If you’re struggling with oily skin and acne, you can pretty much guarantee that you also have higher than normal levels of androgens. Excess androgens go hand-in-hand with acne and the only real way to clear blemishes is to reduce androgens within the body.
While you may think of testosterone as the main ‘acne baddie’ that needs to be lowered, there’s actually another, more potent, androgen hormone that works alongside testosterone which is the real hormone that causes acne, and that hormone is DHT – or Dihydrotestosterone.
How to reduce androgens naturally and clear acne
DHT is produced when there’s too much free testosterone floating around our blood (often caused by stress, PCOS or insulin resistance). An enzyme in our body called 5-alpha reductase converts testosterone into DHT and when DHT levels get too high, it causes causes oily skin, acne breakouts, weight gain, sexual dysfunction, PMS, irregular periods, hirsutism and sometimes even male pattern baldness.
How to reduce androgens naturally and clear acne
Even though testosterone is often thought of as the ‘male hormone’, women also produce testosterone in small amounts. However, we are sooo much more sensitive to androgens than men are. Even the slightest increase can send our skin crazy! This is why many blood hormone tests will show “normal” levels of testosterone – you can still be in the normal range but many women are more sensitive to androgen hormones so while the pharmaceutical world may consider your results in a normal range – it could still be high enough to cause problems with your skin.
In pretty much all cases, excess androgens is the number one thing causing your acne.
Remember, in pretty much all cases, excess androgens is the number one thing causing your acne. That’s the easy bit! The hard bit is working out WHY you’re suffering from excess hormones and WHAT you can do to reduce androgens and clear acne!
How to reduce androgens internally
In women, androgenic hormones are produced in the adrenal glands or in the ovaries. Androgen excess can often be categorised into three different segments, and sometimes one person could suffer from all three at one time:
- Ovarian androgen excess – often caused by PCOS and/or insulin resistance
- Adrenal androgen excess – often caused by excess stress or a genetic condition
- Androgen sensitivity – often caused by inflammation and/or use of the contraceptive pill
When addressing the issue of excess androgens, the goal is to reduce ovarian or adrenal androgen production using the tips and tricks outlined in this article. By following these steps, you will be able to reduces the level of androgens and prevent the conversion of testosterone to DHT, therefore blocking the co-factors that lead to acne breakouts.
Reduce androgens by quitting sugar
This is the first and most important step you need to do. To reduce androgen levels in females naturally, there has to be a dramatic reduction of sugars and unhealthy carbohydrates. That’s right, I’m talking cake, doughnuts, sandwiches, burgers, crisps, sweets, soda, desserts. Consuming high levels of sugars and carbs leads to high insulin levels which triggers the ovaries to produce excess androgens.
Ultimately, the best way to keep insulin levels in check and prevent excess androgens is to eat a very low sugar diet where you’re getting plenty of protein a day and LOTS of healthy fat – like seriously lots! Eat a lot of healthy fat, then double it – then you’re probably about right! You can get tips on adding more fat to your diet here and here.
Read more about how sugar causes acne here.
Reduce androgens by exercising more
The impact of a regular exercise on our overall hormone and whole body health is extremely powerful.
According to a 12-month study carried out by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, the loss of body fat in conjunction with moderate intensity exercise caused an impressive reduction in androgens, testosterone and free testosterone. This shows that if you struggle with weight (especially round the belly area) alongside acne, then reducing you body weight and increasing muscle mass can go a long way to helping you reduce androgens naturally.
Combining a healthy diet high in healthy fat/protein and free of processed foods, unhealthy carbohydrates and sugars in addition to moderate exercise, 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week should ALWAYS be the starting point towards getting your skin back on the right track.
Exercise plays such a key part in the journey to clear skin and you don’t have to become a total gym-bunny to reap the acne banishing rewards! Start with little changes like going for a 30 minute walk after work or grab a skipping rope, put on some tunes and giving yourself a 15 minute workout in your garden. It won’t be long before all the small perks, such as enhanced mood, increased confidence, better sleep and reduced stress, will have you glowing in a way you never thought was possible.
