Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsVegetable OilsFlax SeedsFatty FishSpearmint TeaRed Reishi Mushrooms
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Vegetable Oils
Flax Seeds
Fatty Fish
Spearmint Tea
Red Reishi Mushrooms
There is some evidence that certain foods can lowertestosteronelevels in women withpolycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Testosterone levels aretypically highin people with PCOS, causing problems fromincreased body weightand acne toabnormal facial and body hair.
It is thought that certain foods have anti-androgenic effects, meaning the ability to reduce male hormones, including testosterone. This may help better manage a disorder that affects as many as five million females in the United States.
This article looks at five different foods that may help naturally lower testosterone if you have been diagnosed and have symptoms of PCOS.
Joe Biafore / E+ / Getty Images
A Note on Gender and Sex TerminologyVerywell Health acknowledges thatsex and gender are related concepts, but they are not the same.Sex refers to biology: chromosomal makeup, hormones, and anatomy. People are most often assigned male or female at birth based on their external anatomy; some people do not fit into that sex binary and are intersex.Gender describes a person’s internal sense of self as a woman, man, nonbinary person, or another gender, and the associated social and cultural ideas about roles, behaviors, expressions, and characteristics.Research studies sometimes don’t use the terminology in this way. For example, terms that describe gender (“woman,” “man”) may be used when terms for sex (“female,” “male”) are more appropriate.To reflect our sources accurately, this article uses terms like “female,” “male,” “woman,” and “man” as the sources use them.
A Note on Gender and Sex Terminology
Verywell Health acknowledges thatsex and gender are related concepts, but they are not the same.Sex refers to biology: chromosomal makeup, hormones, and anatomy. People are most often assigned male or female at birth based on their external anatomy; some people do not fit into that sex binary and are intersex.Gender describes a person’s internal sense of self as a woman, man, nonbinary person, or another gender, and the associated social and cultural ideas about roles, behaviors, expressions, and characteristics.Research studies sometimes don’t use the terminology in this way. For example, terms that describe gender (“woman,” “man”) may be used when terms for sex (“female,” “male”) are more appropriate.To reflect our sources accurately, this article uses terms like “female,” “male,” “woman,” and “man” as the sources use them.
Verywell Health acknowledges thatsex and gender are related concepts, but they are not the same.
Research studies sometimes don’t use the terminology in this way. For example, terms that describe gender (“woman,” “man”) may be used when terms for sex (“female,” “male”) are more appropriate.
To reflect our sources accurately, this article uses terms like “female,” “male,” “woman,” and “man” as the sources use them.
1:37Click Play to Learn How to Lower Testosterone in Women Naturally
1:37
Click Play to Learn How to Lower Testosterone in Women Naturally
Vegetable oils like canola, soybean, and corn oil are rich inpolyunsaturated fat. Research has shown that these healthy dietary fats have the ability to lower testosterone.
With that said, most of the available research is limited to males, and there is a lack of studies devoted to the hormonal effects of polyunsaturated fat in females with PCOS.
For example, a 2017 study in theAsian Journal of Andrologyfound that a higher intake of polyunsaturated fats decreasedtotal testosteroneand free (circulating) testosterone levels in healthy males. It may be presumed to have the same effect in females, but more research is needed.
Of the available studies, a 2021 review published inLife Sciencessuggested that the consumption of polyunsaturated fats may not only help decrease testosterone in people with PCOS but also regulate menstrual cycles andinsulin sensitivity. This can lead toimproved fertilityand better control oftype 2 diabetes, both of which are common in people with PCOS.
Symptoms of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Certain types of seeds, such as flaxseed, may also be beneficial to PCOS given that they are among the richest food-based sources of polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Flax seeds are rich in a type fatty acid known asalpha-linolenic acid (ALA).
5 Foods That Lower Testosterone in Women With PCOS
A 2013 study published in theIran Journal of Reproductive Medicinesuggested that omega-3 can also lower testosterone in people with PCOS. For this study, 78 females with PCOS received a daily 3-gram dose of either an omega-3 supplement or a placebo (inert) supplement for 8 weeks.
