Best Supplements to Reduce Cortisol

A lot of people all around the world have at least one thing in common: We're living under a great deal of stress. The American Psychological Association reports that 34% of adults aged 18-34 rate their stress levels between eight and ten on a ten-point scale, and that's probably downplaying the issue since 67% of Americans feel their problems aren't severe enough to complain about.1

It's nothing to ignore, though. High stress can raise your body's cortisol levels and put you at risk for a litany of health concerns, such as anxiety, depression, headaches, or even heart disease.2 But with stress being a part of our daily lives — often in ways we can’t ignore or feasibly reduce — how can its negative effects be mitigated?

Supplements that reduce cortisol may be part of the solution for some. They strive to nip stress close to the bud by putting you in a more relaxed state that prevents the overproduction of cortisol. There's no shortage of such supplements, so browsing the options could become a stressor in itself. Luckily, we've written this guide to narrow down the best cortisol-reducing supplements on the market.

Check out our summary of recommendations for a quick look at our picks. Then, when time permits, feel free to read further to see how we came to our conclusions.

Over the past two decades, Innerbody Research has helped tens of millions of readers make more informed decisions involving staying healthy and living healthier lifestyles.

Finding the market's best cortisol-reducing supplements involved dozens of research hours, during which we closely read a diverse range of relevant studies, reviews, and other pertinent materials. In the end, we studied more than 80 high-quality sources that informed our evaluative criteria. Then, taking what we'd learned, we were able to identify the products that were most likely to achieve the desired outcome. Those were the products we purchased and tried, and our hands-on testing gave us valuable insights into the customer experience — insights that we share here with you.

Additionally, like all health-related content on this website, this guide was thoroughly vetted by one or more members of our Medical Review Board for accuracy.

We'll continue following the cortisol-reducing supplements space in the years to come, noting new products and changes to existing ones and updating our guide accordingly so that our recommendations stay up-to-date.

Our rankings of the best cortisol-reducing supplements hinged on factors that ordinarily influence readers' purchasing decisions — effectiveness, safety, cost, and convenience — but we deviated from what we'd consider an ordinary approach in a couple of areas. Read on to see what we mean and how our top recommendations performed in each category.

Effectiveness

Winner: Live Conscious ZenWell

Usually, we judge a product's efficacy based on its ability to meet a common objective (i.e., how well do all of these products achieve a specific goal?), but our top cortisol-reducing supplements defied such neat distinctions. One might succeed more narrowly at promoting rest, another at boosting cognitive function, and so on. Determining the most objective ranking, then, required us to center our evaluations on this question: Which one could satisfy the needs of most people looking to reduce their cortisol?

The answer was Live Conscious ZenWell because its simple formulation and clinically relevant doses provide the best chances of alleviating stress in the broadest swath of potential users. Its 600mg of KSM-66 ashwagandha has been used successfully in studies and is low enough to suit newcomers.3 The same goes for its 200mg of AlphaWave L-theanine.4

So that we could properly highlight products formulated for different purposes, we qualified several recommendations based on the smaller audiences they target. People with higher ashwagandha tolerances might prefer Youtheory's 1,000mg dose; users who want cognitive benefits might be interested in Codeage's mushroom and blueberry blends;5 6 and those who want to improve their sleep could benefit from Ritual's one-two combination of saffron and L-theanine.7

Those are all capsules, though. People who’d rather not deal with capsules would probably prefer a chewable like Goli’s Ashwagandha Gummies or a mixable supplement like Recess Mood Powder. The former delivers the same clinically relevant 600mg of KSM-66 ashwagandha as ZenWell when taken at manufacturer-recommended doses,3 while the latter option is probably the most unique on our list because it’s absent ashwagandha but rich in magnesium, a mineral that can directly reduce cortisol in doses as low as 350mg per day.73

Goli and Recess are recommendable for other reasons, too. For example, Goli’s vitamin D content may help further reduce stress by alleviating depression symptoms,61 and Recess’ passionflower and electrolytes can promote relaxation and stave off dehydration, a stress risk factor.71 72

Safety

Winner: Live Conscious ZenWell

Safety was another category that required a different angle than usual. Our ordinary approach involves identifying the brands whose manufacturing practices produce consistent and accurately labeled potencies, but each brand in this guide does a good job of that. All of them test their supplements through third parties, and most of them are GMP-compliant and ensure that their products are free of common allergens. Hence another question: Which one presents the lowest risk for adverse effects for the broadest population of users?

