Testosterone and Mint Tea

[Sheree]

T2, my understanding is that DIM should be avoided for women with elevated testosterone levels since DIM, according to Dr. Lonnie Lowery will enhance any pre-existing androgen/estrogen dominance.

My first choice would have been saw palmetto followed by stinging nettle root extract. My reasoning is that both of these herbs at the right dosages would actually raise (instead of lower) the SHBG which would in turn latch onto the free testosterone in that female’s body and reduce its harmful effects.

So again, why I would not recommend DIM for a woman with elevated testosterone levels? As you know T2, there are two kinds of estrogens that Dim deals with in adjusting. One form is good, it’s known as the 2-hydroxy estrogens which are renowned for protecting the heart, brain and showing antioxidant effects. The ugly form on the other hand is known as 16-hydroxy estrogens, which can cause cancer.

Since DIM promotes a more active metabolism of estrogen, unmetabolised estrogen levels fall and the 2-hydroxy estrogens increase. The 2-hydroxy estrogens possess the unique ability to displace testosterone from SHBG and set if free, which is great for you and me T2. Therefore, the combined effect of DIM to reduce unmetabolised estrogen and increase 2-hydroxy estrogens can reduce elevations in SHBG and allow for more free testosterone, which is terrible for a woman with an already elevated testosterone levels. So it’s a case of one man’s medicine is another man’s poison (or woman as in this case).

Now I’ve got (possibly) another weapon to use in my fight against elevated testosterone levels (in women) and that is mint tea. Nearly forgot; insulin, protein and diet in general can also play a big role in the way our hormones are balanced throughout our body.


Fadi.

Hmmm now I am not sure if I am doing the right thing. I had some saliva tests done which showed high test, normal but high DHEA, my good estrogen was very low and my bad estrogen was high, prog lowish normal so all my ratios are way under where they should be. My doc has put me on prog cream and DIM to correct it.

[Fadi]

Hmmm now I am not sure if I am doing the right thing. I had some saliva tests done which showed high test, normal but high DHEA, my good estrogen was very low and my bad estrogen was high, prog lowish normal so all my ratios are way under where they should be. My doc has put me on prog cream and DIM to correct it.

Hi Sheree,

If you take a look at the two links I had put up, you'd find that one of them actually backs the DIM supplementation. My suggestion to you Sheree is take the DIM for a month before having another saliva test. Then have a week off DIM and try peppermint tea for a month before having another saliva test to see if either is doing you any good. You could possibly try a combination of both after seeing what each does individually.So if all goes well, you'd have DIM fixing the estrogen issue and the mint tea taking care of the high testosterone one. Discuss with you doctor, I'm sure what I'm suggesting here is reasonable.


Fadi.

[Sheree]

I just came across this whilst looking for something total unrelated: D-chiro inositol

I did a bit of googling and there seems to be a lot of anecdotal evidence amongst PCOS sufferers.

Ovulatory and Metabolic Effects of d-Chiro-Inositol in the Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

[Fadi]

I just came across this whilst looking for something total unrelated: D-chiro inositol

I did a bit of googling and there seems to be a lot of anecdotal evidence amongst PCOS sufferers.

Ovulatory and Metabolic Effects of d-Chiro-Inositol in the Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Sheree, the second link I presented in the original post talks about PCOS: Mint Tea Warning


Fadi.

[GreenGem]

Hmmm I found this interesting - but to be honest I am completely confused. Note I am new to most of this stuff.

So this means that drinking spearmint or mint teas daily or twice daily will lower testosterone levels. But isnt it a good thing, to have higher testosterone? I mean, arent we all hear to learn secrets on gaining more muscle, which is easiest when you have higher testosterone levels? Wouldnt it counteract your weight lifting if you were to lower your testosterone levels?

Gem

[Fadi]

Hmmm I found this interesting - but to be honest I am completely confused. Note I am new to most of this stuff.

So this means that drinking spearmint or mint teas daily or twice daily will lower testosterone levels. But isnt it a good thing, to have higher testosterone? I mean, arent we all hear to learn secrets on gaining more muscle, which is easiest when you have higher testosterone levels? Wouldnt it counteract your weight lifting if you were to lower your testosterone levels?

Gem

Gem, your points are all valid but...

The point I was making was in regard to females who have an excess level of testosterone and how mint tea has been shown to lower it and hence lower all the negative effects it was causing. In that context, high testosterone levels would be bad; otherwise there should be no problem or confusion really.


Fadi.

[billhud]

Typical treatments for hirsutism target excess levels of male hormones, and include oral contraceptives to prevent the production of these hormones or drug treatment to block the body's response to them, Tamer and his team point out in the journal Physiotherapy Research.

[Mofra]

Glad I stumbled onto this - I have been drinking Peppermint tea almost daily (workdays) for months