Women with PCOS may be able to ease the symptoms and manage these factors through dietary and lifestyle changes, but treatments vary from one person to the next. Spearmint tea for PCOS may be one small item to include in the dietary changes to help manage PCOS symptoms.
What is PCOS?
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (or PCOS for short) is quite common, with a 2011 study reporting that PCOS affects 12-21% of women of reproductive age. In this study, it was also apparent that 70% of women with PCOS were undiagnosed. In PCOS, one or both ovaries can contain small, multiple immature follicles that may appear as cysts when seen on medical imaging. PCOS occurs when there are excess androgen hormones (male hormones), making it an endocrine disorder.
See: Acupuncture & TCM Herbs For Menstrual Cramps & Pain
Signs of PCOS consist of irregular or no periods, cystic acne on the jawline, hirsutism or male hair growth, weight gain, and recurrent miscarriages. While research confirms that the causes of PCOS are complicated, hormone regulation and insulin resistance are the key factors. One of the surprising health advantages of spearmint tea is its ability to heal women with hormone imbalances, like PCOS.
See: Leukorrhea Symptoms Causes & Natural Remedies
What causes testosterone changes?
High testosterone in women is triggered by conditions such as congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), hirsutism, and, most typically, PCOS. But women who are going through menopause may likewise see changes in their testosterone levels. They stop ovulating, indicating they’re not getting increases in estrogen, so testosterone, specifically, could be relatively higher.
See: Ayurvedic Herbs For Fertility Remedies
Spearmint anti-adrogen effects
Spearmint, or Mentha spicata, is a type of mint comparable to peppermint. It’s a seasonal plant that hails from Europe and Asia now typically grows on five continents worldwide. It gets its name from its characteristic spear-shaped leaves. Spearmint has a blissfully sweet taste and is often utilized to add taste to mouthwash, toothpaste, chewing gum, and candy.
See: Natural Home Remedies For PCOS
One typical method to enjoy this herb is brewed into a tea, made from either fresh or dried leaves. Yet, this mint is not only delicious but may likewise be good for you. For women with hormone imbalances, spearmint tea might provide relief.
Spearmint tea is made from the dry leaves of Spearmint herb, native to Europe. It’s milder and naturally sweeter than peppermint. It makes for a beautiful cup of tea that can boost the body’s immune system, promote gut healing, battle versus inflammation, and provide anti-androgen advantages.
Research studies in women have shown that it can decrease male hormones like testosterone while increasing female hormones essential for ovulation, such as luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and estradiol.
See: Natural Home Remedies For Fertility
Spearmint tea may have beneficial effects on hormones in women, including reducing male hormones like testosterone and increasing hormones necessary for ovulation. Spearmint tea has been shown to have anti-androgen properties, which can assist high balance levels of testosterone. Testosterone is an androgen discovered in both sexes- in women, it’s produced in skin and fat cells, adrenal glands and ovaries, and plays a role in reproductive and overall health. High levels of the hormone can cause oily skin, acne, excessive facial hair, and blood sugar issues and impact the menstrual cycle. It’s also connected to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), affecting millions of women globally.
See: How To Balance Hormones Naturally
Spearmint Tea For PCOS Remedy
Mentha spicata Labiatae (Spearmint) is one herbal management technique that has shown some favorable clinical research studies for PCOS. In herbal medicine, spearmint is commonly used for its antispasmodic and carminative actions, considering it beneficial in gastrointestinal conditions. Women with PCOS have raised androgens, typically paired with increased luteinizing hormone (LH) and decreased follicular stimulating hormone (FSH)
One research study randomized forty-two women with PCOS and hirsutism to have either 2 cups of chamomile or spearmint tea a day for one month. (4) Hormone levels were assessed at 0, 15, and one month. At the end of the one month, free and overall testosterone levels were considerably decreased in the spearmint tea group. LH and FSH likewise increased substantially.
See: Functional Medicine For PCOS
Subjective evaluations of hirsutism intensity were also considerably lowered in the spearmint tea group. Regardless of this, there was no considerable reduction in the unbiased Ferriman-Gallwey scores of hirsutism between the two groups; nevertheless, this may be because of the brief study period.
See: Acupuncture Treatment For PCOS
One animal study examined rats who were administered with spearmint essential oil or placebo for twenty days. Rats were divided into those with regular reproductive cycles or those with induced PCOS. After the research study duration, it was found that in PCOS rats, spearmint oil considerably reduced body weight, testosterone levels, ovarian cysts, and atretic roots while increasing Graafian hair follicles.
Another shorter five-day study in twenty-one women (12 with PCOS and 9 with idiopathic hirsutism) analyzed the impacts of taking two cups of spearmint tea daily in the follicular phase of their menstruations. After the five days, a considerable decrease in totally free testosterone levels was seen while there was an increase in luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and estradiol. There were likewise significant reductions in triglyceride levels.
See: Ayurveda Treatment For PCOS Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
A study published this year showed the combined effects of spearmint and flaxseed extract on rats with regular cycles or PCOS-induced rats for 30 days. At the end of treatment, a significant rise in progesterone and a reduction in both testosterone and estradiol was seen in PCOS-induced treated rats. A substantial boost in central, pre-antral, and antral hair follicles was seen, and granulosa cell thickness grew in those administered with spearmint and flaxseed extract. The number of cystic follicles lowered in the treatment group likewise.
