If you are visiting Natural Womanhood, quite possibly you are considering pursuing—if not already committed to— a more natural lifestyle. If you are invested in a natural lifestyle, more than likely you are familiar with the increasing interest in using herbs for their medicinal qualities and other health benefits, which is often termed “herbology.” In fact, herbology has become something of a buzzword of late; a quick search for “herbs for hormone balance” yields titles like “5 Impressive Herbs That Help Balance Your Hormones,” “The Best 13 Adaptogenic Herbs For Hormone Balance,” “6 Steps for How to Balance Your Hormones Naturally,” and a plethora of other catchy headlines. TikTok and Pinterest are full of herbal tea recipes, testimonials to the power of various roots, and attractive lists of herbal remedies.
The question is, do these herbs and herbal concoctions truly work to balance hormones? Or, are they merely the next round in our never-ending cycle of health fads? For women seeking natural ways to balance their hormones, whether it’s to improve reproductive health, get pregnant, or manage perimenopause symptoms, the answers to these questions are of deep interest.
Mainstream medicine doesn’t regularly recommend herbs for hormone balance
Unfortunately, standard medical practice has little to offer in answer to this question. Some medical and health resources only list medications as recommended treatments for hormonal imbalances (this one, confusingly enough, also lists birth control pills as both a cause and a treatment of hormone imbalance). Other sources, while noting that many women are seeking herbal remedies for hormonal imbalances because of concerns like the link between hormonal birth control use and breast cancer, still list birth control pills as “effective remedies” for PMS [1].
Scientific research into the effectiveness and side effects of herbal remedies in general is lacking, but it is gaining ground. As with any other lifestyle changes, it is important to do your own research and consult with your doctor, midwife, or OB-GYN, especially if you are pregnant or nursing. Below, we will go through the various herbs that have the most research backing their effectiveness in treating hormone imbalance, and what specifically they can do to support your body.
Vitex agnus-castus
Vitex is often called “chasteberry” or “chaste berry.” Clinical trials involving women who were still experiencing fertile cycles showed improvement in both PMS and PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) symptoms, even with the herbal doses being prepared in various ways [2]. Encouragingly, the participants in the trial also tolerated the herb well, meaning that chasteberry may have very few, if any, side effects.
Another study, reviewing the method and conclusions of a wide range of other studies, found that chasteberry can alleviate not only PMS symptoms, but also pain from postmenopausal diseases and even infertility [3]. This is astonishing and a necessary area for further research.
Other findings support the evidence that chasteberry improves overall cycle and fertility health, particularly for women with PCOS. While questions yet remain and precision in the ongoing study of chaste berry may be lacking, it is still a sensible conclusion that chaste berry supports women’s health and should be seriously considered as a viable option for treatment of hormone imbalance.
Black Cohosh, Red Clover, and Ginseng
These herbs have been studied in relation to treatment of menopausal symptoms (hot flashes, night sweats, and consequent lack of sleep). In isolation, these herbs have had some effect in some cases but little effect in others; black cohosh and red clover have inconsistent results, and ginseng appears not to do much for hot flashes [4][5].
However, when taken together in a cocktail of herbs, so to speak, these plants pack a powerful punch [6]. Along with dong quai, chaste berry, and milk thistle, these herbs decreased hot flashes by 73% and night sweats by 69% in a group of healthy pre- and postmenopausal women aged 44-65 years. The authors of this study admit that they conducted their research for only 3 months, so not much is known about long-term effects, but the results from that limited time period are encouraging. Compared to the long list of side effects and risks of conventional hormone therapy, this combination of herbs could be a highly desirable (and safe!) alternative.
Fenugreek
You may have heard about fenugreek before in the context of lactation. While some side effects have been noted from women, such as gassiness in the nursing baby and maple-smelling milk, fenugreek is generally a gentle, natural, and effective way to boost milk supply. However, fenugreek can also play a role in balancing sex hormones and sexual function.
Healthy women who were still experiencing menstrual cycles were given oral doses of fenugreek over the course of 8 weeks; these women reported better sexual arousal and desire, and, even more promising, hormones levels of free testosterone and estradiol (E2) increased [7]. Both of these hormones are important to a woman’s overall health. Testosterone supports not only fertility and sex drive, but also red blood cell count and muscle health, while E2 is the primary and most potent form of estrogen, which helps balance your cyclical health by playing a major role in ovulation. Fenugreek, then, could be a helpful treatment for those wanting to increase the overall health of their fertility.
What about adaptogens?
Adaptogens are herbs taken to help the body “adapt” to stress by improving physical resilience or resistance to physical and/or emotional stressors. Adaptogens likely work in a variety of different ways to help the body respond to stress, not just through one common pathway or mechanism of action [8]. They are an increasingly popular treatment for various kinds of stress as well as fatigue and even viral infections [9]. An adaptogen can be an herb, root, or other plant substance, and popular ones you may have heard of include ashwagandha, ginseng, rhodiola, schisandra, and holy basil. Many of them are common medicinal herbs in Asian medicine, particularly in India and China. We know that stress can wreak havoc on a woman’s cycle, so it is natural to wonder if these herbs could benefit women’s hormones.
