Besides improving brain function, ginkgo has also been found to reduce blood pressure and cortisol levels, reducing stress.
Phosphatidylserine and Magnesium
Studies show that both of these cortisol supplements play a major role in reducing cortisol levels in the body.
Too much cortisol can cause some of the hallmark signs of Cushing syndrome — a fatty hump between your shoulders, a rounded face, and pink or purple stretch marks on your skin. Cushing syndrome can also result in high blood pressure, bone loss and, on occasion, type 2 diabetes.
Remember magnesium will help lower cortisol, if you do not have adequate levels of magnesium your body cannot relax and remove excess cortisol. Start by taking some at diner and before bed.
Research suggests these herbs and natural supplements might lower stress, anxiety and/or cortisol levels: Ashwagandha. Rhodiola. Lemon balm.
Serum cortisol levels reduced with both Ashwagandha 250 mg/day (P < 0.05) and Ashwagandha 600 mg/day (P < 0.0001). Compared to the placebo group participants, the participants receiving Ashwagandha had significant improvement in sleep quality.
Examples of cortisol blockers include mifepristone and pasireotide, which are FDA-approved for the treatment of Cushing syndrome. When cortisol levels are too high for too long, it can increase the risk of other medical conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
Vitamin D supplementation significantly reduced cortisol levels and cortisol:cortisone ratio but had a nonsignificant effect on cortisone.
Vitamin B12 is known to help your body produce more cortisol if you are deficient and help to control your cortisol if your levels are out of balance.
Turmeric boosts stress-tolerance
Turmeric does just that, by normalizing specific physiological pathways, decreasing cortisol (the stress hormone) and elevating serotonin levels (the happy hormone).
Maintaining a healthy diet of lean proteins, fresh vegetables and fruits is an excellent way to reduce cortisol. These are foods that help the body sustain exercise and recover from workouts. Avoiding sugar and sweets also keeps the body from going through spikes in blood sugar, which can affect stress and mood.
For many, the most direct way of reducing cortisol is reducing stress. Lowering stress levels may mean the body makes less cortisol. In other cases, high cortisol is the result of an underlying medical condition or a side effect of a medication. A doctor can advise on how to manage this.
Practicing good sleep hygiene can help to keep cortisol in a normal rhythm. Keeping a consistent sleep schedule, avoiding caffeine 6 hours before bed, and staying off your cell phone right before bed are effective strategies.
In addition, increased consumption of green tea significantly reduced elevated levels of adrenal stress hormones; cortisol, DHEA, ACTH and corticosterone, and increased the cortisol:DHEA ratio in the control and adolescents who stuttered.
Ashwagandha is best known for its stress-lowering effects. The medicinal herb appears to help lower levels of cortisol, a hormone produced by your adrenal glands in response to stress. More specifically, daily doses of 125 mg to 5 grams for 1–3 months have shown to lower cortisol levels by 11–32% (2, 3 , 4 ).
Magnesium taurate
Taurine reduces the stress hormone, cortisol, and increases the calming neurotransmitter, GABA. Magnesium taurate is used to increase circulation, which can have positive benefits throughout the body.
Zinc plays a significant role with respect to the stress response. Proper maintenance of zinc status can help to stabilize serum cortisol levels over time,1 and zinc intake has been shown to temporarily inhibit cortisol secretions. However, in turn, prolonged stress will deplete zinc concentrations in the blood.
Cushing syndrome happens when the levels of cortisol in the body are too high. This can be caused by the pituitary gland making too much adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). That causes the adrenal glands to make too many corticosteroids. It can also be caused by taking steroid medicines for a long time.
Stress. Stress triggers a combination of signals within the body from both hormones and nerves. These signals cause your adrenal glands to release hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. The result is an increased heart rate and energy as part of the fight-or-flight response.
Too little cortisol may be due to a problem in the pituitary gland or the adrenal gland (Addison's disease). The onset of symptoms is often very gradual. Symptoms may include fatigue, dizziness (especially upon standing), weight loss, muscle weakness, mood changes and the darkening of regions of the skin.
The level of cortisol in your blood, urine and saliva normally peaks in the early morning and declines throughout the day, reaching its lowest level around midnight. This pattern can change if you work a night shift and sleep at different times of the day.