10 Teas for Hormonal Imbalance in PCOS

Hormones are an essential part of our body functions and metabolism. They’re produced by glands in the endocrine system and act as messengers in our body, traveling to various organs to regulate their systems and processes. Since hormones impact almost EVERY part of the body, when our hormones are balanced, we feel great . . . when they’re not . . . our symptoms show it. 

More than 5 million women in the U.S. alone have a hormonal condition called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) that can lead to a whole catalog of hormonal imbalances—high testosterone, low progesterone, high estrogen, high DHEA, high cortisol, and more. These symptoms leave Cysters like us with plenty of chronic symptoms like fatigue, irregular periods, infertility, acne, weight gain, mood swings, and more. 

If you’re in the beginning stages of your PCOS journey, you may think birth control or other prescription medications are your only hope for reclaiming your body. I’m here to tell you that’s not the case! A handful of intentional lifestyle changes to your diet, exercise routine, sleeping schedule, and more can help you naturally reverse your PCOS struggles and finally live symptom-free! 

One of my favorite companions to a PCOS-friendly lifestyle is herbal tea. Teas have been used for thousands of years for healing purposes, and now studies actually back up their medical benefits! One of those benefits? HORMONE BALANCE! That’s right, adding tea to your meal plans or daily routine can help you achieve hormone balance (and maybe even kick a coffee or soda habit!) So, today, I’ll give you all the info on the best teas for PCOS control and symptom relief. 

Here’s what you need to know:

10 Teas for Hormonal Imbalance in PCOS

Spearmint Tea

Spearmint tea has a TON of health benefits, especially for women with PCOS. It is known for its anti-androgenic effects, meaning it lowers testosterone levels. High testosterone is the hormone responsible for a lot of your PCOS symptoms like hair loss, hirsutism (body hair growth), acne, irregular menstrual cycles, and more! So, reducing these male hormones can work wonders for your PCOS journey.

Cinnamon Tea

One of the main symptoms of PCOS is insulin resistance. This is when the body struggles to manage blood sugar levels, leading to symptoms like weight gain and irregular periods. Cinnamon tea can improve insulin sensitivity by lowering and controlling blood sugar levels. As a result, Cysters who drink cinnamon tea could experience weight loss and more regular menstrual cycles. 

Cinnamon tea is also known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Another symptom of PCOS is chronic inflammation. Reducing this inflammation could also help improve metabolic health and support hormone balance. Big win! 

Decaf Green Tea

For thousands of years, people have consumed green tea daily to experience its incredible health benefits. One of the main perks is improving insulin sensitivity. Green tea contains catechins like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which helps regulate blood sugar levels. When you can manage your blood sugar, you may also drop some PCOS weight, lower your insulin levels, and balance other hormones along with it! 

Beyond that, a cup of green tea a day can also improve reproductive health thanks to its anti-androgenic effects (it lowers testosterone). However, it is important to remember to pick a decaffeinated option. Caffeinated drinks can increase our cortisol levels, which are stress hormones that contribute to our hormonal imbalances and symptoms such as stubborn belly fat, fatigue, inflammation, and more.

Women who regularly drink decaf green tea have experienced more regular periods and better ovulation, which is often disrupted by PCOS. 

Licorice Root Tea

Licorice root tea offers a ton of hormone-balancing support with its anti-androgenic effects, adrenal support, detoxifying features, and anti-inflammatory properties. One of the main hormones this tea helps regulate is cortisol, the stress hormone. Women with PCOS often have high cortisol levels, which can lead to inflammation, weight gain, mood swings, acne and other hormonal imbalances, so it’s best to keep it in check!

This tea also supports liver function, which is crucial for metabolizing hormones and detoxifying the body. Since women with PCOS often have elevated hormones, healthy liver function is SO important because it helps process and eliminate excess hormones, like androgens. 

Dandelion Root Tea

Dandelion root tea is another excellent natural remedy to support hormone balance in PCOS. With liver-supporting properties, women with PCOS can improve hormone detoxification and metabolization within their bodies (just like with licorice root tea!). With a properly functioning liver, you can eliminate excess hormones like estrogen and testosterone, helping to achieve a natural balance. 

Another great benefit of dandelion root tea for PCOS is that it’s a natural diuretic that reduces water retention and the chronic bloating that comes with PCOS. A cup of dandelion root tea will make you feel lighter and like yourself again! 