Little evidence exists of adaptogens’ ability to help balance hormones
There is some evidence for the anti-stress benefits of tulsi (holy basil), ginseng, and rhodiola rosea (golden root), to name a few, but other evidence, as for proof of ability to help balance hormones, is lacking. Ginseng, in particular, has inconsistent results for managing women’s hormone health [10]. Ashwagandha seems to have the most evidence for efficacy in managing stress and possibly even in balancing hormones [11]. However, ashwagandha is often not recommended during pregnancy, and might increase the likelihood of miscarriage. Overall, adaptogens may be beneficial, but their impact on fertility and hormonal health is still largely unknown.
The takeaway for whether herbs help balance hormones: it depends
In general, then, herbs do have some benefit in regulating women’s hormones, and use of such natural remedies can be considered as an alternative to traditional hormone therapy, in conjunction with other lifestyle changes like a balanced diet specifically supporting the needs of women’s bodies. Prudence should be exercised when seeking such alternative treatments, and known benefits and risks should be weighed against the unknowns. While much is lacking in our scientific knowledge regarding these remedies, fortunately the increasing popularity of utilizing plants and herbs for health optimization is likely to lead to more (much-needed!) research into their efficacy. Let’s keep searching for natural ways to gently, holistically, and powerfully support our cycles, hormones, and overall health.
References:
[1] Dietz BM, Hajirahimkhan A, Dunlap TL, Bolton JL. Botanicals and Their Bioactive Phytochemicals for Women’s Health. Pharmacol Rev. vol. 68, no. 4 (2016):1026-73. doi: 10.1124/pr.115.010843. PMID: 27677719; PMCID: PMC5050441. [2] Cerqueira, Raphael O et al. “Vitex agnus castus for premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder: a systematic review.” Archives of women’s mental health vol. 20, no. 6 (2017): 713-719. doi:10.1007/s00737-017-0791-0 [3] Rafieian-Kopaei, Mahmoud, and Mino Movahedi. “Systematic Review of Premenstrual, Postmenstrual and Infertility Disorders of Vitex Agnus Castus.” Electronic physician vol. 9,no. 1 (2017): 3685-9., doi:10.19082/3685 [4] Carroll, Dana G. “Nonhormonal therapies for hot flashes in menopause.” American family physician vol. 73, no. 3 (2006): 457-64. [5] Wong, Veronica Chi Ken et al. “Current alternative and complementary therapies used in menopause.” Gynecological endocrinology : the official journal of the International Society of Gynecological Endocrinology vol. 25, no. 3 (2009): 166-74. doi:10.1080/09513590802549866 [6] Rotem, Carmela, and Boris Kaplan. “Phyto-Female Complex for the relief of hot flushes, night sweats and quality of sleep: randomized, controlled, double-blind pilot study.” Gynecological endocrinology : the official journal of the International Society of Gynecological Endocrinology vol. 23, no. 2 (2007): 117-22. doi:10.1080/09513590701200900 [7] Rao, Amanda et al. “Influence of a Specialized Trigonella foenum-graecum Seed Extract (Libifem), on Testosterone, Estradiol and Sexual Function in Healthy Menstruating Women, a Randomised Placebo Controlled Study.” Phytotherapy research : PTR vol. 29, no. 8 (2015): 1123-30. doi:10.1002/ptr.5355 [8] Panossian, Alexander. “Understanding adaptogenic activity: specificity of the pharmacological action of adaptogens and other phytochemicals.” Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences vol. 1401,1 (2017): 49-64. doi:10.1111/nyas.13399 [9] Panossian A, Brendler T. “The Role of Adaptogens in Prophylaxis and Treatment of Viral Respiratory Infections.” Pharmaceuticals, vol 13, no. 9 (2020):236. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph13090236 [10] Lee, Hye Won et al. “Ginseng for managing menopausal woman’s health: A systematic review of double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials.” Medicine, vol 95, no. 38 (2016): e4914. | DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000004914 [11] Elgar K. “Ashwagandha: A Review of Clinical Use and Efficacy.” Nutr Med J., vol 1 no 1 (2021): 68-78.Additional Reading:
How to “green” your period (and why you might want to)
Having “green sex” might be the best thing you can do for the environment
Simple ways to protect your health and fertility from endocrine disruptors
I’ve been practicing herbal medicine for over 20 years as a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist, and have never considered using Ginseng for “hormone balance.” Maybe for energy, but not “hormones” specifically.
Why no mention of Wild Yam? It’s the best for hot flashes, night sweats, irritability and restlessness of menopause and perimenopause.
Also, I’m curious why you’re saying Ashwaganda is contraindicated for pregnancy. I don’t see any professional studies that conclude it’s dangerous. In fact, it’s one of the few herbs that’s pretty safe for pregnancy.
As far as the “unknowns outweigh(ing) the positive outcomes,” I don’t get it. If people feel better taking a plant, why question it? People have been (safely) using herbal medicines for thousands of years because they work. But – I do think people should consult a LICENSED PRACTITIONER rather than self-prescribing herbs. Just because it’s natural doesn’t mean it’s easy to figure out or you know how to objectively treat yourself.