See: Diet Therapy For Healing Polycystic Ovary Syndrome PCOS
Does Spearmint Tea For PCOS Really Work?
Women with PCOS usually have excess androgens, which activate hormonal imbalances. This hyperandrogenism manifests in the form of a range of distressing PCOS signs– menstrual irregularities, fertility problems, excess facial and body hair, cystic acne, and inexplicable weight gain. The anti-androgen result of Spearmint tea is what makes it such an excellent herbal remedy for PCOS.
See: Aromatherapy Treatment For PCOS
Some rat research studies have shown that spearmint has treatment capacity for PCOS. It does so through inhibition of testosterone and restoration of follicular development in ovarian tissue.
There are numerous benefits of spearmint tea for PCOS. It’s a terrific all-natural treatment for irregular periods, cystic acne, hirsutism, hormonal imbalances, low-grade inflammation, PMS symptoms like cramps, nausea & bloating, increasing immunity, promoting gut health, promoting your heart health, keeping chronic stress and anxiety at bay.
How does Spearmint Tea provide all those benefits?
There are several reasons why spearmint tea can provide relief for PCOS:
- It can reduce free testosterone levels by 30%. This is the main culprit behind PCOS hirsutism and acne.
- It increases Luteinising Hormone (LH) by 30%. This hormone triggers ovulation, preserving a regular menstrual cycle.
- It increases Follicle Promoting Hormone (FSH) by around 15% to guarantee appropriate maturation of ovarian follicles.
Current clinical proof recommends that spearmint tea may work in reducing androgenic hormones in women. It’s possible to see a decline in complimentary testosterone and an increase in luteinizing hormone (LH) and roots stimulating hormone (FSH) over five days of drinking spearmint tea. Nevertheless, it’s much better to gauge genuine enhancements of spearmint tea for PCOS over a more extended period of consuming the tea regularly.
A spearmint trial performed in the UK in 2010 found that spearmint herbal tea has significant anti-androgen effects in polycystic ovarian syndrome. Forty-two women with PCOS and hirsutism were tracked over one month, and the participants of the Spearmint tea group were asked to take in 2 cups of tea daily. Free and total testosterone levels were minimized over the 30 days in the spearmint tea group, while LH and FSH likewise increased. However, no significant reduction in the rankings of hirsutism was observed. According to scientists, the research study duration was not long enough to ascertain the advantages of spearmint tea in women with hyperandrogenism.
As most people know, most herbal remedies require a more extended period to show favorable outcomes. Drinking spearmint tea for PCOS is no different. Researchers from those trials concluded that thinking about the trial results, spearmint’s potential benefits for PCOS patients with androgen excess quickly surpass any likely risk.
Based upon research studies, researchers say that drinking spearmint tea for PCOS can improve the symptoms of this hormonal disorder. Nevertheless, no herbal treatment will reveal remarkable enhancements within a couple of days. Use spearmint tea for PCOS routinely for a long time before expecting any outcomes.
There are many medical treatments for high testosterone levels. Still, spearmint tea has a history of being utilized as an herbal solution in the Middle East for women with extreme have growth and has been gaining attention for its possibly valuable properties.
Other health benefits of drinking spearmint tea
Spearmint tea is an herb with ample antioxidant and nutritional benefits. It’s fantastic for the digestive system, making it an easy at-home treatment for an upset stomach, bloating, nausea, gas, indigestion, IBS, or feelings of being extremely complete after a meal. What’s more, it can even provide your brain a boost, as it can lower stress and enhance memory.
Adding Spearmint Tea To Your PCOS Diet
If you are interested in experimenting with spearmint tea for PCOS, look for100% natural and organic spearmint tea. You can brew the ideal cup of tea from either dried spearmint leaves or a teabag. Many brand names also provide herbal infusions with other health-promoting herbs like green tea and licorice, so take your pick.
Can spearmint tea help all women with PCOS?
Professionals frequently recommend those with PCOS to include herbs and spices into their diets to regulate hormones. It is much better to eat whole, pesticide-free foods containing more veggies, nuts, seeds, fish, and healthy fats.
Women with PCOS generally have high levels of androgens- particularly DHEA and testosterone. But not all women with PCOS have high DHEA or testosterone. A simple blood test can determine if a patient’s androgen levels are considered expensive, and therefore if spearmint tea deserves trying. One to 2 cups of spearmint tea a day could aid with things like acne, hair loss, and hirsutism [undesirable facial hair growth, and control the menstrual cycle.
Spearmint tea precautions & side effects
With all these advantages, you may be questioning why you shouldn’t somebody drink it? To start with, it can be a trigger for heartburn and heartburn. Second, some individuals won’t benefit from lower levels of testosterone. Having just one cup probably would not be damaging; however, if you’re looking for a kind of tea to drink frequently, peppermint or chamomile may be better options.
Any efforts to change hormone levels need to be performed in consultation with a physician and regular bloodwork. Those hormones do offer benefits for us, so we do not wish to drive them entirely
Summary
These studies show clinically significant anti-androgen results of spearmint on females with PCOS. Based upon the above studies, if you have PCOS or raised androgen levels, consuming 2 cups of spearmint tea daily might help normalize your levels. As always, speak with your naturopath or healthcare provider for individualized treatment.
