Mint Tea Warning
July 14, 2009 Written by JP
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It seems as if so much of the information out there about natural medicine either glorifies or vilifies this long held tradition. The truth about holistic health care is difficult to come by because it’s often influenced by the prejudices of those interpreting the data. This same observation applies to me. I have a tendency to accentuate the positive aspects of natural healing techniques. I do this because there is science that supports my view, but also because most media outlets and the modern medical establishment tend to dismiss the validity of many alternative and traditional health practices. Having said that, I do try to present a balanced account of things. In doing so, I will occasionally bring to light certain precautions that I believe are warranted, even when using 100% natural remedies.
Mint tea is among the most popular herbal teas consumed throughout the world. It’s most common application is to help soothe digestive upset. Herbalists believe this benefit may result from the naturally occurring menthol which appears to relax the smooth muscles in the intestines. Modern science has also validated the usefulness of the essential oil of peppermint for the management of indigestion and irritable bowel syndrome. (1) But the efficacy and safety of peppermint and spearmint tea has not been extensively studied yet in a scientific manner. Today I’m going to share what we do know about the healthful effects of mint and issues that may be cause for alarm.
An interesting area of mint research has emerged in the past several years. Of late, scientists have been exploring how mint tea impacts androgens (sex hormones) in both males and females. The most recent example of this is a just published study that examined the role that spearmint tea can play in a condition called polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is an endocrinological disorder that affects women during their child bearing years. Common symptoms include abnormal menstruation, acne, depression, hirsutism (masculine patterns of hair growth) and other masculinizing symptoms (such as vocal changes), infertility and obesity. This condition is also generally marked by blood sugar abnormalities and insulin resistance.
In the trial, 42 women with PCOS related hirsutism were assigned to drink spearmint tea or a placebo herbal tea twice daily for 30 days. Blood tests measuring hormone levels were taken at the beginning, the mid way point and at the end of the experiment. The results indicate that the women receiving the spearmint demonstrated significant reductions in free and total testosterone levels and increases in luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone concentrations. These alterations are consistent with an improvement in PCOS. (2) A reduction in hair distribution wasn’t detected, but the researchers believe that the relatively short duration of the study was the reason why. Another shorter study from 2007 found almost identical results. (3)
It certainly appears that spearmint has a strong association with the hormones involved in PCOS. But it’s also possible that some of the improvements are the result of specific antioxidant activity that may help reduce blood sugar levels in diabetics and perhaps in others with insulin irregularities. (4,5)
The previous findings are generally thought to be positive. But a few other studies raise the possibility of unexpected complications that may arise from chronic mint tea consumption. One example can be found in a 2006 study presented in the journal Toxicology and Industrial Health. That research uncovered a possible adverse effect in the uterus of rats that were provided with peppermint tea for 30 consecutive days. (6)
It’s interesting to note that a study in male rats found the exact same hormonal shifts that were exhibited in the women with PCOS, namely, a reduction in testosterone. Potentially negative effects on the testicles of the rats were also detected. This testicular disturbance could possibly be important with regard to fertility. (7)
Other experiments have raised red flags with regard to large dosages of mint tea and possible harm to the kidneys and liver (in a rat model). (8,9) Concerns have also been raised about peppermint teas ability to interact with the liver in such a way that it may negatively affect the metabolism of medications. (10) These concerns need to be taken seriously, especially since peppermint tea is one of the most widely consumed herbal beverages among pregnant women. (11,12)
Finally, a rather potent mineral “blocking” effect has been reported in studies conducted on mint tea. Most, but not all, of the trials have found that peppermint and spearmint teas inhibit the absorption of dietary minerals such as iron. (13,14,15) This could actually be either a good thing or an unwanted consequence. For those who need extra iron, it’s obviously a harmful interaction. But most men and post menopausal women do not need additional iron and in fact, reducing iron levels may be advantageous. (16,17,18)
On the other side of the coin, a preliminary study from 2004 associated spearmint with substantial anti-cancer properties. (19) In addition, two recent medical reviews generally gave a cautious “thumbs up” to the safety of mint based preparations. (20,21)
My point in writing this column is not to scare you away from drinking mint tea. I personally will continue to do so when the mood strikes me. But if you consume it on a regular basis, you may want to weigh both the pros and cons. If you believe that something is completely benign, you’re unlikely to even consider the possibility that it may be doing you some kind of harm. My view is that natural remedies are capable of tremendous amounts of good. But they should be used with all the facts in hand and in the most judicious manner possible.
