Americans are facing higher levels of overload than ever before. From stress and burnout to sheer exhaustion, the demands of everyday life seem to require more than you have to give. Research indicates that resilience is a key quality that can protect against this kind of depletion.1
Nutrients also play a crucial role in fueling your body’s stress response system. However, up to 95% of Americans have one or more nutrient gaps, which can significantly impact energy production and metabolic responses.2*
In this article, we explain how the adrenal glands, cortisol balance, and other vital body systems act as a buffer against the impact of stressors, while also exploring how to nourish the body to achieve optimal resilience.*
The Stress Response System
Similar to how your home has a fire alarm to detect and warn you of smoke or fire risks, your body has an intuitive network of organs designed to respond when things in your internal or external environment become overwhelming. This system, known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, plays a role in your body’s stress response, including:3
- Hypothalamus (in the brain)
- Pituitary gland (in the brain)
- Adrenal glands
These neuroendocrine organs produce hormones that help your body regulate and cope with challenges that arise every day. The HPA axis constantly works behind the scenes to maintain homeostasis or balance.
However, the stress response network does not end there. Research has shown that the HPA axis requires more than just “stress hormones” to operate seamlessly. It relies on support from the endocannabinoid system, also known as the ECS. The ECS operates as a balancing act throughout the body. It serves as a body-wide signaling system that:4,5
- Provides balance to the nervous system
- Nurtures effective communication between nerve cells
- Helps the body adapt to both internal and external challenges
The ECS also regulates many basic body functions and responses. ECS communication is necessary for biological processes we often don’t even think about, such as:4,5
- Fertility and pregnancy
- Learning and memory
- Behavior and attitude
- Appetite
- Energy metabolism
- Blood pressure and blood sugar
- Immune system responses
- Adapting to stress challenges
- Overall feelings of wellness
The nervous system is closely tied to the ECS. The hypothalamus and pituitary gland in the brain make hormones to regulate the stress response. In times of “fight or flight”, the sympathetic nervous system is activated to respond to the crisis. But to nourish your resilience, you need the opposite part of the nervous system—the parasympathetic nervous system—to be activated. This is also referred to as the “rest and digest” response.6*
How to Support Cortisol Balance*
Chronic stress can deplete the systems in your body that are designed to manage it in the first place. But you can support the stress response system and healthy cortisol with a targeted approach known as the 3Rs: Recover, Reset, and Rebalance.*
Your body’s stress response depends on cortisol function to:*
- Recover cortisol balance*
- Reset cellular communication*
- Rebalance metabolic responses*
These processes rely on lightning-fast communication between your brain, adrenal glands, immune system, antioxidant protection, and more. To maintain the 3Rs of cortisol balance, your body needs access to the right high-quality nutritional support.*
Recover
It is impossible to avoid all sources of stress. But you can recover cortisol function to support hormone balance and more effectively activate the parasympathetic “rest and digest” part of the nervous system.7*
Reset
The circadian rhythm is not just about when it’s time to sleep. Healthy stress management in the body hinges on cortisol levels that are appropriate for the time of day. Hitting the reset button on the daily rhythm of adrenal hormones is a vital part of establishing resilience, supporting how the body uses glucose for energy, and much more.8*
Rebalance
The communication between your brain, nervous system, hormones, probiotics in the gut microbiome, and the endocannabinoid system is essential. Imbalances can have a major impact on stress levels. An effective stress response happens when the balance between these systems is supported.9*
Nutrients for Cortisol Balance*
Healthy stress support is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Various factors, such as genetics, energy levels, thyroid health, digestion, personal relationships, and support network, can significantly influence your internal stress network.*
While you may not have control over external factors in your life that demand energy, you can nourish a healthy stress response with science-backed nutrients.*
Based on the latest research, Vital Nutrients formulated Cortisol Balance, the first full-spectrum formula that supports adrenal function and cortisol balance for healthy energy, sleep, stress relief, and mood.*
Formulated with researched-backed, functional ingredients, Cortisol Balance provides comprehensive support for adrenal function, cortisol balance, immune system, metabolic system, HPA axis, endocannabinoid system, and your entire nervous system. Maintaining a balance between these systems is crucial for effective stress support and serves as a foundation for achieving and sustaining cortisol balance and overall wellness.*
- Adaptogens are herbs that have been relied on for thousands of years because they encourage flexibility in how the body responds to challenges. Rhodiola Rosea and Ashwagandha root are adaptogenic herbs that have been well-studied and are regarded for their ability to soothe the body’s stress responsiveness.10,11*
- B vitamins like vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 are essential components of the B-complex family. Not only are they important nutrients for healthy DNA, but they are foundational for a healthy nervous system and stress response.12*
- Magnesium is an essential mineral. It functions as an electrolyte, supports bone health, nourishes a healthy muscular system, and plays a vital role in more than 300 metabolism reactions in the body, including many that are part of the nervous system, HPA axis, and endocannabinoid communication network.13,14*
- Eleuthero, also known as Siberian ginseng, is a nutrient staple in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), regarded for its ability to support a healthy nervous system and overall adaptability.15*
- Boswellia and Copaiba Oil offer CBD and hemp-free nutritional support for a healthy endocannabinoid system and cortisol balance.16,17*
- Vegan Omega-3/DHA, derived from algal oil, supports a healthy nervous system, immune system, and inflammatory responses throughout the body.*
Cortisol Balance contains all of these clinically-trusted nutrients to support healthy cortisol balance and the type of flexible, adaptive stress response you need to succeed in the world today.*
Summary
The world isn't becoming any calmer. However, your adaptive stress response doesn't have to rely on what everyone else is doing.
Supporting your overall health begins with a balanced diet, healthy sleep, and regular physical activity. Dietary supplements like Cortisol Balance offer a purposeful, whole-body approach to cortisol support that sets it apart from anything else.*
Get the next-generation of cortisol balance here.*
Check out our full line of Cortisol Supplements.
References
1. Health Science Reports. (2022). PMID: 35024455
2. Nutrients. (2020). PMID: 32531972
3. Comprehensive Physiology. (2016). PMID: 27065163
4. Biological Psychiatry. (2016). PMID: 26698193
5. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. (2020). PMID: 32443408
6. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience. (2020). PMID: 33162766
7. Stress. (2021). PMID: 33860734
8. Journal of the Endocrine Society. (2018). PMID: 29713692
9. Gastroenterology. (2017). PMID: 27133395
10. Molecules. (2022). PMID: 35745023
11. Cureus. (2019). PMID: 32021735
12. Nutrients. (2019). PMID: 31527485
13. National Library of Medicine. (2022). NBK519036
14. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. (2021). PMID: 34067450
15. Pharmaceuticals. (2010). PMID: 27713248
16. PLoS One. (2014). PMID: 24622769
17. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. (2020). PMID: 32508955
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
The information contained in this article is for informational purposes only, and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