Reduce androgens by drinking spearmint tea
Spearmint tea is among one of the most popular herbal tea for correction of excess testosterone. A study carried out in Turkey showed that women suffering with PCOS who drank 2 cups of spearmint tea every day for one month showed a significant reduction in the level of excess androgen.
After the treatment, the women showed a significant reduction in free testosterone and an increase in luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and estradiol. There was no change reported in DHEAS levels so it’s unlikely that spearmint tea will be effective if your acne is caused by adrenal androgen excess, but could be a beneficial treatment if you have PCOS or ovarian androgen excess.
Reduce androgens by taking anti-androgen supplements
There are supplements that can help to reduce androgens naturally but it’s important to remember that you can’t cheat a poor diet and stagnant lifestyle and your supplements should always be secondary to healthy food and lifestyle choices.
The way that most these supplements work to reduce androgens is their ability to inhibit the activity of the enzyme 5 alpha-reductase. As I mentioned before, the enzyme 5 alpha-reductase is what converts testosterone into the more potent, acne-causing DHT. By blocking the activity of this enzyme, you can reduce the conversion of testosterone to DHT and reduce your breakouts.
Zinc for acne
Zinc is the most effective and reliable acne mineral of all time. Study after study has concluded that treating zinc deficiency can also treat acne. In one study, scientists analysed the bloodstream of 94 acne patients and 56 control patients. They discovered that zinc deficiency was far higher among the acne patients. Zinc is vital for wound healing, inflammation control, metabolism of testosterone and vitamin A function, so it plays an vital role in hormone management and acne. Zinc also improves ovarian function and increases progesterone production. Progesterone is a natural androgen blocker and many women find increasing their progesterone levels alone works wonders for clearing their acne. Read more about the progesterone/androgen link here.
For zinc to be effective it is really important that you purchase a supplement with maximum bioavaiability that contains either Zinc Picolinate, L-methionine or Zinc Gluconate – other forms of Zinc just aren’t absorbed by the body. I like to get mine in the form of this multi-vitamin.
Reishi for acne
One study exploring the anti-androgenic effects of 20 species of mushrooms found that Reishi mushrooms had the strongest action in reducing androgens. The study found that Reishi mushrooms significantly reduced levels of 5-alpha reductase, preventing the conversion of testosterone into DHT. As well as being well studied, there are also countless case studies online of others who have seen excellent results by supplementing with Reishi, not only for its androgen blocking abilities but also for its excellent liver detoxifying qualities.
I’ve searched high and low for recommendations on how much Reishi should be taken each day to be effective and the closest advice I can find is to take between 1-1.5g a day. You can take it as a capsule or as a powder and mix it into a smoothie – taking it in powder form is usually the most cost-effective.
Peony & liquorice
Peony and liquorice is a relatively unusual supplement that is quite hard to come by but I first came across it after reading Lara Briden’s book The Period Repair Manual. However, it’s pretty awesome at balancing hormones as Peony reduces testosterone production but also boosts the activity of the enzyme “aromatase” which converts ‘bad’ testosterone to ‘good’ oestrogen. Liquorice reduces serum testosterone in women and contains phytoestrogens that block androgen receptors. Together, these two herbs works together to normalise hormones.
DIM
A popular strategy for balancing hormones is to create a healthy balance of true, good oestrogens and progesterone alongside lowering excess androgens such as testosterone and DHT. Whilst diet has a major role in this, DIM is a natural compound found in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and sprouts that helps the body to metabolise oestrogen properly as well as being a potent anti-androgen.
The brand that I have most success with is EstroBlock, but there are others, like this one, on the market but I cannot guarantee their effectiveness.
Cod liver oil
Cod Liver Oil suppresses androgen production and contains bioavailable vitamin A and D – a nutrient that most of us aren’t getting enough of yet is so so important for clearing acne that I recommend all my clients take it for a minimum of 3 months. Alongside reducing androgen production, the bioavailable vitamin A found in Cod Liver Oil also helps prevent dead skin cells from clogging pores, reduces oil production and protects fats from oxidation (oxidised fats cause serious inflammation).
