Conditions & Concerns
PCOS & Tea: The Herbs That May Help You Find Balance
A grounded guide to the herbs most associated with hormonal support — and how to weave them into a daily ritual.
Please note: This guide is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. If you have PCOS, please work with your healthcare provider before making changes to your routine.
What is PCOS?
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common hormonal conditions affecting people with ovaries — estimated to affect around 1 in 10 in the UK. Despite how widespread it is, it remains significantly under-diagnosed and under-discussed.
PCOS involves an imbalance in reproductive hormones that can affect the ovaries, the menstrual cycle, and a range of other systems in the body. Common experiences include irregular or absent periods, elevated androgens (male hormones), skin concerns like acne or excess hair growth, fatigue, and difficulty with weight management.
It's important to say: PCOS looks different for everyone. There's no single experience, and what works for one person may not work for another. What most people with PCOS share is the need for consistent, gentle support — and that's where daily habits, including what you drink, can play a meaningful role.
How herbs can support hormonal balance
Herbs won't cure PCOS — and we'd never suggest otherwise. But certain plants have been used for centuries as part of a wider approach to hormonal wellbeing, and modern research is beginning to explore why.
The herbs most associated with PCOS support tend to work in one of a few ways: some are thought to have mild anti-androgenic effects (helping to moderate elevated testosterone), others support the liver's role in processing and clearing hormones from the body, and others work more broadly on stress and the nervous system — which has a direct relationship with hormonal regulation.
Think of herbal tea as one thread in a wider practice — alongside sleep, movement, nourishing food, and working with a healthcare provider you trust.
The herbs to know
Peppermint
ShopThe most studied herb for PCOS hormonal support
Peppermint is one of the most researched herbs in the context of PCOS. Several studies have explored its potential anti-androgenic effects — meaning it may help moderate elevated testosterone levels, which is a common feature of PCOS. It's also cooling, refreshing, and genuinely enjoyable to drink every day.
Nettle
ShopMineral-rich nourishment for the whole body
Nettle is one of the most nutritionally dense herbs you can drink. Rich in iron, magnesium, and a range of vitamins, it's particularly valuable for people with PCOS who may experience fatigue or irregular cycles. It's also thought to support the liver, which plays a central role in hormone metabolism.
Chamomile
ShopStress support — because cortisol matters
Stress and cortisol have a direct and well-documented relationship with hormonal balance. Elevated cortisol can worsen PCOS symptoms, disrupt the menstrual cycle, and affect sleep. Chamomile is one of the most widely used herbs for nervous system support — gentle, floral, and genuinely calming when taken consistently.
Dandelion Root
In kitLiver support for hormone clearance
The liver plays a central role in processing and clearing excess hormones from the body — and dandelion root has long been used in herbalism as a gentle liver tonic. For PCOS, where hormonal imbalance is a core feature, supporting the liver's clearance function is considered a foundational part of a herbal approach. Dandelion root is included in our Spring Skin Tea Blending Kit alongside nettle.
Available as part of the Spring Skin Tea Blending Kit
Shop the ritual
All three herbs are available individually from Nia Botanica. You can start with one and build from there — or try all three as a morning, afternoon, and evening ritual.
Contains nettle and dandelion root — a complete skin and hormone ritual
Spring Skin Tea Blending Kit
A simple daily ritual
You don't need a complicated routine. Start with one cup a day and build from there.
Morning
Start with peppermint. Brew a cup while you wake up — it's refreshing, caffeine-free, and sets a calm, intentional tone for the day.
Afternoon
Nettle makes a grounding mid-afternoon cup. It's earthy and mineral-rich — a good alternative to reaching for caffeine.
Evening
Chamomile in the evening. Stress and cortisol have a direct relationship with hormonal balance — a quiet evening ritual is one of the most underrated things you can do.
Movement & breath for PCOS
Yoga and breathwork are among the most accessible tools for hormonal support. The two postures below target the pelvis and nervous system directly, and the pranayama practice is one of the most studied breathing techniques for adrenal and endocrine regulation. None of these require experience — just a mat, a wall, and a few minutes.
Bound Angle Pose
Baddha Konasana
Duration
Hold for 2–3 minutes
Sit on the floor with the soles of your feet pressed together and your knees falling out to the sides. Hold your feet or ankles and sit tall, allowing the inner thighs to soften. This posture gently opens the hips and pelvis, stimulates the ovaries and reproductive organs, and encourages circulation to the lower abdomen. It is one of the most widely recommended postures in yoga for hormonal and menstrual support.
How to
- 1Sit with your spine tall and feet together, knees wide.
- 2Hold your feet and breathe into the inner thighs — don't force the knees down.
- 3Stay for 2–3 minutes, breathing slowly. You can fold forward gently if comfortable.
Legs Up the Wall
Viparita Karani
Duration
Hold for 5–10 minutes
Lie on your back and extend your legs up a wall, with your hips as close to the wall as is comfortable. This restorative inversion reverses the effects of gravity on the lower body, encourages lymphatic drainage, and activates the parasympathetic nervous system — the rest-and-digest state that directly counteracts the elevated cortisol associated with PCOS. It is deeply calming and requires no effort to hold.
How to
- 1Sit sideways next to a wall, then swing your legs up as you lie back.
- 2Adjust your distance from the wall so your legs feel supported, not strained.
- 3Rest your arms by your sides, close your eyes, and breathe naturally for 5–10 minutes.
Alternate Nostril Breathing
Nadi Shodhana
Duration
5–10 minutes, ideally in the morning
Nadi Shodhana — meaning 'channel purification' — is one of the most balancing breathing practices in yoga. It involves alternating the breath between the left and right nostrils, which is thought to balance the two hemispheres of the nervous system and regulate the endocrine system. For PCOS specifically, it is valued for its ability to reduce cortisol, support adrenal function, and bring the body into a state of hormonal equilibrium. It is best practised on an empty stomach, ideally before your morning tea.
How to
- 1Sit comfortably with your spine tall. Rest your left hand on your knee.
- 2Bring your right hand to your face: use your thumb to close the right nostril and your ring finger to close the left.
- 3Close the right nostril and inhale slowly through the left for 4 counts.
- 4Close both nostrils and hold for 4 counts.
- 5Release the right nostril and exhale for 4 counts. Inhale through the right for 4 counts.
- 6Close both nostrils and hold for 4 counts. Exhale through the left.
- 7This is one round. Complete 5–10 rounds.
A note on this guide
Everything in this guide is written with care, but it's not medical advice. PCOS is a complex condition and the right approach for you depends on your individual picture — your symptoms, your history, and what your body needs.
If you're newly diagnosed or managing PCOS without much support, we'd encourage you to seek out a GP or specialist who takes it seriously. You deserve that.