Have you noticed that when you’re constantly stressed, it feels much harder to lose weight, especially around the belly? You’re not imagining it: this could be due to elevated cortisol levels in your body, which is linked to increased abdominal fat.
Cortisol is the “stress hormone” that helps your body cope with fear or danger. It can play a role in how the body stores fat, restful sleep, and post-workout recovery. While cortisol is necessary for survival, it sometimes kicks into gear even when you’re not being chased by a bear.
While nothing compensates for chronic stress, sleep loss, or a poor diet, there are supplements that can support you in your health journey, including getting cortisol levels (and cortisol weight gain for women) under control.
Read on to learn about the research behind popular supplements available today for reducing cortisol and belly fat, what each one does, and practical ways to use them.
Key Takeaways:
There’s no supplement that makes up for chronic sleep loss, severe dietary restrictions, and unresolved and untreated stress. Supplements work best alongside lifestyle changes.
Ashwagandha is an adaptogen with a strong body of evidence, including multiple randomized clinical trials, suggesting it may support a healthy cortisol response."
Phosphatidylserine could blunt the cortisol surge after exercise, supporting recovery after workouts and supporting improved hormonal balance.
Magnesium deficiencies are linked to higher cortisol levels. Making sure you get enough magnesium through food or supplements (glycinate is a highly bioavailable form) is a reasonable strategy.
Supplements work best as part of a systems approach: stress management, adequate sleep, exercise, a nutritious diet, and targeted supplementation.
As always, consult with your healthcare provider before starting any new supplement or nutrition program, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition.
Table of Contents:
- Why Lifestyle Comes First
- Ashwagandha
- Phosphatidylserine
- Magnesium
- Rhodiola Rosea
- L-Theanine
- How to Combine Supplements Strategically
Why Lifestyle Comes First
There’s no supplement that can fix poor habits. You have to get the basics right first, then use supplements for their true purpose: supplementing an already solid routine.
Sleep and cortisol
You could be taking every supplement and doing ‘all the right things’ but not seeing results because of a lack of sleep. Getting your beauty sleep may be important after all.
A study in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity showed that acute sleep deprivation significantly increased cortisol levels in a small sample of healthy adults. This older clinical trial also showed higher cortisol levels in healthy, younger men in the evening after a lack of sleep as well. Taken together, the evidence suggests that even short-term sleep restriction can meaningfully raise cortisol, making sleep the highest-leverage lifestyle variable.
To further understand how cortisol impacts the body, this what is cortisol overview provides a more in-depth explanation of this hormone and its implications.
Exercise is Part of That Balance Equation
The effects of chronic stress can be felt in many aspects of your lifestyle. This includes exercise, even with good intentions.
If you’re already stressed and trying to force high-volume, high-intensity workouts without recovery time and a plan in place to manage your stress, you’re placing more stress on top of existing stressors.
Nutrition and Blood Sugar Stability
Crash diets (including very low calorie diets and missing meals) can increase cortisol levels. Remember that maintaining a healthy lifestyle is a marathon, not a sprint.
I’d recommend aiming for 3 bigger meals with adequate lean protein, heart-healthy fats, and complex carbs. This can help you maintain blood glucose levels. And when your blood glucose levels are well-managed, you’ll be keeping your endocrine system happy and regulated.
Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is an adaptogen with a strong body of evidence. It’s been used in Ayurvedic medicine and was often called “Indian Ginseng” for its potential health benefits, including its effects on stress and cortisol levels.
How it Works
Ashwagandha is an herb commonly considered an adaptogen. This means it may actually help our body adapt to stress more effectively. It does this by helping us better manage our cortisol levels.
How?
Ashwagandha does this via natural compounds called withanolides. These compounds work their effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The HPA axis is the system responsible for helping regulate our body’s stress response. Cortisol production is a huge part of that.
Cortisol is often called our main “stress hormone.” When stress levels rise, our bodies may produce too much of it. When that happens, the withanolides in ashwagandha can actually help us lower cortisol.
Doing so can help support a healthier stress response.
Recommended Dosage
There is no recommended daily allowance (RDA) for ashwagandha, but most clinical trials use doses ranging from 300–600mg.
Evidence Quality
Ashwagandha is among the most studied natural remedies for counteracting the symptoms of high cortisol in females and males. Several studies provide strong overall evidence.
A comprehensive meta-analysis of 15 randomized clinical trials showed a statistically significant reduction in cortisol levels and reported stress and anxiety levels in adults who took ashwagandha.
Side Effects and Interactions
Ashwagandha is generally well-tolerated, but in some individuals, it can cause drowsiness and gastrointestinal (GI) effects.
It should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. It’s also not recommended for those with autoimmune or thyroid disorders or those about to undergo surgery.
