Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. Spearmint has the potential for use as a helpful and natural treatment for hirsutism in polycystic ovary syndrome.
Polycystic ovary syndrome is a hormonal disorder in women that results in enlarged ovaries that can produce prolonged menstrual periods, excessive hair growth, acne, and obesity. The exact cause of polycystic ovary syndrome is unknown, but early diagnosis may reduce the risk of long-term complications, such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease (1). Of the symptoms experienced with polycystic ovary syndrome, excessive hair growth, called ‘hirsutism’, can significantly affect a woman’s quality of life.
Now a new study (2) suggests that spearmint tea, known to affect hormone levels in both animal and women studies (3, 4), may help with hirsutism in women suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome. The study involved 42 women aged 19 to 42. They received either spearmint tea or chamomile tea (control group) twice daily for 30 days. They drank a total of two cups of tea per day made from herbal tea bags with a standardized content of dried tea leaves (the standardized content of the dried leaves was not provided). Blood samples were obtained from the patients to measure for hormone levels.
Chamomile tea was used in the control group as it has “no known endocrine-disrupting properties.” Hirsutism was graded by two investigators using the Ferriman-Gallwey index, which gives a maximum score of 36 (5). In addition, each subject completed a modified Dermatology Quality of Life Index to self-report their degree of hirsutism, with a maximum score of 30 (6).
After 30 days, three significant benefits were noted:
Total Testosterone
(nanograms/milliliter)
Luteinizing Hormone
(milli International Units/mL)
Self-Rated Hirsutism (0-30) Ferriman-Gallwey (0-36)
Spearmint Tea 23.5% decrease
(0.81 to 0.62)
37.7% increase
(5.25 to 7.23)
35.3% decrease
(17 to 11)
5.9% decrease*
(17 to 16)
Chamomile Tea 8.1% decrease
(0.87 to 0.80)*
4.4% decrease
(5.47 to 5.23)*
16.7% decrease
(18 to 15)*
5.9% decrease*
(17 to 16)
p - value < 0.05 < 0.05 < 0.05 > 0.05
*Statistical significance was not reached
The researchers went on to comment that “There was a clear and significant alteration in the relevant hormone levels…associated clinically with a reduction in the self-reported degree of hirsutism but unfortunately not with the objectively rated score.” They stated that the objective decrease in hirsutism did not reach statistical significance because the study was not long enough, recommending a study of longer duration to allow for “follicular hair growth and cell turnover time” (7). Unfortunately, the researchers did not comment on the testosterone and self-rated hirsutism in the chamomile groups, even though their results were not statistically significant.
For the researchers, “The preliminary findings are encouraging that spearmint has the potential for use as a helpful and natural treatment for hirsutism in polycystic ovary syndrome” and that “The time taken for hirsutism to resolve is significant and a much longer future study is proposed.”
Source: Grant, Paul. “Spearmint herbal tea has significant anti‐androgen effects in polycystic ovarian syndrome. a randomized controlled trial.” Phytotherapy Research 24.2 (2010): 186-188.
© 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Posted January 11, 2016.
Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Hauppauge, NY. You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.PitchingDoc.com
References:
- “Polycystic Ovary Syndrome” on the Mayo Cilnic website
- Akdogan M, Tamer MN, Cure E, Cure MC, Koroglu BK, Delibas N. 2007. Effect of spearmint (Mentha spicata Labiatae) teas on androgen levels in women with hirsutism. Phytother Res 21: 444–447.
- Güney M, Oral B, Karahanli N, Mungan T, Akdogan M. The effect of Mentha spicata Labiatae on uterine tissue in rats. Toxicol Ind Health 2006; 22: 343–348
- Grant P. Spearmint herbal tea has significant anti-androgen effects in polycystic ovarian syndrome. A randomized controlled trial. Phytother Res 2010 Feb;24(2):186-8. doi: 10.1002/ptr.2900
- Ferriman D, Gallwey JD. 1961. Clinical assessment of body hair growth in women. J Clin Endocrinol 21: 1440–1447
- Ching HL, Burke V, Stuckey BGA. Quality of life and psychological morbidity in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: body mass index, age and the provision of patient information are signifi cant modifi ers. Clin Endocrinol 2007;66: 373–379
- Stenn KS, Paus R. 2001. Controls of hair follicle cycling. Physiol Rev 2001; 81: 449–494
