Your Herbal Guide for Hormone Balance: PCOS, Endometriosis & Menopause Support
- Cole Schoonover
- Jul 30
- 7 min read
Why Hormones Become Imbalanced in the First Place
If you’ve ever felt like your body is suddenly working against you — your cycle changes, your mood is all over the place, your skin breaks out, or you’re exhausted no matter how much you sleep — you’re definitely not alone. Hormones are incredibly sensitive to the way we live and there is a way to support natural hormone balance!
Chronic stress is one of the biggest culprits. When we’re constantly rushing, worrying, overworking, under-sleeping, or carrying emotional stress for long periods of time, our body starts prioritizing survival over balance. On top of that, we’re exposed to endocrine disruptors through plastics, cosmetics, cleaning products, and pesticides more than ever before. Blood sugar swings, nutrient deficiencies, inflammation, excessive exercise, alcohol, and poor sleep can all add fuel to the fire.
The good news is that the body is always trying to move back toward balance. Food, lifestyle, and herbs won’t magically “fix” every hormonal condition, but they can be incredibly supportive when used consistently and appropriately. The three patterns I see come up most often in women are PCOS/PMOS, endometriosis, and excessive menopause symptoms, and each one tends to have its own hormonal signature.
PMOS / PCOS —
When Testosterone and Insulin Are Running the Show
This is the pattern where many women feel like their body has become more stubborn than it used to be. The most common drivers are insulin resistance due to elevated insulin levels, inflammation, stress, and a tendency toward higher androgen (testosterone) production.
It can show up as irregular periods, acne, facial hair growth, scalp hair thinning, weight gain or difficulty losing weight, intense sugar cravings, fatigue, and fertility challenges. Mentally, it often comes with anxiety, irritability, low confidence, and that frustrating “brain fog” feeling.
One of the most helpful places to start is by stabilizing blood sugar through diet. Eating enough protein, including healthy fats, and reducing the constant snacking on refined carbs can make a surprisingly big difference. Gentle movement like walking after meals and strength training can also help the body become more responsive to insulin.
For herbal support, Spearmint is one of the first (and most delicious!) herbs I look to. Found in my
Inner Glow tea, designed to support PCOS symptoms, Spearmint is rich in essential oils and compounds that soothe the nervous system and importantly, reduce androgen levels. In a study done over 30 days, women consuming Spearmint tea daily were found to have significant reductions in total and free testosterone as well as self-reported improvements in facial/body hair growth. The study concluded that Spearmint was a supportive treatment in PCOS symptoms and if taken over an extended period of time they would expect to see those more stubborn symptoms alleviate. (1)
Endometriosis —
When Estrogen and Inflammation Feel Too Loud
Endometriosis is so much more than “bad period pain.” It’s a deeply inflammatory condition, and many women with endometriosis tend to have a pattern where estrogen activity is relatively high compared with progesterone, while inflammation keeps the whole process feeling amplified.
Common symptoms include painful periods, pelvic pain, bloating, heavy bleeding, pain with intercourse, digestive discomfort around the cycle, and fatigue that can feel completely disproportionate to what’s going on externally. Emotionally, chronic pain can be exhausting. Many women feel anxious, discouraged, or simply worn down from having to manage symptoms month after month.
Here I like to focus on supporting the body rather than fighting it. More fiber, cruciferous vegetables, omega-3 fats, berries, herbs, and plenty of hydration can help support estrogen metabolism and calm inflammation. Reducing alcohol and highly processed foods may also help some women notice fewer flares.
For this pattern, Vitex and Indian Sarsaparilla are the herbs I reach for most often. Vitex doesn’t work like a hormone replacement; instead, it gently supports the communication between the brain and the ovaries. The 'volume' of this communication is very important with Vitex. In order for Vitex to have a estrogen dampening and progesterone supporting effect it must be taken in low doses and ideally at the same time every day, with effects first noticed at 3 weeks of regular use (2). That is why I offer Vitex in a tea format to ensure daily but low dosing of this herb. To further support endometriosis and the excessive immune activation I love to include Indian Sarsaparilla, one of the main flavouring herbs of Root Beer! Indian Sarsaparilla is shown to effectively suppress the immune system and reduce systemic inflammation - the perfect herb for Endometriosis! (3)
Find these herbs in my Hormonal Balance tea for endometriosis support -
Menopause —
When Progesterone Drops and the Nervous System Feels It
One thing I wish more women were told is that progesterone often starts declining before estrogen fully drops. For many women, this is the stage where they suddenly feel less resilient to stress, more anxious, more reactive, and far less rested.
Hot flashes, night sweats, poor sleep, irritability, palpitations, mood swings, vaginal dryness, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating are all common. A lot of women describe it as feeling like they’ve become a different person overnight.
