5 Minerals To Reduce Stress And Regulate Cortisol Levels

Stress has become an inevitable part of our life in today’s time. While a certain level of stress is normal, chronic stress can lead to an increase in cortisol, which is the stress hormone. Increased cortisol levels can not only harm overall health but result in anxiety, depression and chronic diseases.

Nutritionist Marina Wright sheds light on this matter through an Instagram post titled, “5 minerals to decrease stress and help regulate cortisol levels.”

What is Cortisol?

Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced by your two adrenal glands, located on top of each kidney. When a person is stressed, his/her body releases more cortisol into their bloodstream. So, maintaining the right cortisol balance is important for our health, as both too much and too little cortisol can cause health problems.

Nutritionist Marina shared the post with the caption, “Chronic stress often causes deficiencies in vital minerals such as magnesium, zinc, sodium, and potassium. These deficiencies can disrupt neurotransmitter function and the HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis, reducing our ability to cope with stress.”

5 essential minerals that can make a difference:

1. Magnesium:If you wake up frequently during the night, it could be a sign of magnesium deficiency. Magnesium helps lower cortisol, and without adequate levels, your body can’t relax and remove excess cortisol. It helps in regulating cortisol through the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and supports neurotransmitter release which is important for improving mood stability. To boost your magnesium intake, eat foods such as dark chocolate, bananas, black beans, cashews, leafy greens, quinoa, edamame, avocado, pumpkin seeds, and almonds.
2. Zinc: It is one of the essential minerals which helps in normalising cortisol levels. It also supports immune function and helps the body manage stress. It is involved in neurotransmitter function and can influence mood and behaviour. Foods such as pumpkin seeds, oysters, cashews, sunflower seeds, beef, lamb, beef liver, hemp seeds, lentils and crab contain high amounts of zinc.
3. Selenium: It helps protect the body from oxidative stress and supports thyroid function which is crucial for managing metabolism and stress responses. Selenium helps in reducing stress by lowering cortisol levels. It also increases the activity of glutathione peroxidase (an enzyme whose main role is to protect the organism from oxidative damage). Foods rich in selenium include Brazil nuts, tuna, clams, oysters, sardines, beef, cottage cheese, pork, turkey and eggs, which can help reduce stress.
4. Sodium And Potassium: They support adrenal gland function by ensuring proper hormone production and electrolyte balance. This enables the adrenal glands to effectively respond to stressors. Avocado, spinach, sweet potatoes, watermelon, sea salt (sodium), potatoes, swiss chard, beans, dried apricots, and coconut water.