The answer, again, was Live Conscious ZenWell. We considered that a majority of our recommendations have ashwagandha, so we came to our conclusion after a process of exclusion, which went like this:

• Youtheory's higher ashwagandha dose could increase the odds of experiencing side effects like diarrhea, gut pain, and drug-induced liver injury.8
• Codeage contains ingredients to which some users may be allergic. Albeit low, mushroom and blueberry allergies present a real allergy risk that can be life-threatening.9 10
• Ritual's saffron is another ingredient that can cause severe allergic reactions in some users.11
• Goli is effectively a candy. Its sugar and sodium content is significant enough to push some users over the edge of recommended daily allowances.12 13
• Recess’ magnesium content may be too high for some, seeing as it exceeds the tolerable upper intake level by more than 450%.74

In the end, ZenWell was left standing. Its 600mg of ashwagandha is within a safe range for most people, and its L-theanine has a relatively small side effect profile.14

However, please do consider that ashwagandha isn’t suitable for anyone who is pregnant or planning to become pregnant, as it can lead to miscarriage.43 44

Cost

Winner: Goli Ashwagandha Gummies

Goli Ashwagandha Gummies are easily the least expensive cortisol-reducing supplement on our list. A one-bottle one-time purchase is just $19 — around $5 less than the second-closest option — and a subscription drops the price to a little over $16. Additional savings are available, too, if you buy in three- or five-bottle bundles.

Live Conscious is the second-least expensive supplement among our recommendations. Its one-time base price may be one cent more than Youtheory (which doesn't have a direct subscription option), but its shipping cost is much lower. Indeed, unless you order multiple supplements from Youtheory, you'll probably have to tack on $14.99 for shipping, which brings its Ashwagandha + GABA supplement up to around $40.

Recess, Codeage, and Ritual occupy higher price tiers. The first ranges up to $38.99 (with some very high per-serving costs), the second costs $37.99 as a one-time purchase and $32.29 as a subscription, and the subscription-only Ritual has a base price of $54 (reduced to around $43 with a one-time Welcome Offer).

Convenience

Winner: Goli Ashwagandha Gummies

Our convenience criterion centered on ease of use. We wanted to recommend a product that presented the least difficulty in administration and, if possible, was actually enjoyable to take. Goli Ashwagandha Gummies was the clear winner because:

• It's a soft gummy; most users ought to have little to no trouble chewing it.
• It's tasty — similar to a Fruit Roll-Up, according to one tester's partner.

Goli's palatability comes with a trade-off — the sugar and sodium content we mentioned earlier — but there's no denying that, for most people, a chewable supplement is easier to take than a capsule.

We could say Recess is a contender for convenience since the powder is easy to consume and the travel sticks provide great portability, but powders, in general, also require multiple components — a vessel and a method of agitation — that oral supplements don’t.

We can rank our capsules in ease of use, too. Live Conscious is probably the easiest to swallow since its length and circumference are both the smallest of the bunch (around three-quarters and one-quarter of an inch, respectively). Ritual is a little over three-quarters of an inch with a slightly broader circumference than Live Conscious. Youtheory and Codeage are about equal in size, both visibly longer and wider than the others.

Here's a quick chart comparing our top cortisol-reducing supplements side-by-side. We’ve included factors that are likely to influence your purchasing decision. Please note that prices and delivery intervals are for single units only; bundle discounts, where applicable, aren't reflected.

Cortisol is an essential glucocorticoid hormone produced by the adrenal glands, the two small, triangular endocrine organs above the kidneys. Because nearly all of the body's tissues have glucocorticoid receptors, cortisol affects just about every bodily system. More specifically, it plays a critical part in the body's ability to:15

• Metabolize the fats, proteins, and carbohydrates that one ingests
• Suppress inflammation
• Regulate blood pressure, blood sugar, and the stress response
• Moderate the sleep-wake cycle

The body regulates its cortisol production via the hypothalamus, located in the center of the brain. When cortisol levels dip, the hypothalamus unleashes corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) to stimulate the secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) by the pituitary gland, which in turn tells the adrenal glands to produce more cortisol. In inverse circumstances, the hypothalamus reduces the CRH and ACTH hormonal output to decrease the overall cortisol levels.16

As the National Center for Biotechnology Information explains, the system works in a "diurnal circadian pattern," meaning a 24-hour cycle most active in the daytime. Normally, the body hits its highest cortisol levels at around 8 A.M. and the lowest levels at around 4 A.M.17 Each of the system's components must be working properly to maintain normal cortisol production, but as you'll learn, several factors can disrupt it.

