Hirsutism can be the source of much distress for many women. Sufferers grow hair on their faces, breasts and stomachs - all the places where it's not wanted. It's generally agreed by scientists that rogue hair grows because there are abnormally high levels of androgens (male hormones) circulating in the body. Reducing levels of these androgens is consequently the main treatment for hirsutism. While typical treatments involve oral contraceptives or other hormonal modifiers, research just published in Phytotherapy Research shows that there may be a natural alternative. The study suggests that drinking just two cups of spearmint tea a day for five days could reduce the level of androgens in women with hirsutism.
"Current therapies use either oral contraceptives to suppress androgen production, or medications such as spironolactone that prevent the body responding to androgen - but this study shows that spearmint could be a good natural alternative for women who have mild symptoms," says researcher Mehmet Numan Tamer, of the Suleyman Demirel University, in Turkey.
The research came about thanks to previous reports that extracts of the spearmint plant (Mentha spicata Labiatae) could reduce male libido. A possible reason for this reduced libido could have been that spearmint was reducing their androgen level. Other research had shown that these extracts reduced androgen levels in rats. In the study, the herbal tea was made by pouring a cup of boiling water over 1 heaped teaspoon of dried leaves, and leaving it for 5 to 10 minutes.
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Source: Phytotherapy Research