Vitamin D plays a key role in healing and preventing acne by cooling inflammation, smoothing the skin, improving mood, boosting your immune system and helping to control insulin response, yet so many people just aren’t getting enough vitamin D each day! Studies into vitamin D deficiency have shown that more than half the population of the UK are deficient in vitamin D with 16% suffering severe deficiency during the darker winter months so it’s really important to make sure you’re getting enough vitamin D all year round – not just during the summer months.
Many Cod Liver Oils are a pile of cr*p (Seven Seas, Mollers, Carlsons etc) so make sure you’re taking the highest quality source that isn’t refined and contains a decent amount of vitamin A and D that will have the desired effect – ideally 5,000iu of vitamin A for best results.
Other herbal supplements that have been show to reduce androgens in studies are:
- Chaste Tree (Vitex)
- Black Cohosh
- Inositol
- Saw Palmetto
There’s no need to spend all your money and buy every one of these supplements in order to reduce your androgens to a level that gets your skin under control. As I said before, diet and exercise should ALWAYS be your starting point and if you want to start on supplements, I would start with this multi-vitamin and cod liver oil, then try Reishi if you feel you need an extra boost.
Shop my recommended supplements here.
How to reduce androgens externally
Whilst good skin care is important when it comes to healing acne naturally, it’s more important to focus on reducing androgens from the inside rather than concentrating just on skin care. However, there are a couple of key ingredients that can give your skin a little extra boost in the androgen fighting battle.
When it comes to acne skin care – there 4 key areas that can help to heal your skin from the outside:
- Calming and soothing ingredients – Aloe Vera, Jojoba and Rosehip oil
- Anti bacterial ingredients – Tea Tree and Raw Honey
- Topical antioxidants ingredients – A/Retinol, B3/Niacinamide and vitamin C
- DHT blocking ingredients – Green Tea, Sea Buckthorn Berry, Saw Palmetto and Liquorice Extract
DHT blocking ingredients work in the same way as they do when you take them internally – they inhibit the activity of the enzyme 5 alpha-reductase which stops testosterone from being converted into acne-causing DHT.
Reduce androgens with green tea extract
Green Tea can have a significant impact on skin DHT levels as studies (here, here and here) have shown that Green Tea inhibit the 5-alpha reductase enzyme, blocking the conversion of testosterone to DHT in the skin!
While you can take natural DHT blockers internally via Green Tea tinctures and supplements, using a topical solution is actually a much more effective way of blocking the hormone conversion at a surface level.
Read my post on topical Green Tea here.
Reduce androgens with sea buckthorn berry extract
While most of you will know my love for Green Tea extract, there a new ingredient in town which I’m pretty excited about! Sea Buckthorn Berry extract has been shown in studies to have a significant reduction in androgen activity and oil production in the skin. After just one week of use, there was a 17% decline in sebum production which by week eight, became a 45% decline in oil production! That’s not far behind Green Tea which was shown to reduce oil production by 60% – just imagine what could happen if you combined these two star ingredients together?
Despite Sea Buckthorn Berry extract’s success in scientific research, it’s still not that easy to find! I’ve found a few products which contain Sea Buckthorn Seed oil…but the oil isn’t the same as the berry extract and doesn’t have the same positive effect on acne and oil production. You can tell the difference between the two instantly; seed oil is an egg yolk shade of orange, while the berry extract is a far more intense shade of red.
However, I’ve recently discovered Wild Beauty Apothecary’s Harmony Bloom Oil which is a totally acne-friendly facial oil that contains, yup…you guessed it – Sea Buckthorn Berry extract! This oil is absolutely gorgeous and I got in touch with the founder Yelena, to provide some extra information on this awesome ingredient!
When choosing ingredients for my Harmony range I wanted to create products for skin with imbalances. Having struggled with adult acne, my aim was to cater for skin that is oily, combination and prone to breakouts.
Sea Buckthorn berries are a powerhouse of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. No wonder why in Europe and the East it has been traditionally used for food, medicine and skincare, and it is still used today.
For our Bloom Oil I use organic Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae Rhamnoides fruit extract) which is obtained using CO2 extraction method. It offers a highly concentrated extract of the whole berries. The CO2 method allows supercritical fluid extraction using low temperature and without a need of any solvent or diluent.