Not only were testosterone levels lower in the omega-3 group, but those who took omega-3 were more than twice as likely to report regular menstrual periods (47.2% vs. 22.9%).
Dietary guidelines from the National Institutes of Health recommend eating two servings (3.5 ounces each) of cold-water fish per week.
Taking Fish Oil for PCOS
Some studies have suggested that certain teas or tea extracts may help improve PCOS symptoms. This is especially true ofspearminttea, which is known to have anti-androgenic effects.
An animal study published in 2020 reported that rats given a combination of spearmint extract and flaxseed extract not only lowered testosterone levels but also increasedestrogenandprogesteronelevels. (Both of these may help normalize menstrual cycles and improve the odds of fertility in people with PCOS.)
Research in humans is currently limited. However, one 2010 study published inPhytotherapy Researchreported that drinking spearmint tea twice a day for one month led to lower testosterone levels, as well as a reduction in the degree of self-reported hirsutism, in persons with PCOS.
Some mushrooms have anti-androgenic effects. The most potent is the redreishi mushroom, known aslingzhiin traditional Chinese medicine.
Red reishi mushrooms appear to inhibit the activity of 5-alpha-reductase in the bloodstream.This is the enzyme that converts testosterone into a more potent form, known asdihydrotestosterone(DHT), that acts upon the liver, brain, skin, hair, and male sex organs.
High DHT levels can raise the risk of PCOS-related symptoms such as acne,hirsutism(excessive hair growth), andandrogenic alopecia(male-pattern baldness).
Red reishi mushrooms, usually sold dried or in powdered form, can be found online and in supplement stores and some Asian food markets.
Summary
High testosterone is common in people with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and certain food have anti-androgenic properties that may help lower these levels. Doing so may improve symptoms of PCOS, including weight gain, acne, high blood sugar, excess facial hair, and irregular periods.
Although the evidence is far from conclusive, healthy polyunsaturated oils, flax seeds, fatty fish, spearmint tea, and a mushroom called red reishi may help lower testosterone in women with PCOS.
Benefits of Seeds for Women With PCOS
13 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health.Polycystic ovary syndrome.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Polycystic ovary disease (PCOS) and diabetes.Minguez-Alarcon L, Chavarro JE, Mendiola J, et al.Fatty acid intake in relation to reproductive hormones and testicular volume among young healthy men.Asian J Androl.2017;19(2):184–90. doi:10.4103/1008-682X.190323Prabhu YD, Gopalakrishnana AV.Can polyunsaturated fatty acids regulate polycystic ovary syndrome via TGF-β signalling?Life Sci. 2021;276:119416. doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119416Dodevska M, Markovic JK, Sofrenic I, et al.Similarities and differences in the nutritional composition of nuts and seeds in Serbia.Front Nutr.2022;9:1003125. doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.1003125Haidari F, Banaei-Jahromi N, Zakerkish M, Ahmadi K.The effects of flaxseed supplementation on metabolic status in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A randomized open-labeled controlled clinical trial.Nutr J. 2020;19(1):8. doi:10.1186/s12937-020-0524-5National Institutes of Health.Omega-3 fatty acids.Adjarzadeh A, Dehghani Firouzabadi R, Vaziri N, Daneshbodi H, Lotfi MH, Mozaffari-Khosravi H.The effect of omega-3 supplementation on androgen profile and menstrual status in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A randomized clinical trial.Iran J Reprod Med. 2013;11(8):665-72.Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.Dietary guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.Mehraban M, Jelodar G, Rahmanifar F.A combination of spearmint and flaxseed extract improved endocrine and histomorphology of ovary in experimental PCOS.J Ovarian Res.2020;13:32. doi:10.1186/s13048-020-00633-8Grant P.Spearmint herbal tea has significant anti-androgen effects in polycystic ovarian syndrome. a randomized controlled trial: SPEARMINT AND HIRSUTISM.Phytother Res. 2010;24(2):186-188. doi:10.1002/ptr.2900Cabeza M, Sánchez-Márquez A, Garrido M, Silva A, Bratoeff E.Recent advances in drug design and drug discovery for androgen- dependent diseases.Curr Med Chem. 2016;23(8):792-815. doi:10.2174/0929867323666160210125642Kumar H, Halder A, Sharma M, Jain M, Kalsi AK.Dihydrotestosterone—a potential biomarker of hyperandrogenaemia in polycystic ovary syndrome: a case-control study from North India.J Clin Diagn Res. 2022;16(2):QC09-QC14. doi:10.7860/JCDR/2022/51169.15962
13 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health.Polycystic ovary syndrome.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Polycystic ovary disease (PCOS) and diabetes.Minguez-Alarcon L, Chavarro JE, Mendiola J, et al.Fatty acid intake in relation to reproductive hormones and testicular volume among young healthy men.Asian J Androl.2017;19(2):184–90. doi:10.4103/1008-682X.190323Prabhu YD, Gopalakrishnana AV.Can polyunsaturated fatty acids regulate polycystic ovary syndrome via TGF-β signalling?Life Sci. 2021;276:119416. doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119416Dodevska M, Markovic JK, Sofrenic I, et al.Similarities and differences in the nutritional composition of nuts and seeds in Serbia.Front Nutr.2022;9:1003125. doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.1003125Haidari F, Banaei-Jahromi N, Zakerkish M, Ahmadi K.The effects of flaxseed supplementation on metabolic status in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A randomized open-labeled controlled clinical trial.Nutr J. 2020;19(1):8. doi:10.1186/s12937-020-0524-5National Institutes of Health.Omega-3 fatty acids.Adjarzadeh A, Dehghani Firouzabadi R, Vaziri N, Daneshbodi H, Lotfi MH, Mozaffari-Khosravi H.The effect of omega-3 supplementation on androgen profile and menstrual status in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A randomized clinical trial.Iran J Reprod Med. 2013;11(8):665-72.Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.Dietary guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.Mehraban M, Jelodar G, Rahmanifar F.A combination of spearmint and flaxseed extract improved endocrine and histomorphology of ovary in experimental PCOS.J Ovarian Res.2020;13:32. doi:10.1186/s13048-020-00633-8Grant P.Spearmint herbal tea has significant anti-androgen effects in polycystic ovarian syndrome. a randomized controlled trial: SPEARMINT AND HIRSUTISM.Phytother Res. 2010;24(2):186-188. doi:10.1002/ptr.2900Cabeza M, Sánchez-Márquez A, Garrido M, Silva A, Bratoeff E.Recent advances in drug design and drug discovery for androgen- dependent diseases.Curr Med Chem. 2016;23(8):792-815. doi:10.2174/0929867323666160210125642Kumar H, Halder A, Sharma M, Jain M, Kalsi AK.Dihydrotestosterone—a potential biomarker of hyperandrogenaemia in polycystic ovary syndrome: a case-control study from North India.J Clin Diagn Res. 2022;16(2):QC09-QC14. doi:10.7860/JCDR/2022/51169.15962
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health.Polycystic ovary syndrome.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Polycystic ovary disease (PCOS) and diabetes.Minguez-Alarcon L, Chavarro JE, Mendiola J, et al.Fatty acid intake in relation to reproductive hormones and testicular volume among young healthy men.Asian J Androl.2017;19(2):184–90. doi:10.4103/1008-682X.190323Prabhu YD, Gopalakrishnana AV.Can polyunsaturated fatty acids regulate polycystic ovary syndrome via TGF-β signalling?Life Sci. 2021;276:119416. doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119416Dodevska M, Markovic JK, Sofrenic I, et al.Similarities and differences in the nutritional composition of nuts and seeds in Serbia.Front Nutr.2022;9:1003125. doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.1003125Haidari F, Banaei-Jahromi N, Zakerkish M, Ahmadi K.The effects of flaxseed supplementation on metabolic status in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A randomized open-labeled controlled clinical trial.Nutr J. 2020;19(1):8. doi:10.1186/s12937-020-0524-5National Institutes of Health.Omega-3 fatty acids.Adjarzadeh A, Dehghani Firouzabadi R, Vaziri N, Daneshbodi H, Lotfi MH, Mozaffari-Khosravi H.The effect of omega-3 supplementation on androgen profile and menstrual status in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A randomized clinical trial.Iran J Reprod Med. 2013;11(8):665-72.Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.Dietary guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.Mehraban M, Jelodar G, Rahmanifar F.A combination of spearmint and flaxseed extract improved endocrine and histomorphology of ovary in experimental PCOS.J Ovarian Res.2020;13:32. doi:10.1186/s13048-020-00633-8Grant P.Spearmint herbal tea has significant anti-androgen effects in polycystic ovarian syndrome. a randomized controlled trial: SPEARMINT AND HIRSUTISM.Phytother Res. 2010;24(2):186-188. doi:10.1002/ptr.2900Cabeza M, Sánchez-Márquez A, Garrido M, Silva A, Bratoeff E.Recent advances in drug design and drug discovery for androgen- dependent diseases.Curr Med Chem. 2016;23(8):792-815. doi:10.2174/0929867323666160210125642Kumar H, Halder A, Sharma M, Jain M, Kalsi AK.Dihydrotestosterone—a potential biomarker of hyperandrogenaemia in polycystic ovary syndrome: a case-control study from North India.J Clin Diagn Res. 2022;16(2):QC09-QC14. doi:10.7860/JCDR/2022/51169.15962
Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health.Polycystic ovary syndrome.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Polycystic ovary disease (PCOS) and diabetes.
Minguez-Alarcon L, Chavarro JE, Mendiola J, et al.Fatty acid intake in relation to reproductive hormones and testicular volume among young healthy men.Asian J Androl.2017;19(2):184–90. doi:10.4103/1008-682X.190323
Prabhu YD, Gopalakrishnana AV.Can polyunsaturated fatty acids regulate polycystic ovary syndrome via TGF-β signalling?Life Sci. 2021;276:119416. doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119416
Dodevska M, Markovic JK, Sofrenic I, et al.Similarities and differences in the nutritional composition of nuts and seeds in Serbia.Front Nutr.2022;9:1003125. doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.1003125
Haidari F, Banaei-Jahromi N, Zakerkish M, Ahmadi K.The effects of flaxseed supplementation on metabolic status in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A randomized open-labeled controlled clinical trial.Nutr J. 2020;19(1):8. doi:10.1186/s12937-020-0524-5
National Institutes of Health.Omega-3 fatty acids.
Adjarzadeh A, Dehghani Firouzabadi R, Vaziri N, Daneshbodi H, Lotfi MH, Mozaffari-Khosravi H.The effect of omega-3 supplementation on androgen profile and menstrual status in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A randomized clinical trial.Iran J Reprod Med. 2013;11(8):665-72.
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.Dietary guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.
Mehraban M, Jelodar G, Rahmanifar F.A combination of spearmint and flaxseed extract improved endocrine and histomorphology of ovary in experimental PCOS.J Ovarian Res.2020;13:32. doi:10.1186/s13048-020-00633-8
Grant P.Spearmint herbal tea has significant anti-androgen effects in polycystic ovarian syndrome. a randomized controlled trial: SPEARMINT AND HIRSUTISM.Phytother Res. 2010;24(2):186-188. doi:10.1002/ptr.2900
Cabeza M, Sánchez-Márquez A, Garrido M, Silva A, Bratoeff E.Recent advances in drug design and drug discovery for androgen- dependent diseases.Curr Med Chem. 2016;23(8):792-815. doi:10.2174/0929867323666160210125642
Kumar H, Halder A, Sharma M, Jain M, Kalsi AK.Dihydrotestosterone—a potential biomarker of hyperandrogenaemia in polycystic ovary syndrome: a case-control study from North India.J Clin Diagn Res. 2022;16(2):QC09-QC14. doi:10.7860/JCDR/2022/51169.15962
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