Consult your physician if you’re taking immunosuppressants, antiseizure medications, or thyroid medications, as ashwagandha may interact with them.
Use Cases for Men
For men wanting to reduce cortisol and increase testosterone at the same time, Primal-T natural testosterone booster is a top-notch option that has ashwagandha added to it. Increases in cortisol are associated with decreases in testosterone. And since ashwagandha could lower cortisol levels, it could, in turn, increase testosterone.
It delivers 600mg of ashwagandha per serving alongside other ingredients designed to support healthy testosterone and stress resilience. Always follow product label directions and consult your healthcare provider before starting.
Phosphatidylserine
Phosphatidylserine (PS) is a type of phospholipid found in cell membrane lipids (the same kinds that are found in your brain). It may help support your response to stress caused by exercise. It may also benefit cognitive function and exercise performance.
How it Works
PS seems to influence how the HPA axis responds to physical stress, such as intense exercise. Research published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found that PS supplementation reduced cortisol spikes in physically active individuals after their workouts.
Recommended Dosage
Most studies on phosphatidylserine suggest a dose of 300mg per day, sometimes divided into 3 doses of 100mg each. If your stress is mental and you could benefit from having more focus, check out Masterbrain AM. It has a full 300 mg dose of phosphatidylserine, and plenty of other ingredients that help with stress, focus, and cognitive function.
When to Take Phosphatidylserine
Athletes who anticipate prolonged periods of heavy training (such as training for a powerlifting or bodybuilding competition or an extended calorie deficit with a heavy training regimen) are often encouraged to add PS to their supplement routine. This is done to try to reduce the symptoms of overtraining, such as persistent fatigue or a poor mood. It’s also not a bad idea to take before any task that’s physically or mentally demanding.
Evidence Quality
While the existing evidence regarding phosphatidylserine’s role in managing cortisol during exercise is positive and compelling, these findings aren’t as generalizable or robust as the evidence behind ashwagandha.
Specifically, while the evidence supporting its use for managing cortisol is positive, much of the evidence is based on smaller-scale studies.
Magnesium
Magnesium is a mineral involved in many roles in your body, including those that help manage stress. Learn about why getting enough magnesium, in the best form, and at the right doses, matters for you.
Why Deficiency Matters
While severe deficiencies only affect up to 2 percent of the general population, subclinical deficiencies are more common. According to this study, roughly half the population has a subclinical deficiency, and claims that the majority are at risk.
Low magnesium status has been identified as both a consequence of chronic stress and a cause of dysregulated cortisol secretion and disrupted sleep. Athletes also tend to lose a lot of magnesium through sweat as well.
Magnesium has long been recognized as a critical component of the mechanisms that help your body respond to stress.
Why Magnesium Glycinate is the Best Form
Magnesium glycinate is highly bioavailable, meaning it’s absorbed easily in the small intestine. Because of its bioavailability, it tends to be better tolerated than other forms of magnesium.
Glycinate also provides a mild sedative effect, which makes it popular for some people right before bedtime.
Recommended Dosage
The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for magnesium for adults is 400-420 mg for men and 310-320 mg for women, according to the Institute of Medicine (IOM).
Rhodiola Rosea
Rhodiola is a well-tolerated adaptogen used for generations in Eastern Europe and Asia for traditional medicine. It may help support your goals to reduce cortisol and belly fat.
What Research Shows
Studies (such as this one) have demonstrated that rhodiola rosea reduces perceived fatigue in the context of chronic stress.
And for people with insomnia, rhodia may help improve sleep quality. It’s best taken before bed for those sleep-promoting effects.
Dosage
Most studies on rhodiola support a daily dose of 400mg, although no clinically proven dose has been established at this time. Studies looking at doses as low as 50 mg, or as high as over 600 mg, have shown benefits as well.
L-Theanine
Taking L-theanine can support calm alertness and can be easily combined with adaptogens like ashwagandha.
How it Works
L-theanine is an amino acid that’s found in green tea leaves. It crosses the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and can induce alpha brainwave activity. That’s the kind of brain activity that creates a “relaxed” state of mind for attentive wakefulness.
Unlike most prescription anti-anxiety drugs, L-theanine doesn’t cause drowsiness. This means that you might also be able to avoid the ‘food noise’ to make clearer food choices throughout the day.
However, there is a lack of controlled human clinical trials on L-theanine today to inform the quality of the evidence on its health benefits.
Dosage and Timing
Most studies on L-theanine have been done on 200-400 mg.
If you're already using a pre-workout, Project-1 includes L-theanine alongside its energy blend, which means you may be getting some of this benefit built into your existing routine. Always follow product label directions and consult your healthcare provider before starting.
Combining with Ashwagandha
L-theanine can be taken at any time of day and is synergistic with ashwagandha. They each operate through different mechanisms, so they can be taken together.