Both internal and external forces can cause spikes in your cortisol levels. Below, we discuss the most common factors behind such spikes.

Having chronically high cortisol levels can lead to a hormonal disorder called Cushing’s syndrome, also known as Cushing’s disease or hypercortisolism. The signs and symptoms may vary from person to person, though they commonly comprise:24 25

• Increased torso and abdominal fat, though with slim extremities
• “Buffalo hump” (fat buildup on the neck and shoulders)
• A rounded face, often with redness and puffiness
• Easily bruised skin
• Purple stretch marks
• Musculoskeletal weakness
• Decreased libido
• Mood changes
• High blood pressure
• High blood sugar
• In women: excessive hair growth on the face and body, as well as irregular/halted menstrual cycles

If you believe you're experiencing Cushing’s syndrome, you may want to see your primary care provider to order a diagnostic workup. A urine test, CT scan, MRI, and other lab tests can determine whether your symptoms stem from high cortisol or another cause altogether.26

Supplements can reduce cortisol levels primarily by helping you manage your stress and anxiety. In the following sections, we discuss some of the most common active ingredients in cortisol-reducing supplements (including our top recommendations) and the research concerning their effects.

Ashwagandha

Except in Recess Mood, all of our top recommended cortisol-reducing supplements contain ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), an evergreen shrub whose medicinal use dates back as far as 6,000 BCE. In traditional Indian medicine, it falls under the category of Rasayana, which relates to the connection between physical and mental health.27 Its effects stem from naturally occurring chemical compounds called withanolides — the more withanolides, the more potent the effects.

The types of ashwagandha used in supplements are typically branded extracts with standardized withanolide concentrations. Shoden ashwagandha is the most potent, having a 35% concentration; Sensoril is second-strongest at 10%; and KSM-66 comes in at a 5% concentration. KSM-66 features in Live Conscious, Youtheory, and Goli; Ritual uses Shoden; and Codeage's 10% withanolide concentration points to Sensoril.

Ashwagandha can help manage cortisol primarily because it has anxiolytic (anxiety-reducing) properties, which numerous studies have examined. In 2019, for example, researchers conducted a randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled experiment on 60 participants over 60 days; half of them received a daily placebo, whereas the other half received a 240mg dose of Shoden ashwagandha extract. At the study's end, the researchers found statistically significant reductions in anxiety across multiple metrics in the treatment group — the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale, and morning cortisol levels.28

Another 2019 study corroborates the above findings. It, too, was a randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled experiment, except it took place over eight weeks and involved two KSM-66 ashwagandha doses (250 and 600mg per day) in addition to placebo. Both doses resulted in a "significant reduction" in self-perceived stress and serum cortisol compared to the placebo group.3

Apart from reducing anxiety, ashwagandha may also mitigate the cortisol spikes associated with poor sleep. To illustrate, in a 2020 study that provided subjects with 120mg of Shoden ashwagandha per day, 72% of the participants self-reported improvements in sleep quality, while activity-monitoring data demonstrated "significant improvement" in sleep efficiency, sleep time, the time taken to fall asleep, and wakefulness after sleep onset.29

Want to learn more about ashwagandha? Check out our guide to the best ashwagandha supplements.

L-Theanine

L-Theanine, an amino acid most commonly found in tea leaves, is another compound that can help reduce cortisol through anxiolytic and sleep effects.84 Three of our top recommended supplements — Live Conscious, Ritual, and Recess — provide L-theanine in clinically relevant doses.

A 2021 trial happened to use the same brand and quantity of L-theanine (AlphaWave, 200mg) as found in Live Conscious. In it, researchers administered either L-theanine or a placebo before and after a mental arithmetic test, which functioned as an acute stressor. They found the L-theanine group exhibited "significant positive effects" in their brainwave patterns, salivary cortisol levels, and self-reported anxiety.4

Another branded version called Suntheanine, the type used in Ritual, was the subject of a 2011 study on sleep quality in boys with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a condition known to increase a person's time to sleep, odds of sleep disruption, and risk of sleep deprivation.30 The participants, after receiving a total of 400mg of Suntheanine per day, demonstrated "significantly higher sleep percentage and sleep efficiency scores" compared to placebo.31 Though the 400mg daily dose was on the high end, and twice the amount found in Ritual, an earlier review from 1999 determined that doses ranging from 50 to 200mg could be effective in inducing a relaxed state.32

