I just fell down a rabbit hole about spearmint possibly having anti-androgen effects and now I’m super curious how this plays out in real life for people with PCOS. I found a couple of small studies and a bunch of anecdotes claiming 2 cups/day of spearmint tea for a few weeks modestly lowered free testosterone and helped with hirsutism/acne over time. This feels almost too simple to be true, so I’m hoping to hear actual experiences and science-minded takes.
Questions for anyone who’s tried it (or clinicians/research-minded folks here):
- Dose and form: Did you use plain spearmint tea bags, loose leaf, or a standardized extract? How many cups per day and how strong did you brew it? Any difference between spearmint vs peppermint or blends?
- Timeline: If it helped, when did you notice changes? Acne vs oiliness vs hair growth rate (knowing terminal hair changes can take months)?
- Labs: Did you check before/after labs like free testosterone, SHBG, DHEAS, or LH/FSH? Any measurable shifts?
- Cycles and ovulation: Any changes in cycle length, ovulation (OPKs/BBT), luteal phase length, or PMS? Did it affect cervical mucus or libido?
- Stacking: Anyone using it alongside metformin, inositol, OCPs, or spironolactone? Did you notice additive effects or side effects?
- Side effects and cautions: GI stuff, reflux (since mint can relax the LES), dizziness/low BP, headaches, sleep changes? Any impact on mood or energy? Anyone notice milk supply changes while breastfeeding?
- Fertility/TTc: Did you use it while trying to conceive? Did you cycle it only in follicular phase or take it daily?
- Topical use: Wild idea-has anyone tried (properly diluted!) spearmint essential oil topically for chin/jawline hair, or is that a hard no because of irritation/sensitization?
- Quality matters: Did organic/loose leaf vs supermarket bags make a difference in taste or effect? Any brands you trust? Has anyone found an extract standardized to polyphenols/rosmarinic acid and compared it to tea?
- Objective tracking: If you’re into data, did you track Ferriman-Gallwey scores, sebum, acne lesion counts, or even CGM/glucose changes?
Also curious if anyone experienced paradoxical effects (e.g., worsened reflux, too-low androgens causing low libido), or noticed interactions with thyroid meds or SSRIs.
If people are game, would love to do a 4-6 week “spearmint check-in” where we log dose, cycle day, basic symptoms (acne/oiliness, hair growth rate, cramps, mood), and any labs. I’ll happily compile anonymized summaries so we can see patterns. Anyone in, or am I overhyping a cozy cup of tea?