Does spearmint tea work for acne?

If you've been using traditional acne treatments with little or no results, you may be surprised to learn that many people use spearmint tea for acne. Current research suggests that spearmint tea can have a positive effect on acne. Best of all, you can enjoy some tasty tea and sip your way to clearer skin.

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What is Spearmint?

Spearmint's scientific name is Mentha spicata. It's closely related to the better-known peppermint, but there are differences in flavor and composition that make spearmint particularly suited for combating acne. 

Spearmint produces small pink, white, or lavender flowers. The green leaves have a mint scent, particularly when cut or crushed. 

Does Spearmint Tea Help with Acne?

The short answer is yes, spearmint tea likely can help with acne, thanks to the helpful compounds it contains. Let's take a look at how and why spearmint tea can be effective for treating acne.

Spearmint Tea Acne Research 

Unfortunately, there are currently no peer-reviewed studies that study spearmint tea's ability to clear acne specifically. While you can find a few articles stating there's a study proving its benefit, the study referenced doesn't address acne, but androgen activity. The study makes no direct correlation with acne treatment, and doesn't compare spearmint tea to any acne medication.

Despite the lack of conclusive scientific evidence, spearmint tea for acne has become very popular, due to its prevalence on social media and many anecdotal reports claiming it's effective. 

Rosmarinic Acid

Rosmarinic acid is found in a variety of plants and herbs, including spearmint. Other sources include basil, rosemary, lemon balm, and thyme. Rosmarinic acid is well known for its anti-inflammatory properties. 

Studies have shown that spearmint tea has clinically significant levels of rosmarinic acid, and that its anti-inflammatory properties are helpful in treating osteoarthritis of the knee. A separate study focused on rosemary extract, but identified rosmarinic acid as the main active compound.

This study found that rosmarinic acid's anti-inflammatory properties are helpful for acne. This is because acne typically develops and worsens because of P. acnes bacteria, which trigger inflammation in the skin. Rosmarinic acid also blocks certain pathways that tell the body to produce inflammatory substances in the body, further calming the inflammation. 

Spearmint Tea Hormonal Acne

Is spearmint tea helpful for hormonal acne?  While there are no studies conducted specifically on spearmint tea's effects on hormonal acne, there are numerous anecdotal reports.

There is also scientific evidence if you are willing to put the pieces together.  Hormonal acne typically occurs when a woman has higher-than-average levels of testosterone, which is an androgen. This leads to higher levels of sebum, which is oil released by the pores. Excess oil causes clogged pores, which lead to acne.

Research has proven that spearmint tea has strong anti-androgen effects in women with PCOS, or polycystic ovary syndrome. This strongly suggests that spearmint tea's anti-androgen effects could also be helpful in treating other issues tied to higher androgen levels in women, including hormonal acne. 

Anecdotal Report 

There is a research paper written by a fourth-year medical student, Courtney Haller. She details an anecdotal account.

The account describes a 24 year old woman who had struggled with severe facial acne for six years. She sought a range of dermatological treatments, including tetracycline orally, and topical benzoyl peroxide and clindamycin, with limited results. She attempted adding metronidazole, an antifungal, and salicylic acid. These medications had no effect. Seeing testimonials about spearmint tea on social media, she began drinking two cups of spearmint tea daily, along with her usual routine of benzoyl peroxide and clindamycin. After six months, her acne lesions had decreased by 50%. While this is subjective, based only on the patient's assessment of her acne, it still suggests spearmint tea may be effective. 

Spearmint Tea Benefits 

We've established that spearmint tea could be beneficial for acne, but there are other spearmint tea benefits you should be aware of as well. Let's take a look at the answer to the question "What is spearmint tea good for". 

Hormonal Balance and PCOS

We've already discussed spearmint's ability to lower androgen levels, but this impacts more than just skin health. It can reduce the symptoms of higher androgen levels, including excessive hair growth, known as hirsutism, particularly in women with PCOS. 

Digestive Health

Spearmint has been used for digestive issues for thousands of years. In fact, references to spearmint tea for digestion go all the way back to Babylon and Ancient Egypt. The word mint comes from the Greek word Minthe or Menthe. Minthe was the girlfriend of the god Pluto, which shows how important the ancient world believed this humble plant to be. 

One of the reasons for spearmint's effects is the compound carvone. Carvone has been proven to prevent or reduce muscle contractions in the digestive tract. Muscle spasms in the digestive tract can cause stomach pain, cramps, and diarrhea. This is likely why spearmint or peppermint is often suggested for IBS sufferers. 

