, aldosterone, epinephrine (adrenaline), and norepinephrine (noradrenaline).
They also make hormones that your body uses to make sex hormones.
These little tiny glands do a tremendous amount of work! The health of these tiny glands is absolutely essential to your overall well-being.
All organs in the human body run on vitamins and minerals and the adrenal glands are no exception. The adrenal glands are highly metabolic and therefore have a very high demand for minerals.
The adrenal glands are also highly sensitive to stress. Since they produce stress hormones they can become overworked and overburdened when they are under long periods of chronic stress.
Long-term chronic stress and consuming a diet lacking essential minerals can burn out your adrenals and lead to adrenal fatigue.
What is Adrenal Fatigue?
Adrenal fatigue can occur when somebody is under chronic stress and their adrenal glands can’t keep up with the demand for stress hormones. This leads to the development of many different symptoms.
Symptoms of adrenal fatigue include:
- Fatigue
- Sugar Cravings
- Salt Cravings
- Brain Fog
- Insomnia
Adrenal fatigue is not a medically recognized condition. Some doctors think it’s a total myth while others doctors believe it’s the root cause of their patient’s issues.
I personally believe it does exist but I don’t believe it just happens out of nowhere or that it’s the root cause of people’s issues. I believe it’s a symptom of metabolic dysfunction due to mineral dysregulation.
The Science Behind the Adrenal Cocktail
The adrenal cocktail is designed to nourish and support your adrenal glands with vitamins and minerals.
The adrenal cocktail is rich in vitamin C. The adrenal glands contain a very high concentration of vitamin C and require vitamin C to produce adrenal hormones.
The adrenal cocktail also contains a significant amount of sodium and potassium. When you are under stress you burn through these minerals very quickly.
Most people experiencing symptoms of adrenal fatigue have very low levels of potassium and sodium.
Potassium and sodium are essential for your overall health not just the health of your adrenals.
When you are under stress you lose sodium from your cells which causes the cells to dump potassium and water follows sodium.
This results in sodium-deficient, dehydrated cells which then creates mineral imbalances that lead to adrenal dysfunction.
The adrenal cocktail helps to replenish and balance your sodium and potassium ratios and increase electrolytes throughout your entire body.
If you don’t replenish vitamin C, sodium, and potassium, you will become less resilient to stress and have difficulty adapting to stressful situations.
If you are currently under stress or have experienced some type of chronic stress in the past or if you’re experiencing symptoms of adrenal fatigue – you need to try the adrenal cocktail!
Benefits of the Adrenal Cocktail
The adrenal cocktail helps to replenish your electrolytes and restore adrenal function.
With consistent consumption, the adrenal cocktail can help you become more adaptable to stress, restore your energy levels, help you to sleep better, and more.
How to Make an Adrenal Cocktail
The adrenal cocktail usually contains three main ingredients. These three main ingredients typically consist of some type of juice – usually orange juice. A whole food source of sodium – usually a pinch of sea salt. And a whole food source of potassium – usually coconut water or cream of tartar.
But as I mentioned earlier there are many variations of the adrenal cocktail. The original recipe created by Susan Blackard, NP, ND, Ph.D. is below.
Adrenal Cocktail Recipe
To make the original adrenal cocktail recipe simply combine the ingredients below.
- 4-6 ounces of orange juice (pure orange juice, preferably organic or fresh squeezed)
- 1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar
- 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
Adrenal Cocktail Recipe
The adrenal cocktail is a mineral-rich beverage that is designed to nourish and support your adrenal glands.
Ingredients
- Orange juice (pure orange juice, preferably organic or fresh squeezed)
- Cream of Tartar
- Sea Salt
Instructions
- Add 4-6 ounces of orange juice to a glass
- Add 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar
- Add 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
- Blend well
- Enjoy!
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Adrenal Cocktail Alternatives
Every person is different and some people have a difficult time tolerating the above version of the adrenal cocktail recipe. That is part of the reason why so many variations of the adrenal cocktail recipe exist.
Orange juice can create a histamine reaction in some people and people who are extremely potassium deficient may not tolerate the cream of tartar very well.
Below are a few recommended alternatives.