Be well!
JP
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Tags: Liver, Tea, Testosterone
Posted in Women's Health
July 15th, 2009 at 4:42 am
Damn. I drink two cups of this stuff everyday and now find out it may be reducing my testorone and shrinking my nuts.
In the rat studies do you have figures of how much tea they were given and can you extrapolate that to how much humans would have to consume to get like amounts?
Cheers,
Chris
July 15th, 2009 at 7:22 am
Just done some digging, it seems out of all the teas peppermint has the strongest estrogenic increasing and testosterone decreasing activity.
“Among them, the extract of peppermint tea exhibited the highest estrogenic activity.”
http://www.springerlink.com/content/12l57414p3035173/
“After five days, the women’s levels of free testosterone (the biologically active form) declined, although their total testosterone level stayed the same. Women’s levels of luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, and estrogen rose, while their triglyceride levels dropped significantly…The researchers found a significant decrease in free (active) testosterone in the blood and an increase in several female hormones including follicle-stimulating hormone.”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6376599.stm
(Note: this doesn’t mean the above study would necessarily have the same effect in men)
“After treatment with spearmint teas, there was a significant decrease in free testosterone and increase in luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone and estradiol.”
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17310494?dopt=AbstractPlus
(Note: really NOT a good thing for men – unless you like low sex drive, a balding head and man boobs)
In short, as a red blooded male I’m now relegating peppermint (and spearmint) to the “very occasional use” category.
July 15th, 2009 at 8:56 am
Very interesting, now I know why mint cigarettes are usually for women. Fortunately I only drink green tea…not enough, I will avoid mint candies too. Thanks for the heads-up, JP!
July 15th, 2009 at 9:51 am
Chris,
That may be wise. If you would, please report back on any changes you may note due to this change in drinking habits.
I’d appreciate that very much.
Be well!
JP
July 15th, 2009 at 9:53 am
You’re welcome, Kevin!
Be well!
JP
July 15th, 2009 at 7:57 pm
Is this all peppermint? Or somehow just tea?
And about the masculinization – you might be right – just look at Peppermint Patty!
(sorry, I couldn’t resist!)
July 15th, 2009 at 9:36 pm
Anne,
It appears to just be peppermint (and spearmint) tea. I doubt that peppermint-flavored foods would have the same effect because they’d likely contain much lower quantities of the “active ingredients”.
Regular tea – black, green and white wouldn’t apply.
You’ve got a point about Patty.
Be well!
JP
July 22nd, 2009 at 8:00 pm
I would think if mint increases estrogen levels as the one commentor noted that would be a bad thing for PCOS as well would it not, since they usually display estrogen dominance.
July 22nd, 2009 at 8:25 pm
Brian,
I believe that only one study (out of the two studies that I cited re: women with PCOS) found an increase in estradiol (footnotes 2&3). Both of those trials also demonstrated a marked decrease in free and total testosterone levels and increases in luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone concentrations.
The experiment Chris referenced about “estrogenic activity” was an “in vitro” study done on yeast cells. It’s hard to say how exactly that would translate inside the human body.
Perhaps the changes re: testosterone, LH and FSH outweigh any rise in estradiol in women with PCOS. Hopefully further research will help to clarify that issue.
Be well!
JP
September 10th, 2009 at 1:21 am
I am shocked after reading your information. I drink quite a lot of mint tea. Especially when I get cough and cold. Everywhere there is a mention of benefits of mint tea. No one would even think of such a harm being done behind it.
September 10th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
You bring up a good point. Natural “medicines” aren’t necessary 100% safe, 100% of the time. It’s important to take them seriously and use them judiciously.
Be well!
JP
March 22nd, 2010 at 1:16 pm
Heavy tea drinking, at least, from traditional tea leaves from the tea plant will block iron absorption, in my experience.
I drink iced tea all the time– 24/7 really, I am never without it. First thing in the morning, last thing at night. Even been using a lot of instant lately due to a short-term crazy life schedule. It’s not the tastiest, but it’s tea.
