You’ve probably seen the videos. Someone standing in their kitchen, clutching a mug of steaming green liquid, claiming their cystic acne vanished in a week because they started drinking spearmint tea. It’s a compelling story. Hormonal imbalances—especially the kind that lead to stubborn jawline breakouts, thinning hair on the head, and unwanted hair elsewhere—are incredibly frustrating to deal with. But does spearmint tea to balance hormones actually work, or is it just another wellness trend that’ll end up in the "tried it, hated it" pile?
Honestly, the answer is a bit more nuanced than a thirty-second clip can capture.
Spearmint (Mentha spicata) isn’t just a flavoring for chewing gum. For years, researchers have been looking at how this specific herb interacts with our endocrine system, specifically concerning androgens. These are the "male" hormones, like testosterone, that everyone has, but when they get a little too high in women, things start to get messy. We're talking PCOS symptoms, hirsutism, and that deep, painful acne that topical creams can't seem to touch.
The anti-androgen effect: Why people are obsessed
The big draw here is the way spearmint interacts with free testosterone in the blood. Most of the excitement stems from a few specific studies that actually put this tea to the test. One of the most cited papers, published in Phytotherapy Research, followed women with PCOS who drank spearmint tea twice a day. After just thirty days, their free and total testosterone levels dropped significantly.
That’s a big deal.
It wasn't just a placebo effect either. The researchers noted an increase in luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). Basically, the tea helped nudge the body's hormonal feedback loop back toward a state of equilibrium. When your androgens are lower, your skin produces less sebum. Less sebum means fewer clogged pores. Fewer clogged pores mean your skin finally gets a break from the constant cycle of inflammation.
It's not magic. It’s biology. But it’s also not a "cure-all."
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What actually happens in your body?
When you sip on spearmint, the polyphenols in the leaves go to work. Specifically, spearmint has been shown to inhibit an enzyme called 5-alpha-reductase. This is the same enzyme that many prescription medications target. By slowing down this process, the body doesn't convert as much testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is the much more potent version of the hormone responsible for unwanted hair growth and hair loss.
Is spearmint tea to balance hormones better than medication?
This is where things get tricky. If you’re dealing with severe PCOS or a diagnosed endocrine disorder, a cup of tea is unlikely to replace something like Spironolactone or Metformin. However, for people who want a "softer" approach or who can't tolerate the side effects of prescription drugs—like the constant urination or lightheadedness associated with some diuretics—spearmint tea is an attractive alternative.
Real talk: the studies used a very specific dose. Most successful trials had participants drinking two cups of strong spearmint tea every single day. If you’re just having a cup every now and then when you remember, you’re probably not going to see much of a shift in your bloodwork. Consistency is everything here. You have to be diligent.
The dark side of "natural" remedies
We often assume that because something grows in the ground, it’s totally harmless. That’s a mistake. While spearmint is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA, messing with your hormones is a serious business. If your hormones are already balanced and you start drinking massive amounts of anti-androgenic tea, you could actually swing too far in the other direction.
Low testosterone in women isn't great either. It leads to brain fog, fatigue, and a non-existent libido.
Also, don't confuse spearmint with peppermint. While they look similar and are cousins in the mint family, peppermint doesn't have the same anti-androgenic properties. If you buy a "mint blend" at the grocery store, you’re likely getting a mix that won't give you the results you're looking for. You need pure Mentha spicata.
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The hirsutism struggle: A real-world look
Hirsutism is the medical term for excess body hair in places women don't usually want it—like the chin, chest, or stomach. It’s soul-crushing for a lot of people. A study conducted in Turkey specifically looked at this. They took twenty-one women with hirsutism and had them drink spearmint tea for five days during the follicular phase of their menstrual cycles.
Even in that short window, their testosterone levels dipped.
But here is the reality check: while the hormone levels in the blood changed quickly, the hair didn't just fall out. Hair follicles have a long growth cycle. Even if your hormones balance out today, the hair that’s already there will likely stay there until it's physically removed or eventually falls out on its own. The tea helps prevent new excess growth from starting. It's a long game. You're looking at months, not days, to see a visible difference in hair patterns.
How to actually use spearmint tea to balance hormones
If you're going to try this, don't just dunk a bag in lukewarm water for sixty seconds. To get the medicinal compounds out of the leaves, you need a proper steep.
- Use boiling water.
- Use at least one hefty teaspoon of dried loose-leaf spearmint or one high-quality tea bag.
- Cover the mug. This is a pro tip. Covering the mug keeps the volatile oils from escaping with the steam.
- Let it sit for at least 10 minutes.
It tastes better than you'd think. It's sweeter and less "sharp" than peppermint. Some people find it helps with digestion too, which is a nice little bonus. If you hate the taste of hot tea, you can brew a large batch and keep it in the fridge. Cold spearmint tea is actually pretty refreshing in the summer.
What the experts say
Dr. Richard Carr and his colleagues, who have researched herbal interventions for endocrine issues, often emphasize that while spearmint is effective, it’s just one piece of the puzzle. Diet, stress management, and sleep play just as large a role in hormonal health. If you’re drinking spearmint tea but also living on a diet of highly processed sugars that spike your insulin, the tea is going to be fighting an uphill battle. Insulin and androgens are closely linked; when insulin is high, it signals the ovaries to produce more testosterone.
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Misconceptions you should ignore
Don't believe anyone who tells you that spearmint tea will "detox" your liver or melt fat. Those are marketing buzzwords. Its primary function in this context is its specific interaction with androgen receptors and hormone production. It's a targeted tool, not a magic wand for weight loss.
Also, be wary of "hormone balancing" tea blends that contain twenty different ingredients. Often, these blends don't have enough of any single ingredient to actually do anything. You’re better off buying bulk organic spearmint. It's cheaper and more effective.
What to do next
If you suspect your hormones are out of whack, the first step isn't the grocery store—it's the doctor's office. Get a full hormonal panel done. You need to know your baseline. Check your total testosterone, free testosterone, DHEA-S, and fasting insulin.
Once you have your data, you can start your spearmint experiment.
Start with one cup a day to make sure it doesn't upset your stomach. Some people get a bit of acid reflux from mint. If you feel fine, move up to two cups. Track your symptoms in a journal or a cycle-tracking app. Note changes in your skin, your mood, and your energy levels. Give it at least three full menstrual cycles before you decide if it’s working for you. Hormonal shifts are slow. Patience is the hardest part of the process, but it's the only way to see if spearmint tea to balance hormones is the right move for your specific body.
If you don't see any change after three months, it might be time to look into other underlying causes, like adrenal fatigue or thyroid issues, which spearmint won't help with. But for many, this simple ritual becomes a staple in their routine for a reason: it's a gentle, evidence-based way to take a little bit of control back from their hormones.