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In recent years, the topic of hormonal balance has gained increased attention, making its rounds on podcasts, YouTube videos, and social media posts. But how do you use herbs for hormonal balance?
A disruption in the delicate balance of your hormones due to sickness, stress, or environmental factors can leave you feeling out of sorts and may lead to additional health issues. Herbs have been used since ancient times as a natural and effective method for hormonal balance and to bring the body’s systems back into harmony.
Keep reading as we explore the seven best herbs for hormonal balance that you can add to your health regimen today.
How Can I Naturally Balance My Hormones?
Humans have over 50 different hormones, and each one plays a vital role in regulating biological processes and helping your body function properly and efficiently. For instance, eight hormones regulate metabolism: insulin, leptin, cortisol, ghrelin, triiodothyronine (T3), progesterone, testosterone, and estrogen. Sometimes, there is too much or too little of one or more of these hormones, throwing off the delicate balance.
The first step to naturally balancing your hormones is implementing a few lifestyle changes like eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, exercising, and managing stress. Adding certain herbs, like adaptogenic herbs, to your daily routine can help you sleep better, improve your moods, and support reproductive health.
How to Balance Hormones With Herbs
Herbs are rich sources of nutrients and work by supporting and nourishing the glands responsible for hormone production. The natural compounds and phytonutrients from herbs either stimulate or inhibit the production of different hormones.
The key to using herbs for hormonal balance is to find the right combination of herbs that work best for your unique needs. But it’s important to choose high-quality organic herbs that are sustainably grown.
7 Top Herbs for Hormonal Balance
Natural herbs have long been the go-to source for Ayurvedic practitioners to promote health, energy, and vitality while sustaining hormonal balance. The best way to incorporate the use of herbs into your daily routine is by adding them to teas or infusions or taking them in supplement form.
1. Shatavari
Also known as Asparagus racemosus, Shatavari is a member of the asparagus family and is a powerful adaptogenic herb. Shatavari is a rejuvenating herb that has been used in Ayurveda for centuries. In modern times, it has been shown to be a potent herb for female hormonal balance.
Shatavari contains phytoestrogens — a dietary estrogen compound that occurs naturally in plants. Phytoestrogens imitate estrogen in the body and can benefit women hoping to retain hormonal balance as they age.
A daily supplement like Shatavari Hormonal Balance has the potential to minimize menstrual symptoms like cramping and mood swings. It also supports healthy reproductive health and fertility.
Shatavari increases prolactin production, a hormone crucial for breastfeeding in women of childbearing age. As women enter perimenopause and menopause, Shatavari becomes an essential herb for minimizing hot flashes and vaginal dryness. Simply put, this impressive herb supports female hormonal health through all ages and stages.
2. Lodhra
Lodhra is an evergreen flowering plant with dark purple fruit that typically grows in humid, tropical regions. It is among the best herbs for female hormonal balance and helps alleviate symptoms related to gynecological issues. It is one of the best herbal remedies for alleviating ovarian issues caused by excess testosterone because it acts against the adverse effects of androgens on the female reproductive system.
Various studies have shown that Lodhra plays an important role in balancing female hormone levels by helping to maintain the delicate harmony between estrogen and progesterone. It aids in reproductive health and fertility and supports ovulation. Like Shatavari, the phytoestrogens found in Lodhra help reduce stress and anxiety while decreasing mood swings.
Lodhra can be taken in powder or capsule form by itself or in combination with other herbs. It’s an important ingredient contained in our essential female supplements.
3. Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is a robust adaptogenic herb that assists the body in coping with stress. Traditional Ayurvedic healers used Ashwagandha, often called Indian ginseng, for various ailments. It is known as a Rasayana or rejuvenator and is commonly used in the modern day to reduce the effects of stressful living. One study reported reduced serum cortisol levels in its participants after supplementing with Ashwagandha twice daily for 60 days.
Ashwagandha’s rejuvenating benefits go beyond improving resilience to stress. It also helps support female hormones and is an incredible herb for male hormonal support. Various neural pathways like the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis release many different hormones — including cortisol. Ashwagandha helps strengthen the adrenal glands, allowing them to function properly while correcting hormonal imbalances like heightened cortisol.
For most women, stress affects their mood and libido. Ashwagandha helps to restore a calming mental state allowing cortisol levels to come down, moods to improve, and libido and sexual passion to return. And what better way to enhance an ardent disposition than with a calming cup of Tulsi Ashwagandha tea?
