Herbs to Lower Female Testosterone Levels

Saw Palmetto

Saw Palmetto, also known as American dwarf palm and cabbage palm, grows naturally in the western United States, Mexico and South America. The Seminoles used it as an antiseptic and expectorant and the Mayans used it as a tonic. Women use it today to treat hirsutism.

How Saw Palmetto Works

A male hormone called DHT (dihydrotestosterone) is responsible for stimulating hirsutism. Testosterone converts into DHT in both women and men. While it does not directly reduce testosterone levels, saw palmetto reduces testosterone's ability to convert into DHT.

Chaste Tree

Chaste tree (Vitex agnuscastus) is a large shrub native to southern Europe and the Meditteranean. The Greeks, Romans and medieval monks used it to decrease sexual desire in men. Today, women use chaste tree extracts to treat a variety of menstrual and menopausal disorders.

How Chaste Tree Works

Chaste tree berry acts as an antiandrogen in both women and men. It also indirectly increases the production of progesterone in the ovaries, which aids in regulating the menstrual cycle.

Spearmint

Spearmint (Mentha Spicata) is a perennial herb native to much of Europe and Asia. It has been cultivated for centuries for use as a treatment for stomach and other disorders. Spearmint also reduces libido (sexual desire) in men.

How Spearmint Works

Researchers at Suleyman Demirel University in Turkey studied the effects of spearmint tea as a treatment for hirsutism in women. They concluded that spearmint reduces levels of free testosterone and is a viable treatment for hirsutism.