Magnesium

Magnesium is an essential mineral that's crucial for numerous bodily processes,75 but one in which many people are deficient.76

It also has a well-documented relationship with stress. In Magnesium in the Central Nervous System, the authors note that high stress and low magnesium are cyclically linked, each increasing the likelihood of the other.77 Other studies have further examined the connection between magnesium, stress, and cortisol directly — for example:

Magnesium comes in numerous forms, each bound to a different compound that informs its stability, absorptivity, and health effects. For example, magnesium threonate is bound to threonic acid and has excellent absorption/retention potential; magnesium glycinate goes with glycine and may improve sleep; and magnesium citrate teams with citric acid, which makes it highly water-soluble (i.e., more bioavailable).79 80 81

Recess Mood Powder is the only one of our recommended cortisol-reducing supplements that contains magnesium — and a high dose at that. We cover its formulation in its dedicated brand section near the end of this review.

Adaptogens

The term "adaptogen" refers to botanicals that help the body adapt to stress, anxiety, and fatigue.33 Ashwagandha, considered both an anxiolytic and an adaptogen, is probably the best-known example, though several others are supported by research to alleviate symptoms associated with stress, including high cortisol. Let's look at a few such ingredients featured in our top recommended supplements and the roles they play in their respective formulations.

A cortisol-reducing supplement could be the ticket for you if you experience higher-than-normal stress or anxiety even after making lifestyle modifications and taking measures to improve your sleep and diet. The products we discuss in this guide may be able to put you in a more relaxed state so that your brain doesn't process common stimuli as threats that stimulate your adrenal glands.

Who should consider other options?

However, if you're experiencing hypercortisolism because of corticosteroids or a tumor, then a supplement isn't likely to be much use. You should instead consult with a physician to address the cause, which may entail titrating down your corticosteroid medication or undergoing surgery to remove the ACTH-producing growth.

Other populations may want or even need to avoid cortisol-reducing supplements because of health implications. With our top recommendations, the potential for adverse effects relates largely to ashwagandha, which presents risks to people who:42 43

• Are pregnant
• Are sensitive or allergic to nightshades
• Are about to undergo surgery
• Take certain medications
• Have hyperthyroidism, an autoimmune disorder, or hormone-sensitive prostate cancer

GABA, used in Youtheory, is another concerning ingredient if you regularly consume alcohol or take certain medications (e.g., for anxiety, seizures, or blood pressure). Such substances act on the body’s GABA receptors, so combining them with a GABA-based supplement could lead to an unpleasant degree of sedation. Regular drinkers and anxiolytic patients should consult with a medical professional before adding GABA to their regimen.

Additional ingredients featured in our recommendations may be hazardous for certain users, as well. We cover the more common safety issues in the next section, "Are cortisol-reducing supplements safe?" For product-specific concerns, refer to the relevant brand section found in the latter half of this guide.

For most healthy adults, yes, cortisol-reducing supplements should be safe, but that's a general conclusion that doesn't account for individual circumstances or sensitivities. As we said, certain populations are at higher risk of adverse effects from the ashwagandha and other ingredients that may appear in a supplement's specific formulation. Even among low-risk populations, a particular ingredient may cause unpleasant reactions.

In the sections below, we discuss some of the common ingredients in cortisol-reducing supplements, the populations who may want to avoid them, and the possible side effects that may arise among greenlit users. Keep in mind that specific brands may include other ingredients to which certain users may be sensitive (e.g., Recess’ magnesium).

Ashwagandha: Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and various interactions

Pregnant women should avoid anything that contains ashwagandha because it may have the potential to cause a miscarriage. Breastfeeding mothers should avoid it, too, because there isn't enough evidence to assure the child's safety.44

Ashwagandha may also interact with the following health conditions and medications:44

Additionally, some otherwise healthy users may experience unpleasant side effects from taking ashwagandha, such as:8

• Sleepiness
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal pain

Also, though rare, drug-induced liver injury has been definitively tied to at least one case of ashwagandha supplementation and determined to be "possible" to "highly likely" in four others.8

L-Theanine: Pregnancy, breastfeeding, food/drink interactions, depression

Drugs.com warns that users should take certain precautions when taking L-theanine. Most notably, those who are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding should discuss its suitability in their regimen with their healthcare provider, and it should not be combined with alcohol.46

