Bella Hadid told Vogue that she stumbled upon the drink at a time in her life when she found herself struggling to keep up with the demands of her busy schedule as a model and influencer. “I would just go to the next job and the next job and the next job—constantly pushing and pushing,” she said. “I had to be at work at 7 a.m. and somehow go out the night before. It wasn’t sustainable.” And alcohol only exacerbated this experience--in the short term, alcohol consumption can cause anxiety, low energy, and brain fog, all things Hadid struggles with already due to Lyme disease. The tool she was using to cope in social situations was the one thing making them so much harder, and affecting every facet of her life as well.
Although few of us can relate to her career or lifestyle, many of us have been in her shoes when it comes to struggling with anxiety and stress. In a society where the hustle is celebrated, sometimes anxiety gets so overwhelming that we turn to outside sources to cope, and get caught in a never ending cycle of feeling overwhelmed, drinking to numb the pain, and waking up the next day to do it all again. On their website, Kin Euphorics claims to be committed to promoting “braincare,” by “transforming the world’s oldest social ritual into a conscious act of better being.” It does this through the “naturally occurring” ingredients in their drinks that promote focus and relaxation. But what exactly are these ingredients, and how do they affect the brain?
Kin Euphorics beverages are adaptogenic, meaning they use natural herbs to help the body adapt to stress and regulate its internal systems. In the flavor Lightwave, one of the main ingredients is the Reishi mushroom, a fundamental herb in Eastern medicine that has been recognized for centuries for its adrenal regulating properties. Your adrenal glands regulate everything from your hormones to your metabolism to your body’s response to stress, so it makes sense that this would be featured in a beverage that helps you mellow out. According to Healthline, although they should be avoided when pregnant or breastfeeding, there’s generally not very much data about the potential hazards of Reishi mushrooms at all. The two other main active ingredients are L-Theanine and L-Tryptophan, amino acids that help regulate your mood and can be found in vegetables and proteins, respectively.
Ultimately, the things found in Kin’s drinks are all beneficial and necessary components for our wellbeing. However, they’re things that you can and should get from a balanced diet, one full of a variety of vegetables, healthy fats, and proteins. Katelyn Greenleaf, a registered dietitian and founder of NuLeaf Nutrition, says that you should beware of any brand that has big promises of results that will come from their product alone. “One of the top red flags in the nutrition world is any “magic pill” or “magic beverage” that’s going to solve all your problems,” she says, “The key to reducing chronic stress and anxiety is a combination of improving sleep, managing daily stress, hydration, exercise, and balanced nutrition.” In particular, Greenleaf recommends eating a diet with lots of antioxidants, which can be found mainly in fruits and vegetables, as this has been proven to reduce stress and inflammation.
While Kin Euphorics is definitely a healthier alternative to a slew of sugary cocktails on a night out, its ingredients are all things you can get through eating a balanced diet. Its ingredients are safe to consume, but it should be viewed as a supplement, and not a catchall for any health issues you’re experiencing. And of course, if you do want to give it a try but are worried about how it may interact with your own body chemistry, consult with your doctor.