Effect of spearmint teas on androgen levels in women with excess hair
Effect of spearmint (Mentha spicata Labiatae) teas on androgen levels in women with hirsutism
Funded by:
FOFOI-IMSS; Grant Number: 2002/097
Keywords
Mentha spicata; androgens • hirsutism • women
Abstract
Mentha spicata Labiatae, known as spearmint and Mentha piperita Labiatae, known as peppermint can be used for various kinds of illnesses in herbal medicine and flavoring in industry. M. spicata Labiatae grows on the Anamas plateau of Yenişarbademli town of Isparta, located in southwest part of Turkey. In this town, clinicians thought that consumption of tea steeped with M. spicata or M. piperita caused a diminished libido.
Because antiandrogenic effects of spearmint and peppermint were found previously in rats, it was decided to observe the effect of this herbal tea on the androgen levels in hirsute women.
Twenty-one female hirsute patients, 12 with polycystic ovary syndrome and 9 with idiopathic hirsutism were included to the study. They were took a cup of herbal tea which was steeped with M. spicata for 5 days twice a day in the follicular phase of their menstrual cycles.After treatment with spearmint teas, there was a significant decrease in free testosterone and increase in luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone and estradiol. There were no significant decreases in total testosterone or dehydroepiandrostenedione sulphate levels. Spearmint can be an alternative to antiandrogenic treatment for mild hirsutism. Further studies are needed to test the reliability of these results and the availability of spearmint as a drug for hirsutism.
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Received: 4 April 2006; Accepted: 1 November 2006
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Mehmet Akdoan 1, Mehmet Numan Tamer 2 *, Erkan Cüre 2, Medine Cumhur Cüre 1, Banu Kale Körolu 2, Namik Deliba 1
1Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Suleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey
2Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, School of Medicine, Suleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey
email: Mehmet Numan Tamer (mntamer62@yahoo.com)
*Correspondence to Mehmet Numan Tamer, Suleyman Demirel University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 32260 Isparta, Turkey.
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Hey, SoulCysters! Need to eat more veggies, but can't find recipes??
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Wow, that is interesting. We have lots of mint tea here, and the same variety of the Turkish spearmint, I bet (I'm in Israel). Maybe I should try some too, I don't suppose it can hurt and it's real tasty too.
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One more thing, I wonder if you could put spearmint in a capsule, or would it have to be a tea? It seems as it if would be easier to get down in a capsule, but I guess there is the chance that it wouldn't be as effective.
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One more thing, I wonder if you could put spearmint in a capsule, or would it have to be a tea? It seems as it if would be easier to get down in a capsule, but I guess there is the chance that it wouldn't be as effective.
My guess is that if you want to attempt to simulate the results in the study, you should use what was used in the study...
You can by spearmint tea leaves at Whole Foods.
It's quite tasty, even without sweetener. I don't like spearmint flavored gum and candy, but I like the tea.
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Hey, SoulCysters! Need to eat more veggies, but can't find recipes??
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
My guess is that if you want to attempt to simulate the results in the study, you should use what was used in the study...
You can by spearmint tea leaves at Whole Foods.
It's quite tasty, even without sweetener. I don't like spearmint flavored gum and candy, but I like the tea.
Thanks Kat! I will try to find out where the nearest Whole Foods (or similar) is. Surely I can get it down. I do like spearmint gum, and I think that is why it just seems hard to imagine it as tea LOL!
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Baby #1 Due 07/06/2009
Oct. 27 (13DPO) beta 68, progesterone 49.6
Oct 29 (15 DPO) beta 218
Nov 17 Saw heartbeat at 7w0d
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Effect of spearmint teas on androgen levels in women with excess hair 