Figured out recently that my iron was WAY down– cold ALL the time, tired a lot, cycles that wouldn’t quit, constant brain fog and major worsening of my a.d.d.symptoms. What to do, though? I LOVE tea!!! It’s not like I am going to quit drinking it to go back to diet soda!!
March 22nd, 2010 at 8:31 pm
Good day, Dott.
You are quite correct and you are not alone in having this problem. Tea consumption can indeed inhibit iron absorption.
You might consider drinking herbal “teas” instead or natural diet sodas that are sweetened with stevia.
If you simply can’t give up real tea, then you may need to supplement with iron and take it apart from tea. Your doctor may be able to advise you on the appropriate dosage and monitor your progress.
Please note that there are more healthy, sugar-free drinks available now than ever before. Surely there must be something out there that will be appealing to both your taste buds and your physiology!
Be well!
JP
April 7th, 2010 at 8:57 am
What about the mint in TUMS? I eat them like candy.
April 7th, 2010 at 11:31 am
Dim,
I doubt the mint flavoring in TUMS will have the same effect. The quantity of mint is probably too small.
I think a more pressing issue to look at is your regular use of an antacid in general. It would be great if you and your doctor could identify the cause of your heartburn and address it so that you didn’t have to use TUMS on a regular basis.
Here’s some related information that may be of interest:
http://www.healthyfellow.com/433/mastic-gum/
Be well!
JP
April 12th, 2010 at 7:09 am
Torturing animals with mint tea is disgusting and proves nothing except how people are heartless morons.
There are no side effects to mint which is for HUMANS.
April 12th, 2010 at 12:01 pm
Keith,
I take issue with the point of view that all laboratory work in animal models is torture.
There isn’t a natural remedy known to man that doesn’t have the potential to cause adverse reactions in certain individuals. Mint tea is no exception. Herbalists have known this historically and scientists are confirming in the modern age.
Be well!
JP
April 28th, 2010 at 9:27 am
I’d really love to find a study that compares the effect of peppermint tea to those (humans or other animals) with PCOS, and those without PCOS. As noted there were ‘possible’ adverse effects to the uterines of the rats, but I would wager that the rats tested didn’t have PCOS. Perhaps this is not a drink for those (rats or humans) with normal gender hormone levels. In the PCOS study did they look at the effect on the uterus?
I appreciate the information. The studies on the effect of iron I had not seen previously.
Thanks.
Mary
April 28th, 2010 at 11:54 am
Mary,
The studies you’ve expressed an interest in have yet to be conducted – to the best of my knowledge. I’ve been keeping an eye out for new data on this subject and haven’t come across anything in the medical literature. I’ll add any new research I come across as it becomes available.
Be well!
JP
May 8th, 2010 at 6:36 pm
I hear it’s good for women to drink spearmint tea to reduce unwanted hair (face, chest) but it helps maintain healthy hair on head. But I’m reading conflicting stories about how often to drink it…everyday vs drinking only during your menstrual period.
May 8th, 2010 at 11:35 pm
Anne,
Here’s what the actual text of the two human studies say:
“Forty two volunteers were randomized to take spearmint tea twice a day for a 1 month period”
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/122473174/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0
“Twenty-one female hirsute patients, 12 with polycystic ovary syndrome and 9 with idiopathic hirsutism were included to the study. They took a cup of herbal tea which was steeped with M. spicata for 5 days twice a day in the follicular phase of their menstrual cycles”
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/114124091/abstract
Perhaps this is why you’ve been finding conflicting information about the best dosing schedule.
Be well!
JP
May 17th, 2010 at 10:27 pm
Having been a borderline POCS patient I’m a little divided and would be interested to know more about this study as there are so many variables that aren’t explained. Example, I drink about 3 cups of Moroccan Mint (mixture of mint & green tea) every day and was borderline anemic. Yet today my iron levels have normalized and slowly my POCS symptoms are receding, as well as having my thyroid normalize. Granted it was just more than tea that helped this but I have to believe it was instrumental.