People with major depressive disorder (MDD) may want to exercise caution when taking L-theanine alongside other treatments. In at least one study, MDD patients who added 250mg of L-theanine per day (a little more than the amount found in Live Conscious and Ritual) to their antidepressant medication experienced a "significant decrease" in high-density lipoprotein ("good" cholesterol),47 which is associated with a higher risk for heart disease, stroke, and other serious medical concerns.48

GABA: Drug/drug interactions, pregnancy, breastfeeding

GABA may not jibe with substances that have sedative properties, such as alcohol and medications for anxiety, seizures, and high blood pressure. What many such substances have in common is they act on GABA receptors. Taken together with a GABA-based supplement, like Youtheory, it can exacerbate GABA’s calming effect. For example, with blood pressure meds, which lower blood pressure, combination with GABA can cause your blood pressure to drop too low. In fact, the United States Pharmacopeia warns that “concurrent use of GABA with anti-hypertensive medications could increase risk of hypotension.”87

Also, pregnant and breastfeeding women should exercise caution with GABA supplements given the inconclusiveness of its safety for both them and the developing fetus/child.

Best (and safest) for most people

Although its ingredient list is no shorter than Youtheory's or Ritual's, we consider Live Conscious ZenWell to have one of the most straightforward formulations among our top recommendations. That's because, really, what you get is just KSM-66 ashwagandha and AlphaWave L-theanine; the third ingredient, black pepper fruit extract, is there to enhance the bioavailability of the other two. The doses are clinically relevant, too. The 600mg of KSM-66 ashwagandha aligns with the amount used in a 2019 study on its anxiolytic and adaptogenic effects,3 the 200mg of AlphaWave L-theanine is the precise quantity used in a 2021 trial on stress alleviation,4 and the 20mg of black pepper is roughly consistent with the ideal "bioenhancing dose" suggested in one 2012 review.49 The combined simplicity and quantities of ZenWell's ingredients are why we consider it to be the best cortisol-reducing supplement for most people.

ZenWell is a two-a-day capsule, so it may not be ideal for people who have difficulty swallowing pills. Still, compared to the other capsules on our list — Youtheory, Ritual, and Codeage — it's the smallest and the easiest to wash down with a glass of water. To varying degrees, the others are longer and wider than ZenWell's 0.75-inch length and 0.25-inch circumference.

Live Conscious ZenWell pricing, subscription, shipping, and returns

A single bottle of Live Conscious ZenWell costs $25 as a one-time purchase; with 30 servings per bottle, every two capsules cost you $0.83. Subscribing, though, gets you a 20% discount on the base price — the highest subscription discount among our top recommendations — bringing the per-bottle cost down to $20 and the per-serving cost to $0.67.

Additionally, apart from Goli, Live Conscious is the only other brand on our list that offers bundle discounts. With a three- or six-bottle order, you stand to gain an additional 12-28% discount on one-time purchases and 30-42% on subscriptions. The pricing breaks down as follows:

For perspective, consider that a three-bottle subscription to ZenWell costs less than $10 more than a single-bottle subscription to Ritual (three times the supply for under 25% more up-front cash). That's a pretty good deal.

The downside: Should you subscribe, the number of bottles in your order dictates your delivery interval. Subscribe for one bottle, and you get it every month; three bottles, three months; six bottles, six months. You have no flexibility in the matter, so non-daily users are bound to end up with a surplus at each interval's end. We wish the delivery system were more like Codeage's; limited though it may be, it at least lets you choose an interval that meets your needs. This is why we recommend most people order ZenWell from either iHerb or Amazon at this time.

Subscribers get free shipping within the United States, whereas one-time purchasers have two shipping options:

• Standard (4-5 business days): $5.95
• Expedited (2-3 business days): $14.95

(International shipping is available through the company’s partner, iHerb.)

Now, say you want to return your ZenWell. Well, you have a huge, 365-day window to send your order back for a refund, store credit, or an exchange. In comparison, Youtheory, Ritual, Codeage, and Goli all have fairly standard 30-day return windows.

