Want to Lower Your Cortisol Levels? People Swear by This Viral Water Hack

If you've been on TikTok lately — or more specifically WaterTok, the subsection of the social media app encouraging folks to stay hydrated — you may have heard about the cortisol water hack. Fans of the drink claim that there is a special mix of ingredients that can help lower cortisol levels, prompting a reduction in some of the classic symptoms.

But, does this fad really work? Or are people just experiencing the perks of a healthier (and a less dehydrated) lifestyle instead?

Learn more about the cortisol water hack below, including what you need to know before you try making the viral beverage.

People are sharing their experiences with the popular cortisol water, which involves creating a cortisol busting mix that will help ease the negative symptoms associated with high levels.

For those who are unfamiliar with the term, cortisol is the name of the hormone that triggers our fight or flight response, according to Healthline. It's located in the adrenal glands, and once it's released it can set off a chain of reactions that can cause certain negative symptoms.

Those with high cortisol levels may experience things like weight gain, fatigue, and even certain medical conditions like type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure.

Obviously, people who are dealing with those issues are eager to make them go away, which has prompted some to turn to DIY concoctions (or store-bought mixes) that they add to their water.

Some folks, like TikToker @meghin.furniss, opt to mix orange juice, coconut water, sea salt, and cream of tartar into her drink, which she says is both more budget friendly and tastier than some of the other options she's seen out there.

Meanwhile other TikTokers are keeping their mixes more basic, like @vitaminvibez, who mixes a bit of lemon and some sea salt into her three ingredient water.

Dressing up your water to encourage yourself to drink more, or to experience additional benefits on top of increased hydration, isn't exactly new. Creating "sexy" water that gets you excited about your H2O has been popular on social media for a while now.

It seems like the answer is actually a cautious maybe.

While there are plenty online swearing by cortisol water, it doesn't seem like there are any scientific studies of the hack to support the findings. That being said, it does sound like it should be effective, because staying hydrated can help relieve stress. And, since most of the DIY recipes include adding a dash of sea salt to help balance electrolytes — something that also helps with hydration — it does make sense.

In fact, the Cleveland Clinic shared a list of ways to help lower cortisol levels, and some of the herbs and supplements that the nonprofit recommendeds did include ones that were listed by people who had purchased a premade cortisol powder (like ashwagandha).

But, that doesn't mean you should run to the store and grab everything from your favorite recipe; the list also included a note of caution about blindly treating high cortisol levels with a one-size-fits-all method.

Instead, it's recommended that you try and address the factors that are causing your cortisol levels to increase in the first place. This can not only help you get your existing levels lower, but it may prevent future spikes.

This article isn't meant to be a substitute for medical advice, and you should speak with your doctor if you have concerns about your cortisol levels.