May 18th, 2010 at 1:32 am
Wow! Thanks for summarizing some of the information out there. I am a scientist by training, and in no way think that my personal experience as of late is science, but I do find it all quite interesting. I am growing spearmint in my garden (a little to well I might add). The other day I cut a whole lot of it back and decided to boil it in water to make mint tea. I used a lot of whole stem and leaf plant and made about a gallon of tea. I cooled it (since it is already hot here) and then we had some to drink later that day – about 2 glasses each – it tasted good, very refreshing. The next morning, during my workout, I felt like I couldn’t get enough oxygen, I ended up needing to put my head down (this has never happened to me before and I have been teaching fitness in the morning for over 10 years). That same morning my husband called me from work and was very strange, said he was having some kind of anxiety attack or something, maybe allergies he thought. He described it as if he felt he was suffocating, he also felt very claustrophobic. We analyzed everything we ate and talked about it, then figured it was a weird coincidence. Several days later we got the tea out and had some more and my husband had these weird symptoms again the next morning. When he described his symptoms all I could think of was Climacteric (lessening of male hormones with age) because that is said to cause claustrophobia and feelings of suffocation and that was exactly what my husband described it as – although with very sudden onset and I’m thinking too young at 45. So I Googled spearmint and testosterone and found your page. I’m going to look at some of the original articles now. I have no idea the concentration of mint in the tea I made, and I did not have any particularly noticeable effects the second time I drank the tea. But this is very strange for him and parallels his mint consumption. I’m also not trying to make people paranoid or scare them off of mint tea, but teabenefits.com does say “spearmint was revered by the Romans for its ability to “stir up the mind.”" and I think that it probably is wise to drink this in moderation (mixed with another tea or not made as strong as I made it). Moderation is always key with anything. I did quickly look to see if spearmint contained caffeine before I brewed it, but I never about looking at it’s effects on testosterone!!!
May 18th, 2010 at 1:10 pm
Laurie,
Unfortunately, only the abstracts of most of these experiments/trials are currently available for free. You might try contacting the primary author of the most recent study (Dr. Paul Grant) with more in depth questions about the study protocol.
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/122473174/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0 (e-mail contained at this URL)
It’s also possible that the green tea *may be* contributing to your noted improvement.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16378915
Be well!
JP
May 18th, 2010 at 1:13 pm
Thank you for sharing that fascinating anecdote, SnS! Really interesting!
Be well!
JP
May 31st, 2010 at 9:58 am
SnS, when I read your comment, it reminded me of the time I first started to drink mint tea which was a few months ago and I felt the similar symptoms to your husband. I’m female and in my early 20s by the way. At first the benefits were amazing, I had it when I would feel stressed and it would sent me straight to sleep and of course there’s the frequent urination which I expected since mint is a diuretic but then a few days later, I would feel suffocated and lightheaded sometimes. Now I’m curious to find out what effect mint would have on female fertility levels in the long run.
June 11th, 2010 at 4:57 pm
OK wait a minute. Are you saying that it only causes harm to men? Can you explain more about what exactly it does to women?
Thanks,
Ashley
June 12th, 2010 at 12:54 pm
Ashley,
The research conducted on women has focused on those with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). It’s unknown if a similar effect would occur in women without PCOS. Females with PCOS have a hormonal imbalance (re: insulin, testosterone, etc.) and spearmint tea appears to address it to some degree.
The cause for alarm in men is based solely on preliminary animal studies in which mice demonstrated a testosterone lowering reaction to chronic mint tea consumption. There were also signs of fertility problems and testicular damage. We don’t know if similar effects would transpire in men who frequently drink mint tea.
Be well!
JP
June 15th, 2010 at 10:15 pm
Very interesting article. So mint tea would be something for men who want to lessen their masculinity?
June 15th, 2010 at 10:38 pm
PC,
Possibly. But only *if* the same or similar effects seen in male rats are translatable to men. No human studies in male patients have examined this issue – to the best of my knowledge.
http://www.brazjurol.com.br/july_august_2004/survey/Urological_Survey_Sampaio_350_351.htm
Spearmint induced hypothalamic oxidative stress and testicular anti-androgenicity in male rats
Be well!
JP
June 17th, 2010 at 9:07 pm
Hi JP, thanks for your article. How about mint tea for women in menopause?