This is not a time for restriction and pushing harder. It’s a time for nourishment. Prioritizing protein, minerals, hydration, sleep, and strength training can help the body feel much more supported during the transition.
For herbal support, I love Shatavari. In Ayurveda, Shatavari is considered deeply nourishing for the female reproductive and nervous systems. I think of it as a herb for women who feel dry, depleted, overheated, and emotionally worn thin. When Shatavari was taken over a two month period women reported significant improvements in their quality of life, including mood, sleep, sexual desire, and occupation performance (4). I offer Shatavari alongside a gelatinized Maca extract in my Awaken Sensuality Chai Latte to help inspire vitality through all stages of life.
FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
How long will it take my hormones to come back into balance?
This is probably the question I get asked the most, and I always want to answer it honestly. Hormones usually don’t become imbalanced overnight. For many women, the stress, blood sugar issues, inflammation, nutrient depletion, and lifestyle patterns that contribute to hormonal symptoms have been building for months or even years.
Because of that, rebalancing hormones tends to take longer than many other health concerns. With consistent lifestyle habits, good nutrition, stress support, adequate sleep, and daily herbal tea use, I generally encourage women to think in terms of at least 3-6 months before expecting significant hormonal shifts. Some women notice improvements in energy, digestion, sleep, or PMS within a few weeks, but deeper changes in cycles, skin, cravings, mood, or menopausal symptoms often require more time and consistency.
What do these teas taste like?
I designed these blends to be supportive and genuinely enjoyable to drink every day.
Inner Glow has a light spearmint and citrus flavor that feels fresh, clean, and refreshing without being overly minty. Hormonal Balance is built on a base of cacao nibs, giving it a unique hot chocolate meets floral tea flavor that is comforting and slightly indulgent. Awaken Sensuality is made with chai tea concentrate, so it tastes much more like a restorative chai latte than a traditional herbal tea—warming, spiced, and deeply cozy.
Will these teas interact with other herbal remedies I’m currently taking?
In general, these teas are designed to work as gentle supportive blends rather than aggressive hormonal stimulants. As long as you are not taking herbal remedies that directly run counter to the goals of hormonal balancing, these teas are not expected to interact negatively with other common herbal supplements.
For example, combining them with herbs used for stress support, sleep, digestion, or general wellness is typically well tolerated. If you are taking a large number of concentrated herbal extracts, working with a practitioner, or using prescription medications, it’s always a good idea to review your full supplement routine with a qualified healthcare professional. For most women using these teas as part of a daily wellness routine, they can be incorporated alongside other supportive herbal practices without issue.
A Quick Reality Check About Herbs and Hormonal Medications
I always want to be honest about what herbs can and cannot do. If you’re taking hormonal birth control or hormone replacement therapy (HRT), herbs aimed at shifting estrogen, progesterone, or testosterone levels will usually have limited or sometimes no noticeable effect on those hormone levels. The main exception is the copper IUD, which does not contain hormones.
In those situations, I usually focus less on trying to change the hormones directly and more on supporting the body upstream through the HPA axis — the stress-response system that influences how resilient we feel, how well we sleep, and how smoothly the endocrine system functions overall.
That’s where adaptogens become much more relevant. If you’re using hormonal medications but still want to support your body naturally, I’d encourage you to read my previous blog on adaptogens, where I go deeper into how stress support can complement necessary hormone therapy rather than compete with it.
At the end of the day, hormones are rarely just a “hormone problem.” They’re often a reflection of how nourished, rested, safe, and supported the body feels. And sometimes the most powerful changes begin with small daily rituals — a better breakfast, an earlier bedtime, a slower breath, and a cup of tea that tells your body it doesn’t have to fight so hard anymore.
This article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or replace personalized medical care.
References
Grant, P. (2010), Spearmint herbal tea has significant anti-androgen effects in polycystic ovarian syndrome. a randomized controlled trial. Phytotherapy Research, 24: 186-188. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.2900
Thorne Research (2009), Vitex angus-castus. Alternative Medicine Review, 14:1. https://altmedrev.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/v14-1-67.pdf
Atal CK, Sharma ML, Kaul A, Khajuria A. Immunomodulating agents of plant origin. I: Preliminary screening. J Ethnopharmacol. 1986 Nov;18(2):133-41. doi: 10.1016/0378-8741(86)90025-5. PMID: 3560991.
Gudise VS, Dasari MP, Kuricheti SSK. Efficacy and Safety of Shatavari Root Extract for the Management of Menopausal Symptoms: A Double-Blind, Multicenter, Randomized Controlled Trial. Cureus. 2024 Apr 8;16(4):e57879. doi: 10.7759/cureus.57879. PMID: 38725785; PMCID: PMC11079574.
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