Best Tea for High Cortisol: 3 Caffeine-Free Choices

Chamomile tea, rooibos tea, and peppermint tea are caffeine-free choices to consider for high cortisol, but none is proven to lower it. The AI symptom analyzer can help you organize concerns to discuss with a clinician; it cannot measure cortisol or diagnose its cause. For a broader look at beverages, see the best drinks for high cortisol.

What are the 3 best teas to consider for high cortisol?

These three teas are practical choices because they are naturally caffeine-free and can be part of a hydration or bedtime routine. They are not ranked by how much they lower cortisol: there is not enough evidence to make that comparison or to establish an effective tea dose for high cortisol.

Feeling stressed does not necessarily mean you have medically high cortisol. Cortisol levels normally change throughout the day, and an elevated test result needs to be interpreted in the context of when and how it was collected, your health, and any medicines you take.

Choose a tea you enjoy and tolerate rather than a product marketed as a cortisol treatment. Plain, single-ingredient tea bags also make it easier to avoid ingredients such as licorice root, which can cause problems for some people.

Chamomile tea

Chamomile tea is a reasonable choice if you want a warm, caffeine-free drink in the evening. Its proposed benefit for high cortisol is indirect: a calming routine may help you wind down, but that does not establish that the tea itself lowers cortisol.

Chamomile contains plant compounds, including apigenin. What those compounds do to cortisol at the amounts found in a brewed cup is not established. Evidence that ordinary chamomile tea treats high cortisol is lacking, and results from concentrated extracts should not be assumed to apply to tea.

For one cup, use:

• 1 chamomile tea bag
• 1 cup (240 mL) of water

1. Bring the water to a boil.
2. Pour it over the tea bag in a heat-safe cup.
3. Steep for about 5 minutes, remove the bag, and let the tea cool enough to drink.

Check with a clinician before using chamomile if you take warfarin or another blood thinner. Avoid it if you have had an allergic reaction to chamomile; people allergic to ragweed or related plants may also react. Ask a clinician about regular use during pregnancy or breastfeeding and before giving it to a child.

Rooibos tea

Rooibos tea is naturally caffeine-free and has a mild flavor, making it an option at any time of day. Its main advantage here is that it can replace a caffeinated drink without adding caffeine that might interfere with sleep or make you feel jittery.

Rooibos contains plant compounds, but a useful mechanism for lowering high cortisol through a normal cup of tea has not been established. There is no good basis for choosing rooibos over the other two teas specifically for a cortisol effect. Its value is as a beverage you may find easy to include in your routine, not as hormone treatment.

For one cup, use:

• 1 plain rooibos tea bag
• 1 cup (240 mL) of water

1. Bring the water to a boil.
2. Pour it over the tea bag in a heat-safe cup.
3. Steep for about 5 minutes, remove the bag, and let the tea cool enough to drink.

Read the ingredient list: flavored rooibos blends may contain licorice root or other added herbs. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, managing a medical condition, or considering a concentrated rooibos product, ask your clinician about its suitability. Stop drinking it if you notice a reaction.

Peppermint tea

Peppermint tea is another naturally caffeine-free option. Its mint flavor can make plain water-based drinks more appealing, and a warm cup can be part of a relaxing routine. Neither effect proves that peppermint tea changes cortisol levels.

Peppermint leaves contain menthol, but research or claims about concentrated peppermint oil cannot establish what a cup of peppermint tea does for high cortisol. Evidence is insufficient to recommend the tea as a way to lower an elevated result. Peppermint essential oil is not interchangeable with a tea bag and should not be used as a substitute in this drink.

For one cup, use:

• 1 peppermint tea bag
• 1 cup (240 mL) of water

1. Bring the water to a boil.
2. Pour it over the tea bag in a heat-safe cup.
3. Steep for about 5 minutes, remove the bag, and let the tea cool enough to drink.

Peppermint can worsen heartburn or acid reflux for some people. If it causes burning or discomfort, choose another tea instead. Check the label for added herbs, and ask a clinician before regular use during pregnancy or breastfeeding or before offering it to a child.

Which teas should you avoid or limit with high cortisol?

Avoid licorice root tea and blends containing licorice, especially if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, or kidney disease. Licorice can inhibit an enzyme in the kidneys that normally converts cortisol to cortisone. This lets cortisol have stronger effects on receptors involved in salt and water balance, which can raise blood pressure and lower potassium.

A 2019 review of licorice and cardiovascular effects describes these risks. The mechanism concerns cortisol activity in certain tissues; it does not mean that every person who drinks licorice tea will have a high cortisol blood-test result. Check ingredient lists, because licorice is sometimes included as a sweet flavor in herbal blends.

Consider limiting caffeinated tea if caffeine makes you jittery or disrupts your sleep. Black tea, green tea, and matcha contain caffeine, although the amount varies with the product and preparation. You do not necessarily need to avoid them entirely because of a cortisol concern; discuss your intake with your clinician, particularly if you are preparing for a test.

Be cautious with blends marketed for “cortisol balance” or “adrenal support.” A label does not establish that a blend lowers cortisol, and a mixture of herbs makes it harder to identify the cause of a side effect or interaction. A plain tea also avoids the need to rely on claims about concentrated extracts.

Who should be careful, and when should you see a doctor?

If you have a confirmed high cortisol result, arrange a follow-up with the clinician who ordered it. They can explain whether the result needs further testing and what might affect it. Do not use tea in place of that evaluation.

Make an appointment if you have ongoing concerns such as unexplained muscle weakness, easy bruising, new wide purple stretch marks, or changes in blood pressure or blood sugar. These signs can have many causes and do not diagnose high cortisol. Bring a list of your medicines, supplements, and herbal products to the appointment.

Corticosteroid medicines are relevant to a cortisol evaluation. Tell your clinician if you use them in any form, including pills, inhalers, creams, or injections. Do not stop or change prescribed corticosteroids on your own; stopping some of them suddenly can be dangerous.

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have kidney or heart disease, take regular medicines, or are choosing a tea for a child, check with a clinician or pharmacist before using herbal tea regularly. Seek emergency care for chest pain, severe trouble breathing, fainting, or confusion, regardless of whether you think cortisol is involved.