June 17th, 2010 at 10:53 pm
I’m unaware of any scientific basis or research supporting the use of peppermint or spearmint tea in menopausal women re: hot flashes, mood changes, skeletal health, etc.
Be well!
JP
June 20th, 2010 at 8:06 pm
JP
My 8 year old son has been picking mint leaves in our garden which my wife has been boiling in water. My son loves to drink it. Is there any harm or damage that this can cause that you are aware of?? Do other teas like Celestial Seasons cause these issues or are they safe?
thank you
mm
June 20th, 2010 at 8:17 pm
MM,
I’m not aware of any research that specifically addresses this concern – re: the effects of heavy mint exposure in developing children.
My hunch is that it would be wise to refrain from giving large amounts of mint tea to youngsters on a daily basis. Perhaps you could introduce him to other herbal teas that he might enjoy equally well. This would allow you to cycle his mint intake. Nowadays they have so many great tasting teas available. A little trial and error should reveal some acceptable options.
I would think that commercial mint teas likely carry similar benefits and risks as fresh preparations.
Be well!
JP
June 21st, 2010 at 3:54 pm
so if im trying to increase my estrogen levels would mint tea help me?
June 21st, 2010 at 10:27 pm
Sophia,
I haven’t seen any evidence that indicates that it would (increase estrogen levels).
Be well!
JP
July 24th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
Yes, this is very true…
this song comes to mind
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7AzfiTg_6g&feature=related
July 24th, 2010 at 7:30 pm
Thank you, Svetlana.
I like this song and especially this version of it.
Be well!
JP
August 3rd, 2010 at 9:39 am
I drink tea 24/7 as well (cold and hot) and give blood on a regular basis. I have given blood and drank tea since I was about 16 and have seen no issues with my iron – which is checked usually every 57 days – as that is how often I can go between blood donations… so I would not say that tea has an issue with iron… maybe certain kinds of tea…. but not all tea… I drink a huge variety of tea as most people give it to me as presents for birthdays and Christmas… or maybe I am just weird! HEHE
August 3rd, 2010 at 10:36 am
Thank you for sharing your experience, Crystal.
Donating blood is an excellent way to assess your iron status – and obviously a very good thing to do for other reasons as well.
The effect tea has on iron status is likely variable among individuals. There are so many factors involved in the absorption and utilization of iron that it’s too simplistic to focus solely on one potential risk-factor. We see similar reactions to various foods such as cruciferous vegetables (re: thyroid health) and soy (re: hormonal reactions). Some people can use these beverages and foods without any apparent ill-consequences. Others cannot.
If one has a family history of anemia or suspects that they have symptoms that suggest it, a simple blood test can reveal the details. Or, like you, one can simply donate blood. If you’re iron status is unacceptable, they’ll let you know.
Also, if you have too much iron in your system … drinking tea and drinking/eating/supplementing with other natural iron-binding substances may actually help to manage serum iron levels. Though this should be done in consultation with a health expert who is managing your care.
Be well!
JP
August 3rd, 2010 at 9:59 pm
Wow – thanks for the great info, JP! I’ve been growing my own herbs for the first time this summer with great success. The spearmint and sage seem to be doing the best, so I’ve been making large amounts of tea out of them. Been drinking quite a bit of both for about 6 weeks now. On a whim, I decided to google positive and negative aspects of ingesting these herbs and found that Sage contains large levels of thujone and should not be ingested in large quantities – yikes! And now I’ve learned from you that spearmint in large quantities may be shrinking my boys and lowering my libido – double yikes!! Who knew? What a shame, as I really enjoyed both as an ‘all day’ beverage. Oh well. Say, do you have any info on French Tarragon as a tea preparation? I really like having fresh herbal beverage to take the place of all the soda I was drinking.
Thanks again for the help!
Dave
August 4th, 2010 at 11:25 am
Thank you, Dave.
There isn’t a great deal of scientific information about French Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus sativa). At least not in human subjects.
A recent animal study and a soon to be published human study on a related form of Tarragon (the “Russian” variety – Artemisia dracunculus L.) may help clarify the relative safety of this culinary/medicinal herb.
http://www.hindawi.com/journals/mi/2010/268547.html
http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01057576?term=tarragon&rank=1
Be well!