How to Combine Supplements Strategically
One way to strategically combine these supplements is to pair an adaptogen such as Ashwagandha or Rhodiola with PS, Magnesium, and L-theanine, since each targets different aspects of the stress response. Start slowly and evaluate your results along the way.
Sample Protocol: Morning vs. Evening Timing
An example of a protocol that addresses how to lower cortisol with supplements and takes timing into consideration could be as follows:
-
Morning - Ashwagandha/Rhodiola when your cortisol levels are at their peak
During/after training - PS to potentially help regulate the cortisol spike after exercise - Afternoon/As Needed - L-theanine to alleviate acute stressors without causing drowsiness
- Nighttime - Magnesium to promote relaxation before bed, or for an all-encompassing solution, try Core-21 before bed alongside Magnesium
What to Start With
You don’t have to add everything into your regimen at once. If you’re new to taking supplements, choose the 1-2 that best align with what you’re trying to achieve.
For a comprehensive and women-specific approach that addresses fat loss and hormonal wellness together, 24-Hour Weight Loss Stack For Women and 24-Hour Weight Loss Stack For Men provide targeted support all day and night. This takes away the need to do the homework of finding and stacking individual ingredients yourself. Or, browse this full collection of Weight Loss Stacks to find the right fit for your goals.
No matter what supplements you take, though, your diet will be what makes or breaks your results in fat loss. So keep in mind that if you aren’t willing to change your diet and lifestyle, don’t expect to lose belly fat.
When to Reassess
You won’t see immediate effects, so try to give your new routine 4-6 weeks before evaluating results. However, if you aren’t seeing improvements in your bloodwork or how you feel after that timeframe, consider reassessing what you’re taking.
Of course, if you’re experiencing any side effects along the way, stop using any supplements immediately and consult your physician.
Frequently Asked Questions: How to Get Rid of Cortisol Belly
What supplements reduce cortisol?
There are no supplements that definitively reduce cortisol. With any supplement, you have to take it consistently and use it alongside other healthy habits, like good sleep, a proper diet, and stress management. Ashwagandha, phosphatidylserine, magnesium, rhodiola rosea, and L-theanine are all commonly used supplements.
Does ashwagandha lower cortisol?
Possibly. Several studies suggest that ashwagandha could promote a healthier response to stress, as we’ve discussed above.
Does magnesium help with cortisol?
Potentially. Magnesium can influence the function of the HPA axis, and magnesium deficiency is associated with higher cortisol levels.
Can supplements reduce cortisol belly fat?
Supplements alone are unlikely to reduce cortisol-related belly fat without addressing the lifestyle factors driving it. When combined with proper habits like resistance training, sufficient sleep, a healthy diet, and a calorie deficit, supplements can contribute to a more favorable hormonal environment that supports losing belly fat.
What is the best supplement for stress belly?
There isn’t just one, but typically, products including an adaptogen such as ashwagandha and an ingredient that supports relaxation (like magnesium), along with changing your habits for the long-term, seem to be the most successful.
Is it safe to lower cortisol with supplements?
The idea here is to keep a natural, regulated cortisol level throughout the day rather than eliminate it or lower it to the lowest levels. Talk to your healthcare provider about the safety of starting supplements.
How long does it take for cortisol supplements to work?
Typically, after 4-6 weeks of using adaptogenic products, you may see improvement in sleep quality and mood after 1-2 weeks. It depends on the specific supplements you're taking.
Can I take ashwagandha and magnesium together?
Yes. They operate differently and aren't contraindicated, so many people do take them together. Check with your physician before doing so.
Conclusion
While supplements can certainly provide support for your body’s ability to better manage your cortisol response, they work best when you’ve created a solid base: quality sleep, a balanced and nutrient-dense diet, and regular exercise.
While ashwagandha and rhodiola seem to have the most research backing them, magnesium is also the least expensive place to begin. When done correctly, a multi-supplement stacked approach may be more effective than trying to find the ‘one’ magic ingredient.
Ready to take a more comprehensive approach? 1st Phorm weight loss stacks provide targeted support for men's and women's fat loss and hormonal wellness. Pair it with restful sleep, stress management, proper diet, and consistent strength training, and you'll be building the foundation for lasting change.
If you need help figuring out the right diet to help you lose body fat, check out this article on how to plan and follow a cutting diet. Without the right diet and lifestyle changes, no supplement will get you the results you’re looking for!
If you have any additional questions, please don't hesitate to reach out. We have a full team of NASM Certified Personal Trainers and Nutrition Coaches right here in St. Louis, Missouri.
Give us a ring at 1-800-409-9732 or send us an email at CustomerService@1stPhorm.com. We're available Monday through Friday from 6 AM to 8 PM Central and Saturday & Sunday from 9 AM to 7 PM Central. Our experts are happy to help you in supporting your journey!
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