Best high-dose cortisol-reducing supplement

Youtheory Ashwagandha + GABA delivers 1,000mg of ashwagandha in two forms: 600mg of KSM-66 extract and 400mg of powder (branding unspecified). It's the product we recommend for people with higher ashwagandha tolerances, for whom ZenWell's comparably modest dose wouldn't do the trick. According to the Mayo Clinic, the high-dose combination should be safe to take for three months, if not longer.50

Youtheory is also the product we recommend for those who want a cortisol-reducing supplement with GABA. As the Cleveland Clinic notes, GABA is an amino acid that can have a calming effect, as it helps control the "nerve cell hyperactivity associated with anxiety, stress, and fear."51

The GABA used in Youtheory is a branded version called PharmaGABA, which has been the subject of several clinical studies. In 2017, for example, a case study published in Advances in Mind-Body Medicine describes how 200-400mg of PharmaGABA helped calm anxiety in a woman diagnosed with bipolar disorder with psychotic features.52 The GABA quantity in Youtheory is only 100mg, but that's more than the amount used in a successful 2019 trial with GABA-fortified oolong tea.53 Plus, it’s well within the 50-3,000mg range recommended by the Natural and Non-Prescription Health Products Directorate.54

The Youtheory formulation has a bioenhancer, too, like Live Conscious, except it's 20mg of ginger instead of black pepper. A clinical dose of ginger would be 10-30mg/kg,55 and Youtheory's dose falls well short, but the specific brand (called Gingever) is supposed to be higher in potency. If that's the case, then 20mg may be enough to boost the supplement's intended effects.

As to the user experience, you should know the Youtheory capsule is wider than ZenWell but slimmer than Codeage, putting it in a middle tier of swallowability that it shares with Ritual.

Youtheory Ashwagandha + GABA pricing details

Bought directly from Youtheory, a 30-serving bottle of Ashwagandha + GABA costs $24.99, equivalent to $0.83 per serving. Here's where we'd normally discuss the savings you'd realize with a subscription, but Youtheory doesn't offer direct subscriptions. To subscribe, you'd have to go through Amazon, where the product currently costs $19.97 whether or not you subscribe.

The $24.99 sticker price would be a feather in Youtheory's cap, as only Goli is less expensive, but it's practically canceled out by a $14.99 shipping cost. Altogether, then, it costs almost as much as Codeage, our second-most expensive recommendation.

The return policy isn't all that great, either, since you have just 30 days to send back an unopened product for a refund. At least the policy length is on par with Ritual, Codeage, and Goli, and it's better than Amazon, which normally doesn't accept any returns of supplements.

Best for improving sleep

Ritual sets itself apart as a cortisol-reducing supplement because its primary usefulness is in improving sleep rather than directly reducing waking stress. You can surmise as much by looking at the ingredient label. The 80mg ashwagandha content is the lowest among our top recommendations that contain the ingredient and well below the clinical range,56 whereas the L-theanine and saffron doses are clinically relevant.

We mentioned earlier that 50-200mg of L-theanine can induce a relaxed state.32 Well, according to the Sleep Foundation, the higher end of the range is ideal for promoting restful sleep,57 and that's exactly how much you get with Ritual Stress Relief.

As for the saffron, most studies have used doses ranging from 0.6 to 28mg per day, with considerable success associated with the latter.7 Again, Ritual delivers the higher end of the range (28mg) per serving.

Speaking of servings, Ritual requires just one capsule — the smallest serving size of all our recommended capsules. The capsule is about the same size as Youtheory, though, so it may be harder to swallow than Live Conscious but easier to manage than Codeage.

One final thing we want to mention, although it probably has the least bearing on the user experience — Ritual Stress Relief smells good. What you're smelling is saffron, which is naturally fruity, floral, and honey-like on the nose. One of our testers found themselves opening the bottle regularly throughout the workday just to get a waft of its candy-like fragrance.

Pricing, subscription, shipping, and returns

Ritual is a subscription-only supplement service, at least when you buy directly from the company. One 30-serving bottle of Stress Relief ordinarily costs $54 ($1.80 per serving), but first-time subscribers get a 20% off Welcome Offer that drops the price to $43.20 ($1.44 per serving). Still, both up-front costs are the highest on our list, and only Recess’ travel sticks have higher per-serving costs.

The subscription-only model doesn't necessarily rule out one-time purchases. You can approximate a one-timer by canceling your subscription soon after you make your first purchase, or you can purchase through Amazon. You should know, however, that Amazon purchases aren't eligible for the 20% Welcome Offer.

All direct purchases through Ritual ship for free. Deliveries are every 30 days, but you can adjust your delivery date in your account settings. The company ships to the U.K. and Canada, too.

Like Youtheory, Codeage, and Goli, Ritual accepts returns within just a 30-day window, but there's a little more leniency compared to those other brands. For one thing, you get a full refund on any first order you don't like, whether you're a new subscriber or an existing subscriber trying a new product. For another, under "certain circumstances," Ritual will refund your order after the 30-day window has closed; the company has to evaluate your case to determine whether you qualify.