Potassium Alternatives:
- 4 oz Coconut Water
- 4 oz Aloe Vera Juice
Juice (vitamin C) Alternatives:
- Pineapple Juice
- Lime Juice
- Watermelon Juice
- Guava Juice
- Cherry Juice
- Mango Juice
- Papaya juice
There is no alternative for salt but the good news is most people tolerate sea salt just fine. Just make sure to use high-quality, unrefined sea salt.
You can click here for a few different adrenal cocktail recipes.
Adrenal Cocktail Side Effects
As I mentioned earlier, some people may have difficulty tolerating the adrenal cocktail. This is usually due to mineral deficiencies or histamine issues.
Negative side effects may include diarrhea, headache, and anxiety.
When I first tried the adrenal cocktail I could not tolerate it at all due to both mineral deficiencies and histamine issues.
I was trying to implement the Root Cause Protocol and consuming adrenal cocktails is the first step in the protocol.
So I skipped the first step and continued on with the protocol. I started consuming grass-fed beef liver, drinking fluoride-free mineralized water, and taking vitamin E and cod liver oil.
Once I replenished my copper stores (histamine intolerance is due to a lack of bio-available copper) I then was able to tolerate the adrenal cocktail without any problems.
Now I drink it multiple times a day.
If you have a hard time tolerating the adrenal cocktail I recommend trying some of the alternative adrenal cocktail recipes. If you can’t tolerate those either I would definitely recommend implementing some of the other steps on the Root Cause Protocol.
You could also try the adrenal cocktail supplements from the company Jigsaw. They have a capsule form and a powder form of the adrenal cocktail.
My son hates the taste of the adrenal cocktail. I think it tastes perfectly fine but he says it’s too salty. So he takes the adrenal cocktail pills and they work great.
Does the Adrenal Cocktail Actually Work?
In my experience, the adrenal cocktail does exactly what it is supposed to do.
I suspect I had major adrenal dysfunction before starting the Root Cause Protocol. Since I began drinking adrenal cocktails many of my symptoms of adrenal dysfunction have gone away.
Now, whenever I’m feeling sluggish in the afternoon I reach for an adrenal cocktail rather than a cup of coffee.
How Long Does it Take for an Adrenal Cocktail to Work?
As I mentioned before I had a pretty bad reaction to the adrenal cocktail at first due to histamine issues and mineral deficiencies.
But as I began to replenish my minerals I could tolerate the adrenal cocktail and with consistent consumption, my adrenals began to heal.
The amount of time it takes to experience the healing benefits of the adrenal cocktail depends on the person. Every person is dealing with different issues and different mineral imbalances.
Some people might notice a difference right away and for others, it might take weeks or months.
When Should I Drink My Adrenal Cocktail?
It’s best to drink the adrenal cocktail away from food around 10:00 am and 2:00 pm each day. This is typically when you start to get a little drained and your adrenals need the most support.
If you are unable to drink it during those times or on an empty stomach then just drink it whenever. It’s better to drink it in a less-than-ideal situation than not at all.
Can You Drink an Adrenal Cocktail at Night?
Adrenal cocktails can be consumed at night but keep in mind they may disrupt your sleep. Every person is different.
Some people say drinking an adrenal cocktail at night helps them sleep better and others say it gives them too much energy.
It’s typically best to drink it earlier in the day but it can be consumed at night if it helps you to sleep.
How Many Adrenal Cocktails Can You Have a Day?
It is typically recommended to consume adrenal cocktails twice a day (at 10:00 am and 2:00 pm) but it may be better for some people to drink less and some to drink more.
If you’ve never tried an adrenal cocktail I would recommend starting with just a small amount. If you don’t experience any negative side effects then you can try consuming a full glass.
Once you can tolerate a full glass then you can start consuming two adrenal cocktails per day.
If you have been under tremendous stress you might want to try drinking three adrenal cocktails a day.
Just start slow and listen to your body.
Are Adrenal Cocktails Safe?
Adrenal cocktails are made with 100% whole-food ingredients. They are 100% safe. But as I mentioned earlier if you have histamine issues or suspect you have severe mineral deficiencies you’ll definitely need to exercise caution.
Once again start slow and listen to your body!
Well, I hope you enjoy this adrenal cocktail recipe. Adrenal cocktails have helped me so much and I hope they help you too!
If you like the adrenal cocktail then you should also check out this adrenal creamsicle (adrenal cocktail) popsicle recipe!
It has the same benefits as the adrenal cocktail drink. The only difference is it is a popsicle rather than a beverage.