Millions are drinking coconut water, orange juice and salt before coffee to curb “adrenal fatigue,” but no clinical trial has tested the drink for that claim.
A 2016 systematic review concluded adrenal fatigue does not exist, and the Endocrine Society has formally rejected the diagnosis the trend says it treats.
Dietitians say the mix is better understood as an electrolyte drink—similar to a homemade sports drink—rather than a hormone treatment for cortisol-related problems.
India has long sold near-identical drinks such as nimbu pani and jaljeera for hydration, underscoring that the recipe itself is not new; the medical branding is.