Best mushroom blend

As we discussed in an earlier section — "How do cortisol-reducing supplements work?" — certain mushrooms have adaptogenic properties. Codeage Meditate Vitamins+ is one product (and our recommendation for the best mushroom blend) that leverages the power of functional mushrooms alongside other ingredients to improve not only mood but also cognitive function.

The Vitamins+ formulation includes 250mg of ashwagandha (presumably Sensoril, as it's standardized to 10% withanolides) and 300mg of GABA — both of which are within clinical ranges.3 54 — along with 500mg of a "Deep Blue Mind Enhancing Blend” that comprises Rhodiola rosea and the fruiting-body extracts of three mushroom varieties:

• Cordyceps: Cordyceps mushrooms are abundant in the nucleoside adenosine, which can have positive effects on depression and anxiety.58
• Reishi: A 2012 pilot clinical trial on breast cancer survivors found that reishi powder could improve anxiety and depression symptoms, as well.38
• Lion's mane: A four-week trial in 2010 found the possibility of similar outcomes with lion's mane mushrooms.39

Down the ingredient list, you'll find a secondary proprietary blend: 100mg of a "Wild-Crafted Blueberry Blend." Blueberries are rich in polyphenols, which one review in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity notes can be "beneficial to cognitive performance and mood."6

The last item listed on the label is dihydrohonokiol-B (DHH-B), a supplement with anxiolytic effects. Mice studies have found DHH-B to be effective at doses ranging from 0.4 to 1mg/kg,59 which is equivalent to around 2.6 to 32mg for an 80kg (176lb) human; Codeage's 7.5mg falls within that range.

There are issues with some of the ingredients, though. First, the proprietary blends obscure individual amounts, and the overall quantities aren't likely to provide enough of an individual ingredient for maximal impact. If you look at that reishi trial, for instance, you see that subjects were consuming 3,000mg per day, while Codeage's "Deep Blue Mind Enhancing Blend" maxes out at 500mg for all three mushroom varieties.38 The same issue exists with the blueberries, as the review we cited notes quantities well above the 100mg found in Meditate Vitamins+.6

Second is the addition of CognatiQ, a coffeeberry extract that's supposed to improve cognition and mood but whose claims to which are dubious. A 2023 placebo-controlled crossover study found that 100 and 300mg doses of coffeeberry extract impart no cognitive or behavioral benefits and that higher doses may be needed to be effective.60 Codeage's CognatiQ dose comes in at 200mg, so it certainly isn't higher than the amounts referenced in the study.

In all fairness, Codeage Meditate Vitamins+ isn’t a mushroom or blueberry supplement; it’s a complex aimed at promoting relaxation. With that in mind, we can consider such ingredients to be support players that help enhance the effects of the ashwagandha, GABA, and DHH-B. All of those ingredients do call for a larger capsule, though, and the Codeage capsules are the largest of all our top recommendations.

Codeage Mediate Vitamins+ pricing, subscription, shipping, and returns

Codeage Meditate Vitamins+ costs $37.99 as a one-time purchase and $32.29 as a subscription — $1.26 and $1.08 per serving, respectively. It's overall the second-most expensive option on our list, after Ritual, and shipping adds around $7 to the bill.

On the plus side, Codeage allows a wider range of delivery intervals than Live Conscious or Goli, as you can choose to have your supplement shipped every one, two, or three months.

On the subject of returns, Codeage's policy isn't as restrictive as, say, Youtheory's. It has the same limited 30-day window, but you can open and try your product before sending it back. The caveat is that Codeage's money-back guarantee applies to just one refund per customer; if you've returned a Codeage product in the past, future returns are off the table.

Best gummy and most affordable cortisol-reducing supplement

Turning now to Goli's Ashwagandha Gummies, we come back to a simpler ingredient list. It has just one active ingredient in 300mg of KSM-66 ashwagandha (a clinically relevant dose), plus one inactive ingredient in 25mcg of vitamin D2. The latter could be important since there's an inverse correlation between vitamin D and depression, and the Goli dose is within the tolerable upper intake level.61

Goli is our choice for the easiest-to-use cortisol-reducing supplement because it's a gummy. You chew two for a complete serving and don't have to fret about swallowing capsules. It's also quite tasty. In the words of one tester's partner, "It tastes like a Fruit Roll-Up” (this same tester admitted to taking a serving of Goli as a snack one afternoon). Of course, its tastiness comes with 4g of total sugars and 6g of carbohydrates, so it isn't suitable for people on low-carb diets, and it contains 20mg of sodium, which the average American already overconsumes.13 On top of that, gummy-based supplements can lose potency over time,62 so you may be getting less than the stated quantities of ashwagandha the longer you stretch your supply.