One recent study revealed that spearmint oil can relieve nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy. The study monitored patients for 24 hours after receiving chemotherapy. Researchers found that spearmint oil greatly reduced the intensity and number of emetic events, or vomiting, compared to the control group. 

Although it has not yet been studied for other types of nausea, there's a strong potential that spearmint could help with other causes of nausea as well.

Anti-Inflammatory Effects

Spearmint has anti-inflammatory properties as well. We discussed the study on spearmint for osteoarthritis of the knee. While more research is needed, we can speculate that spearmint could be beneficial for a variety of inflammatory conditions.

Relieves Stress

Spearmint has a soothing and calming effect, so spearmint tea may help reduce stress and promote relaxation. This is due to several compounds, including menthol, carvone and limonene, which all have a relaxing effect on the nervous system. 

One study published in Phytotherapy Research in 2018 investigated the effects of spearmint extract on stress and mood. Adults who took a high-phenolic spearmint extract daily for 90 days reported significant improvements in mood, including reduced feelings of tension and increased alertness, compared to the placebo group. The researchers suggested that the antioxidant compounds in spearmint may help protect against stress-related damage in the body and help balance neurotransmitters linked to mood regulation.

According to the study, menthol found in spearmint seems to interact with the neurotransmitter GABA-A, which is known to have sedative and stress-relieving properties. This is similar to the mechanism of action for benzodiazepines, which are prescription anti-anxiety meds, although there are some differences. 

One of the spearmint tea benefits is that, unlike most prescription or even natural sedatives, spearmint has a mild effect that doesn't significantly decrease alertness. 

Improves Memory and Cognitive Function

Some studies suggest spearmint extract and tea may help improve memory and cognitive function, although more research is needed in this area. There's a study suggesting that spearmint extract can provide a 15% improvement in working memory for older adults with memory impairment. Although spearmint tea is weaker than the extract used in the study, you may experience a mild boost in memory improvement. They also noted improvements in sleep quality, particularly the ability to fall asleep. 

Antioxidant Properties 

Spearmint tea is high in beneficial compounds known as antioxidants, which are proven to help fight the effects of oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is linked to many serious health conditions, including diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. 

Antioxidants found in spearmint tea include rosmarinic acid and flavones, including limonene and menthol. Two tablespoons of spearmint gives 2% of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin C, which is another beneficial antioxidant. 

Spearmint Benefits for Skin

Spearmint provides several benefits for skin. In addition to potentially treating acne and reducing skin inflammation, the high antioxidant content has beneficial effects for the skin. 

Oxidative stress doesn't just impact the inside of your body, it has significant impacts on your skin. Environmental exposure to sun, chemicals, and pollution can all take a toll on your skin. In addition, ingesting substances like alcohol, tobacco, or preservatives also contributes to oxidative stress, affecting skin health. 

Oxidative stress is considered a major cause of aging because it damages the skin cells. Specifically, oxidative stress contributes to wrinkles, dark spots, and loss of skin firmness. 

Antioxidants, like those found in spearmint, can improve your skin health over time by increasing your antioxidant intake. This helps your body combat the damage to your body, both inside and out. 

Spearmint Tea Dosage and Side Effects

The general recommendation for acne is to drink two cups of spearmint tea each day. While spearmint tea is considered safe, there are some potential side effects you should be aware of. 

Spearmint can cause digestive upset, particularly diarrhea, in some individuals. This is rare and resolves quickly when you stop consuming the tea. 

Spearmint can also negatively affect your kidneys and liver in very high doses. You are unlikely to ingest enough to cause any concern in tea form, but if you have any kidney or liver issues, you should speak to your healthcare professional. 

Lastly, spearmint is not safe in large amounts during pregnancy, because it can damage the uterus. While the amount typically found in foods and flavorings is considered safe, it's a good idea to speak to your doctor if you plan to consume spearmint tea daily during pregnancy. 

Should You Try Spearmint Tea for Acne?

Spearmint tea may help relieve acne and improve your overall skin health. Although more definitive research is needed, we know that spearmint reduces inflammation and androgen levels in females, which are believed to cause or worsen acne. 

Given the low incidence of side effects and the overall health benefits, sipping spearmint tea to improve your complexion is worth considering. Another benefit is that spearmint tea can be consumed along with any treatments your dermatologist or primary care provider recommends. 

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