Cortisol

Why You Need It

• Regulates Energy: Cortisol helps convert fats, proteins, and carbohydrates into usable energy, keeping you fueled throughout the day.
• Controls Inflammation: As a potent anti-inflammatory, it helps manage your immune response and keeps swelling in check.
• Maintains Blood Sugar: It plays a key role in raising blood sugar levels when you need a quick energy burst.
• Wakes You Up: Cortisol levels naturally peak in the morning to wake you up and get you ready for the day.

Deep Dive

Your body naturally produces cortisol in a rhythm called a 'diurnal pattern.' It's highest around 8 AM and lowest around midnight. This fluctuation is healthy and necessary. The problems start when stress keeps cortisol levels artificially high for too long, disrupting sleep, cravings, and energy. Instead of supplementing with cortisol (which is prescription-only and risky), the focus should be on lifestyle changes that help your body regulate its own production. Eating whole foods, managing stress, and prioritizing sleep are the most effective ways to keep this hormone in check.

Natural Food Sources

You don't eat cortisol directly from food. Instead, you consume precursors (building blocks) and nutrients that help your adrenal glands produce and regulate it effectively.

Supplementation

Important: You cannot buy cortisol as an over-the-counter supplement. It is a controlled substance used only in prescription medications (like hydrocortisone).

However, you can support your body's natural production with supplements containing:

• Vitamin C: Essential for adrenal gland function.
• B-Complex Vitamins: Help the body manage stress response.
• Magnesium: Helps regulate the cortisol release cycle.