JP
August 7th, 2010 at 9:12 am
I stopped drinking spearamint tea after not having my period for 3 months. It’s only been 3 days since I’ve stopped but will my period come back in the next few months now that I’ve stopped? Im 16.
August 7th, 2010 at 12:59 pm
Kaitlyn,
I can’t say for certain. But my best *guess* is that it will. Generally speaking, the body has an incredible ability of reverting to its normal state unless there’s been some sort of physical trauma involved.
If you have access to a doctor, you can inquire with her or him as well. I’d advise that – if for no other reason than to ease your mind. I suspect that they’ll tell you to wait it out and see what happens. However, they may wish to conduct some blood tests to get a better idea about what’s going on. I’m of the opinion that’s always good to have medical support even when dealing with natural health issues.
I hope this problem resolves itself soon. I’d really appreciate it if you’d let us know how things work out for you. That information could be helpful for others.
Be well!
JP
August 12th, 2010 at 1:30 pm
I know that drugs such as Lupron are used in the paliative treatment of advanced prostate cancer, they reduce testosterone to near castrate levels. Since the cancer is sensitive to testosterone, the lack thereof causes the cancer growth to slow or stop.
I’m wondering if anyone knows of any studies or info regarding how effective mint tea might be in this area?
Thanks for posting your findings.
Jo
August 12th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
Jo,
I’m unaware of any studies re: mint tea and testosterone in men. There are several published trials that used male rats. Also, there have been a number of trials involving female study volunteers.
Until controlled studies in men are carried out, I would say that the use of mint tea for this application would be inadvisable.
Be well!
JP
August 17th, 2010 at 7:13 am
Hi. Im a male 27 years old..
I started drinking peppermint tea 2 months ago. Recently i went for a blood test.. The result is all normal excecpt for my LFT (Liver Function Tests) where my ALT and Direct Bilirubin was fairly high.. I blame it on my dermatitis skin oral medications and injections at first.
But after viewing this site i was shocked.. I was also having long sleep sessions (12-14 hours daily), failure to concentrate, low motivation and reduced appetite..
My question is: is it possible that from drinking Peppermint tea 8 to 10 cups daily since 2 months ago is causing those side effects as I mentioned above? Thanks..
August 17th, 2010 at 12:27 pm
Michael,
That’s a lot of peppermint tea! Under the circumstances, I would stop drinking the tea and see if your blood work and health-related quality of life return to normal. It’s possible that your medications are also to blame – fully or partially. Another consideration is an interaction between the high tea intake and the medication.
There’s not much solid data about peppermint tea and liver function in the scientific literature. Most of the research is laboratory-based and quite preliminary. No controlled intervention studies in human volunteers. Still, here are a few publications that may be relevant:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7720737 (negative)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15027812 (negative)
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1440-1681.2003.03912.x/abstract (negative)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11697539 (negative re: interactions)
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1742-7843.2006.00030.x/abstract (positive)
I hope this helps and that your liver readings and vitality will normalize very soon.
Be well!
JP
August 23rd, 2010 at 2:09 pm
The only question I can think of to ask is, if it’s ”soo badd” then why is it the Muslim and Asian people been drinking this tea for centuries! Nothing’s wrong with them? I’m a cook, and I worked with a Moroccan man and he introduced me to green mint tea, he drinks its all day long and nothing ever seemed wrong with him.
Also, how I found this site, I was searching for the health benefits of it, and All pages I saw previously states the opposite of what your saying, now maybe they’re wrong, or right, but I don’t believe everything your saying about the tea is bad, just look at everyone who drank the stuff for hundreds of years…If it was that bad to drink it so much, then I think someone would have said something a Long time ago.
August 23rd, 2010 at 9:48 pm
Good day, Cheyenne.
My position is not that mint tea is bad. Nor am I saying that anyone who drinks it is necessarily in danger or doing something that is unwise. If it affects your body in a positive way, wonderful. I’m happy to know it. But at the same time, I cannot turn my back on scientific evidence that suggests a possible cause for alarm in some people and/or under certain circumstances.
Coffee and wine have also been consumed by many cultures for thousands of years. This doesn’t mean that they’re safe under every circumstance or when used at very high dosages. These too possess health benefits and risks. Science helps to elucidate both sides of the issue.
