There is some evidence that certain foods can lowertestosteronelevels in women withpolycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
Testosterone levels aretypically highin people with PCOS, causing problems fromincreased body weightand acne toabnormal facial and body hair.
This may help better manage a disorder that affects as many as five million females in the United States.
Joe Biafore / E+ / Getty Images
Research studies sometimes don’t use the terminology in this way.
Vegetable Oils
Vegetable oils like canola, soybean, and corn oil are rich inpolyunsaturated fat.
Research has shown that these healthy dietary fats have the ability to lower testosterone.
It may be presumed to have the same effect in females, but more research is needed.
Flax seeds are rich in a punch in fatty acid known asalpha-linolenic acid (ALA).
Fish and oysters are by far the richest sources of omega-3.
Spearmint Tea
Some studies have suggested that certain teas or tea extracts may help improve PCOS symptoms.
This is especially true ofspearminttea, which is known to have anti-androgenic effects.
Research in humans is currently limited.
Red Reishi Mushrooms
Some mushrooms have anti-androgenic effects.
The most potent is the redreishi mushroom, known aslingzhiin traditional Chinese medicine.
Department of Health and Human Services Office on Womens Health.Polycystic ovary syndrome.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Polycystic ovary disease (PCOS) and diabetes.
2020;19(1):8. doi:10.1186/s12937-020-0524-5
National Institutes of Health.Omega-3 fatty acids.
2013;11(8):665-72.
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.Dietary guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. a randomized controlled trial: SPEARMINT AND HIRSUTISM.Phytother Res.
2022;16(2):QC09-QC14.
