1/2 Cup of This Drops Cortisol and Shrinks Visceral Fat (2x per week)

Summary

Thomas DeLauer discusses how diet, supplements, grounding, and adequate calorie intake may support stress regulation and sleep. He describes cortisol as part of the body’s stress response and presents several strategies, while noting that some evidence is preliminary or based on animal studies.

Strategies discussed

• Eat fermented foods: DeLauer recommends yogurt, kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, fermented vegetables, and salsa. He cites a study in which people who ate two to three servings daily reported lower stress and better sleep, alongside changes in gut microbes and tryptophan-related compounds. He suggests starting with food and also promotes a probiotic supplement.
• Consider taurine: He says taurine may influence inhibitory signaling in the nervous system, citing animal research and human correlational findings. Seafood and dark meat are suggested as food sources. He also mentions 2–4 g as a supplement, though viewers should seek professional advice before supplementing.
• Consider saffron: DeLauer describes a trial using 30 mg daily for eight weeks that reported improvements in depression measures, social functioning, and heart-rate variability during stress. He also says saffron may support sleep and stress resilience.
• Choose dark chocolate thoughtfully: He cites research using 25 g daily of flavonoid-rich dark chocolate, associated with lower cortisol measures. He advises checking cadmium content and choosing lower-cadmium chocolate. He also claims sauna use can help remove cadmium; this should not be treated as established guidance based on the video alone.
• Try spirulina: He cites a study using 2 g daily for two months among people with depression, which reported improvements in sleep, stress scores, and depression measures. He attributes possible effects to spirulina’s phycocyanins and tryptophan.
• Try grounding, if desired: Based on personal experience, DeLauer suggests 10–15 minutes of direct contact with grass. He says concrete may be preferable to asphalt in a city. This is presented as his personal practice and explanation, not as a well-established treatment.
• Avoid chronic under-eating: DeLauer says prolonged calorie restriction contributed to his poor sleep and elevated stress. He recommends avoiding a persistent calorie deficit and considering intake across the week, aiming for around maintenance or slightly below rather than continually undereating. He links inadequate energy and mineral availability to disrupted sleep and nighttime waking.

Presenter and sources mentioned

• Presenter: Thomas DeLauer
• Studies or publications named: Molecular Psychiatry; a review on probiotics and antimicrobial proteins (not further identified); Hormones and Behavior; Biological Psychiatry; Frontiers in Nutrition; Journal of Affective Disorders
• Other sources or products mentioned: Consumer Reports; Dr. Rhonda Patrick; SEED probiotic supplement