Constantly stressed out and find it impossible to switch off at night, even though you're exhausted? You might be one of the many people in the UK unknowingly living with raised cortisol levels. Recent research suggests 63% of us feel stressed at least once a week, and around 1 in 5 find it all too much every day. While elevated stress levels don't necessarily translate into high cortisol, they can put you at an increased risk of HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis dysregulation and raised cortisol. And some endocrine experts estimate that up to 1.3 million adults could have undiagnosed Mild Autonomous Cortisol Secretion (MACS), a subtle form of excess cortisol production. So how do you differentiate between normal day-to-day stresses and high cortisol? And if your levels are off, can cortisol reducing supplements like our vitamin patches help?
What are the warning signs to look out for (and consider cortisol reducing supplements)?
Excess cortisol can manifest in a broad spectrum of symptoms. Many are subtle and can overlap with general stress, fatigue, or hormonal shifts, which means many people don't connect the dots and realise what’s going on. Below are the most common red flags that could mean you should consider taking cortisol reducing supplements:
- Weight gain and body composition shifts: Excess cortisol can both increase appetite and promote fat storage – especially around your tummy – by telling your body to hold on to energy for “stress emergencies.” High levels can also cause lean muscle mass to decline, so if you've put on weight without changing your diet, too much cortisol could be the culprit.
- Skin and connective tissue changes: High cortisol breaks down collagen and connective tissue, weakens blood vessels, and disrupts the skin’s normal repair processes. This can result in thinning skin, easy bruising, stretch marks, slow wound healing, or fragile blood vessels.
- Mood and mental health shifts: Too much cortisol can also mess with the neurotransmitters that control your emotions and mood, AND affect circadian rhythm and sleep. An overstimulated brain and dysregulated moods can trigger everything from anxiety and irritability, to brain fog, and depression – if this sounds familiar, it could definitely be time to try cortisol reducing supplements.
- Fatigue and energy swings: Cortisol might be a stimulant, but chronic overproduction can exhaust your adrenal reserves. Bringing on midday energy crashes (hello post-lunch slump!), difficulty waking, and low motivation to get anything done.
- Hormonal changes: Excess cortisol can also interfere with oestrogen/ progesterone balance, leading to skipped or irregular periods, fertility problems, low libido, and increased PMS symptoms – as if you didn't have enough to deal with!
Don't forget – It's important to remember that low cortisol can present with similar symptoms – especially extreme fatigue, dizziness, weakness. If you’re feeling like this, we’d recommend not taking cortisol reducing supplements until you’ve checked with a medical professional what’s going on.
But supplements could help…
If you suspect your cortisol levels are skyrocketing, cortisol reducing supplements can be a simple, natural way to help bring some balance. They work by supporting the systems most affected by stress: like your nervous system, and adrenal glands. Taking the right combo can help your body to recover rather than remain stuck in ‘fight or flight’ mode:
Here are our top 3 supplement recommendations:
Magnesium:
One of your must-have cortisol reducing supplements, Magnesium helps relax your nervous system AND supports healthy communication within the HPA axis. We’d suggest popping on our handy Magna Calm patches in the day, so the magnesium can do its thing and help you relax. This clever formulation also contains, Ashwagandha, a well-researched adaptogen, that has been shown in multiple studies to help lower cortisol levels and improve how your body adapts to stress.
Finding sleep challenging? Try our Tri-Mag Complex before bed. As well as the three most bioavailable types of sleep inducing magnesium AND ashwagandha, this patch also contains L-theanine, an amino acid that promotes alpha brainwave activity, which occurs when you’re drifting between wakefulness and sleep.
Vitamin C:
Your adrenal glands need high levels of vitamin C to produce and regulate cortisol. During prolonged stress, these stores become depleted. But you can help replenish them by topping up with our Vitamin C Plus patch. As well as stabilising cortisol by balancing production, this powerful antioxidant can also reducing oxidative damage caused by prolonged cortisol elevation and support healthy adrenal recovery.
Omega-3:
Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) are another top pick to add to your cortisol reducing supplements arsenal. They can help modulate inflammation and reduce the intensity of your body’s stress response, lowering cortisol output over time. Plus – they support brain and heart health, both of which can influence how well you cope with stress. The Omega-3 Plus patch is an ace way to top up, with no fishy aftertaste! For more Omega-3 benefits read 4 Omega-3 fish oil health gains here.
For best results, these supplements work most effectively alongside some simple lifestyle changes, which we’ll explore in Part 2 of this blog.