Tea Extracts & Supplements

(Green Tea, Licorice, Peppermint etc.)

Certain teas are discussed as “natural DHT blockers” because some of their plant compounds show anti-androgen activity in small human studies or lab models. Spearmint tea has human trial data showing reductions in free/total testosterone in women (often cited in PCOS/hirsutism contexts) (1). Peppermint and spearmint teas also lowered testosterone in an animal study (with spearmint appearing stronger) (2). Green tea contains catechins such as EGCG, which can inhibit 5α-reductase in cell-free experiments (a DHT pathway enzyme), though translation to real-world human DHT changes is uncertain (3). Black tea theaflavins have been reported to suppress androgen-related signaling (including androgen receptor and 5α-reductase activity) in prostate cell research (4). Licorice root tea is one of the more clearly “anti-androgenic” herbal teas in humans—clinical studies show licorice can reduce serum testosterone, with proposed mechanisms involving steroidogenic enzymes (5).

Important caveat: most of this evidence is small-scale, female/PCOS-focused, or lab/animal-based, and “DHT blocking” from tea is typically mild and inconsistent compared with medications (6). For white tea, rooibos, and similar teas, the androgen/DHT evidence is more limited or indirect (e.g., in vitro screening differences among tea types, or cell studies suggesting possible testosterone effects), so claims should be framed cautiously (7) If you’re building this for an androgen-sensitive audience (PFS/PSSD/PAS), the safest wording is: “Some teas have reported anti-androgen activity in studies; effects vary; and sensitive individuals may want to avoid or test cautiously—especially licorice and spearmint.” (1).

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19585478/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0090429504004182

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7575552/

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/bk-2008-0987.ch010

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199910073411515

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11931850/

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8806275/

Crash Anecdotes:

My Personal Risk Ranking:

Moderate Risk of Permanent Worsening (for PFS/PSSD/PAS):
If you have PFS/PSSD/PAS, anti-androgenic tea and tea extracts are generally viewed as a moderate to low-risk option for potential longer-lasting worsening. They are more commonly reported to cause flare that go away upon cessation.