Be well!
JP
August 24th, 2010 at 1:22 am
Yeah I know…
And you have stated it, but you have brought on an ”alarming” thing which many people are getting paranoid, And Yes maybe it could be the cause of all their symptoms…but like I said, if it was part of Thousands of hundreds of peoples life style for hundreds/thousands of years, then well maybe it’s really not as bad as you state…OR it could be that our new bodies are just not used of it..who knows, but stating scientific evidence only from animals (rats & such; me considering this was done in the Continent of America) is not hard evidence. Maybe if there was some research done on these peoples who where & are exposed to large amounts of consumption done, then that would be more accurate. And also, as you can tell they have NO problems with reproduction what so ever (as their population is so large). So this experiment would be more accurate and actually tell us something rather than torturing these poor animals to find out if they work on us, in this part of the world.
August 24th, 2010 at 11:54 am
Cheyenne,
We obviously differ in our points of view. But I appreciate you taking the time to express your perspective.
Be well!
JP
August 26th, 2010 at 11:33 am
Mint reduces testosterone? I can believe it. I’ve been on a peppermint tea kick this last week, drinking 1-3 cups a day, and in the last couple of days I’ve noticed that my sex drive is down considerably (which may not be such a bad thing over the short term since it allows me to concentrate more on my work). It’s looking like mint is something that may best be consumed in moderation.
I wonder what it is about mint specifically that has this effect? Blueberries, apples, and sphaghetti sauce all contain phytoestrogens but I’ve never noticed a loss of sex drive from eating them on a frequent basis.
Which herbal teas are the safest to drink on a daily basis? I really enjoy sitting with a warm drink a couple of times a day but I stopped drinking coffee years ago and I avoid drinking regular tea or things like rooibos since they’re loaded with fluoride.
August 26th, 2010 at 12:32 pm
My experiences suggest that both of the above are true — mint increases mental clarity (which would make sense if it decreases sex drive) and mint suppresses the appetite.
August 26th, 2010 at 10:01 pm
Igor,
I don’t believe they’ve identified exactly which components in mint are responsible for its hormone altering effects. This is suggested by the fact that the clinical trials have used mint teas rather than standardized extracts.
This excerpt may be of interest:
“Peppermint tea is generally considered a safe drink for regular consumption. The authors demonstrate that both M. piperita and M. spicata tea intake decreased plasma testosterone and increased plasma LH and FSH levels in rats. Histologic studies revealed extensive degenerative changes in the germinal epithelium and spermatogenesis arrest when compared to controls.
Changes in the pituitary-testicular axis may be responsible for the testicular maturation arrest. The statistically significant decrease in both spermatogenesis and plasma total testosterone levels in the experimental groups was associated with an increase in the plasma FSH and LH levels. These observations prompted the authors to consider the pituitary-testicular axis.
The plasma total testosterone levels had decreased and plasma FSH and LH levels increased, as expected. Therefore, the mechanism of spermatogenic abnormalities was more likely a result of the direct effect on germinal epithelium, and the hormonal deficit appeared to be a result of Leydig cell dysfunction. The pituitary gland or hypothalamus may also be affected, and the maturation arrest could have been the result of hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis deficiency. However, this hypothesis should be elucidated by additional studies focused on the hypophysial or hypothalamic tissues.
Consumption of M. piperita and M. spicata teas affected spermatogenetic activity at the 20 g/L and 40 g/L dose, respectively, in rats. The authors remember us that despite M. piperita and M. spicata beneficial effects in digestion, people should be aware of their toxic adverse effects when not used in the recommended fashion or at the recommended dose.”
http://www.brazjurol.com.br/july_august_2004/survey/Urological_Survey_Sampaio_350_351.htm
With respect to herbal teas, you might consider organic chamomile and/or organic ginger tea. You can also contact manufacturers of green (or white) tea and rooibos to see if they test for fluoride content. The levels of fluoride are largely dependent on growing conditions and locale. Another option is to simply cycle your tea intake. Consuming an occasional cup of tea or a rooibos brew is unlikely to be problematic, IMO.
PS – Thank you for sharing your experiences with us. Much appreciated.
Be well!
JP