To end our evaluation on a positive note, we want to mention that, unlike a lot of gummies, Goli Ashwagandha is made with pectin instead of gelatin, making it suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Goli Ashwagandha Gummies pricing, subscription, shipping, and returns

For a one-time purchase, a single bottle of Goli Ashwagandha Gummies will set you back just $19 ($0.63 per serving). For a subscription, it's $16.15 ($0.54 per serving). Even when you account for the roughly $5 shipping cost, its price is lower than any other option on our list.

Like Live Conscious, Goli offers additional savings if you buy in bulk. Your choices are three- and five-pack bundles. Here's how the pricing breaks down:

So, say you buy a three-bottle bundle of Goli’s gummies as a one-time purchase; you'd still pay less than you would for a single bottle of Ritual without the 20% Welcome Offer.

As mentioned, shipping costs around $5. That's for orders under $20; anything above $20 ships for free. International shipping is available at a $15 flat rate.

For returns, you again have the same 30-day window as Youtheory, Ritual, and Codeage, but it's pretty lenient in that Goli allows returns of opened items. In that regard, it's more like Codeage's return policy than Youtheory's.

Best powdered drink supplement for reducing cortisol

Recess distinguishes itself from our other recommendations in a couple of ways. First, it's a drink powder, which some people may find more convenient, or at least more versatile, than even a gummy. Not only that, but it’s also a low-calorie, sugar-free powder available in multiple flavors (Unflavored, Lemon Citrus, Berry Gradient), two package varieties (bulk tub and travel sticks), and even sampler packs.

Second, rather than ashwagandha, its formulation centers on magnesium, whose stress- and cortisol-reducing properties we discussed in an earlier section ("How do cortisol-reducing supplements work?"). There, we also mentioned that magnesium comes in multiple forms, each with its own health effects and degree of bioavailability.

The Recess Proprietary Magnesium Blend contains several forms, plus a non-magnesium ingredient to increase the overall bioavailability:

The entire Magnesium Blend totals 1,561mg, which doesn't account for the 210mg of magnesium found outside of the blend. It's such a high dose that it exceeds the tolerable upper intake level by more than 450%. The Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) warns that such high supplemental levels can cause diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal cramping, although it's well short of the 5,000mg threshold largely considered to be toxic, and Recess doesn't include the forms of magnesium most associated with such side effects. Nevertheless, you should probably avoid Recess Mood if you're sensitive to magnesium or take medications that can interact with it — bisphosphonates, antibiotics, diuretics, and proton pump inhibitors.74

On a less worrisome note, the Recess Mood formulation includes several other promising ingredients for reducing stress and cortisol, either directly or indirectly:

• L-Theanine: We've discussed L-theanine's properties throughout this guide, and Recess' 200mg dose is clinically relevant.4
• Passionflower extract: Passionflower may promote a relaxed state by increasing your levels of GABA, whose benefits we covered under Youtheory.71 The 180mg Recess dose is only about one-third the amount recommended in clinical studies but is close to the 192mg dose used to some sedative effect in at least one study.83
• Electrolytes: Potassium, sodium, calcium, and (even more) magnesium help stave off dehydration, which is important given the connection between cortisol and water loss.72

Recess Mood Powder pricing, subscription, shipping, and returns

The price you pay for Recess Mood Powder depends on the options you choose. Here’s a helpful table to break it down, with the per-serving costs rounded up to the nearest cent:

You can see that the up-front costs aren't that bad. Apart from the flavored tubs as a one-time purchase, they're all less expensive than Codeage. It's the serving costs that get you, though, because some of the travel-stick options are costlier per use than even Ritual.

If you subscribe, your delivery intervals are two, four, or eight weeks. The four-week option lines up neatly with the tubs, but none of the travel sticks have serving sizes that correspond to the available intervals.

Your order should arrive in 2-7 days — quite a broad range, but also not too bad.

If you don't like your product, you have only 14 days to request a refund. The window may be larger for exchanges, but Recess doesn't specify how much larger; you'll have to reach out to customer service to determine whether you qualify.