4. Amla
Amla is another plant that tops the list of herbs for female hormonal balance. This small yellow-green berry, or Indian Gooseberry, is a superfruit rich in vitamin C. In fact, a 100g serving of Amla berries provides 300 mg of vitamin C. That’s more than twice the daily recommended value for adults.
Amla’s superfruit status comes from more than its vitamin C levels. It also contains notable amounts of polyphenols, phytochemicals, and antioxidants that help the body fight against free radicals and preserve tissue health. Amla is a favorite in Ayurveda to rejuvenate the body and mind and support the immune system through its bioactive compounds.
In women, Amla helps flush toxins from the body during the menstrual cycle. Like many other berries, Amla berries have the unique ability to expel surplus estrogen, thereby supporting hormonal balance and improving fertility.
Amla berries have an intense tart and tangy flavor profile, so many people prefer adding powdered Amla to smoothies or taking it in capsule form.
5. Tulsi
Tulsi (Holy Basil) known as the Queen of Herbs in Ayurveda, is a powerful and sacred herb that has long been used for its spiritual, physical and energetic benefits. A potent adaptogen, one of Tulsi’s greatest claim-to-fames is its ability to deeply relieve stress from the body and mind and relax the central nervous system. It also balances energy levels for resilience, adaptability and clarity throughout the day.
Since hormones are strongly impacted by stress, relieving stress has a deeply balancing effect on hormone levels. The herb also has unique phytochemical properties that can help regulate estrogen levels and help alleviate symptoms associated with hormonal imbalance, such as fatigue, reproductive disruption and menopause symptoms.
Tulsi can be taken as a tea or supplement. In the basil family, the herb has a soft yet distinct herbaceous flavor with notes of citrus, clove and mint.
6. Maca
Maca is an edible root vegetable native to the high Andes mountains of South America. It resembles a parsnip and varies in size, similar to radishes and turnips. The maca root is sweet and slightly bitter and comes in various colors like cream, yellow, purple, or black, but cream-colored roots are the most widely grown.
Stories of Maca’s proficiency in supporting fertility, endurance, and vitality date back to the 1500s during the Spanish Conquest in Peru. Those stories remain true today as one study found maca root may improve sexual function in healthy menopausal women.
Maca contains 60 different phytonutrients which support a healthy endocrine system, making it another potent herb for female hormonal balance. Maca’s adaptogenic properties have also been found to increase energy and mental clarity, support healthy thyroid function, and promote hormonal balance. Maca can be taken in powder, capsule, or tincture form.
7. Dong Quai
Dong Quai is a root vegetable popular in Chinese medicine. This powerful adaptogen has been used as a tonic for over two thousand years to treat female hormonal balance and reproductive health. Also called “female ginseng,” it’s a member of the celery family and grows in the mountains of China, Korea, and Japan.
Dong Quai may help increase the production of estrogen, which, along with luteinizing hormone (LH), regulates ovulation. By moderating estrogen production, Dong Quai may help ease menstrual symptoms like headaches, mood swings, and cramps. Some women use Dong Quai tablets or powders to treat menstrual cramps and menopausal symptoms like hot flashes. You should always consult your pharmacist or healthcare provider before incorporating Dong Quai into your daily regimen.
8. Red Clover
Red Clover belongs to the family of plants called legumes. Their flowering tops have been used as an herbal remedy for centuries. Like peas and beans, Red Clover is a rich source of a compound called isoflavones which is a phytoestrogen. Phytoestrogens mimic the activity of estrogen and may alleviate discomfort from menopausal symptoms. In one study, some women reported experiencing fewer hot flashes per day than those taking the placebo.
In Ayurveda, Red Clover is a therapeutic treatment for women’s health issues related to menstrual and menopausal symptoms. But it’s not only used for women’s hormonal health. Red Clover is also a typical treatment for respiratory issues and skin disorders, and it may help to decrease the risk of osteoporosis by increasing bone mineral density.
Hormonal Balance is Within Reach
Incorporating these herbs into your daily health routine can be an easy and effective way to balance your hormones naturally. But before you add any new herbal supplements to your regimen, be sure to consult your healthcare professional.
At ORGANIC INDIA USA, we offer a wide range of organic herbal supplements to support hormonal balance, harmony, and overall health. Visit our shop to explore our natural tea infusions and supplements specially formulated to provide you with the best herbs for hormonal balance.