Ginger Tea

Ginger tea is a great natural way to reduce inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation can cause a lot of PCOS symptoms and contribute to hormone imbalance (here are some signs you may have inflammation). So, adding ginger tea to your routine to help reduce inflammation can help you see improvements in plenty of PCOS symptoms like body pain, mood problems, weight gain, lowered immune system, and more. Inflammation is no joke!  

Digestive health also plays a major role in hormone balance and inflammation. Ginger is known to soothe and support the digestive system function and improve the absorption of essential nutrients crucial in maintaining hormonal balance throughout the body. 

Nettle Leaf Tea

Nettle leaf tea is widely known for its anti-androgenic properties. By reducing male hormones, women with PCOS may see an improvement in symptoms like excess hair growth, acne, and thinning hair. This tea can also reduce the high cortisol levels caused by PCOS as well. By lowering these elevated hormones, women with PCOS can work towards hormonal balance naturally and get symptom relief without the side effects of prescription medication! 

Lemon Balm Tea

Research shows that lemon balm tea reduces anxiety and stress, which can lead to lower cortisol levels. I mean, that makes sense since cortisol is the “stress hormone.” The calming effects can also improve sleep quality in Cysters who have trouble sleeping. And, good sleep can improve multiple aspects of your health, including insulin sensitivity and overall endocrine health. Did you know sleep was so important for hormone balance? Here’s more on sleep hygiene and PCOS.

Rosehip Tea

Rosehip tea has been proven to support immune system function, an absolutely necessary function for keeping us healthy. When our immune systems are strong and working properly, our body can better manage the stressors caused by PCOS, like inflammation. 

Speaking of inflammation, Cysters can also improve their skin health and reduce acne caused by PCOS. Rosehip tea has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can lead to clearer skin. 

Calendula Tea

Traditionally, calendula tea has been used to regulate menstrual cycles and ease the symptoms that come with having your period. This tea is also a natural remedy for easing menstrual cramps and supporting overall reproductive health. As Cysters often experience irregular heavy periods due to hormone imbalance, adding calendula tea to your routine can help a lot! 

How to Add Tea Into Your Routine 

If you’re looking at this long list of teas and wondering if I am advocating for you drinking 10 different teas a day, I’m not! But, I totally get the concern and confusion. If you want the benefits from all these great teas . . . how do you get that without a dozen mugs of various teas???

A tea blend should be your go-to! Tea blends have multiple types of tea leaves to give you maximum benefit (and flavor) from just one tea bag. It’s the best way to get the most out of your daily benefits! 

OvaFit’s Testosterone Relief Tea is exactly that and made specifically for my Cysters! It includes spearmint tea, lemon balm tea, orange peel tea, chamomile tea, rosehip tea, peppermint tea, cinnamon tea, lavender tea, and calendula tea! Seven of those are FANTASTIC for hormone balance (as you read above.) 

Plus, Testosterone Relief Tea comes in convenient plastic-free bags, to make the process as easy and guilt-free as possible (no endocrine disruptors from leaching microplastics here.) You can grab a box or go ahead and subscribe and save HERE. 

How to Know if You Have Hormonal Imbalance

Taking care of your hormonal health is the key to combating common PCOS symptoms. Unfortunately, many women are unaware they have a hormonal imbalance. If you suspect that you have PCOS or a hormone imbalance, there are a few ways to check if this is the case. 

Understand symptoms. 

The first thing is to understand the symptoms of hormonal imbalances. In the case of PCOS, women often experience irregular periods, weight gain, acne, excessive hair growth, hair thinning, skin tags, fatigue, and infertility. Here’s more on the signs of hormone imbalance with PCOS. 

Take a lab test kit. 

You can also visit your doctor and request a blood or saliva test to check your hormone levels. If you’d rather do it privately, take this test from Equi Life. This is a concrete way to verify if you have a hormonal imbalance. These tests will determine if your hormones are within normal range and can help lead to a clear diagnosis. 

Have an ultrasound.

There is a common misconception that women can only have PCOS if they also have ovarian cysts (or follicles on their ovaries). This is not the case! There are many cases where women with PCOS never experience having a cyst. However, if you feel pain in your ovaries or reproductive area, an ultrasound can identify the presence of an ovarian cyst, which could lead to a PCOS diagnosis.  

Help balance your hormones naturally with herbal teas!

It’s time to take balancing hormones into your own hands! Incorporating natural remedies like herbal teas (or blends of them all like OvaFit’s Testosterone Relieft Tea) and high-quality supplements can significantly improve your PCOS symptoms and help balance your hormones. For more ways to naturally heal and live symptom free with PCOS, listen to the A Cyster and Her Mister podcast and download The Cysterhood app!