A dark orange colour of the extract indicates abundance of antioxidants such as provitamin A carotenes and carotenoids. It is also rich in vitamin E, C and essential fatty acids. All these goodness makes Sea Buckthorn a powerful beauty berry that has ability to promote regeneration of skin cells, heal wounds, protect from free radicals and assist skin to clear hyper-pigmentation, which is extremely useful for post acne scars.
Sounds pretty awesome doesn’t it? This oil is super light, yet so nourishing. I was so excited by this facial oil I broke my “no oil” experiment and I’ve been using it at night to give my skin a little extra support against excess DHT! Despite not using any oils on my skin for 3 months, my face is loving this product just once a day before bed.
For more information about managing DHT for clearer skin, read my blog post “how to reduce DHT and 5-alpha reductase activity to clear acne.”
Has this article helped you work out what is causing your excess androgens and acne? Let me know your story in the comments below!
Peace, Love & Clear Skin,
I have been off of the pill for nearly two years now and have had the worst acne of my life for the last 2 years. I finally gave into going to the dermatologist as I’ve feared being put on harmful medication (although I finally decided that maybe toxic meds were better than this acne…). Low and behold, the doctor prescribed spironolactone… the devils pill. I only took it for 10 days and then stopped because it wreaked havoc on my body leaving me feeling fatigued, panicked/anxious, dizzy and nauseous, along with a constant feeling of my heart racing. For now, I’m just using topical EpiDuo to no avail. I had some pimples when on the pill for 7 years, but never had acne until a month after I stopped the pill. What can I do?? Please help!
Hi! Reading through the wealth of knowledge you have on your blog posts and I’m seeing so many amazing products. I’m really interested in the Wild Beauty oil, Nini Natural Detox oil, vitamin C serums, but also a retinol treatment (I’ve read your articles on ones you recommend). How do I go about picking which products to use together? It seems some of these products double up on ingredients. I don’t want to overdo products on my sensitive skin, but I would like to target different benefits. Any suggestions?
Also, I’m going off of birth control in a few weeks. That above post is a fear of mine! I went off it once to become pregnant, but went pack on the pill after I had my son. I don’t remember my face going haywire, but right now I’m off of all prescription acne products. I’ve wanted to go a totally natural route for a long time now and my face was really blotchy from using too many products. My face is doing really well for the first week (sure it’s just hasn’t freaked out yet), but I would love to use something natural and effective for acne, aging (I’m almost 36), and to heal old scars/redness…plus I’m trying for another baby, so safe products are a must…retinol might be something I can’t use for awhile…do you know a safe alternative for pregnant women??
Which vitamin c serum is best?
Hey! I absolutely LOVE the Garden of Wisdom one 🙂 The Mad Hippie one is also good if you have super sensitive skin! X
Very helpful indeed. Love it!
I have excess of hair on my stomach. My dermatologist told me its because of androgens. how do i stop it?
Hi Amy,
Is the information, and products in this post geared for and applicable more so to women? I’m a 22 y/o male looking into reducing androgen in my body to see whether my oily skin (and therefore acne) can be normalized by reducing this hormone or if the oily skin is mostly genetic and I’m stuck with it.
I have Male pattern baldness due to high androgen levels. I came off spiractin about a year ago and and back at square 1 with hair loss. Would you recommend anything specifically to help with this?
Thanks Amy, sorry I should have mentioned I was on the pill to help level out my hormones but have come off it…since then the hair loss has increased. I do have PCOS which is the cause of all of this. Funnily enough it is the only symptom of PCOS I have!
Hi Amy, sorry I should have mentioned I was on the pill to keep my hormones balanced and came of it about 6 months ago…its gotten worse since then. I do have PCOS. Funnily enough this is the only symptom of PCOS I have. I’ll definitely be giving some of these thing a try.
Hey Natalie,
Sounds like I am in the same situation as you – PCOS, but the only symptom is hair loss. Did the spiractin work for you?
Hello! Just writing to you and seeing how your going with your hair loss as I am also going through the same and need come guidance, thank you!
Your article was so helpful, exactly what I needed. Thank you so much for all the extremely helpful details and suggestions!
I am 53, always suffered from acne from 13 years of age,extremely oily skin,hair and acne, dianette contraceptive pill was a cure, no longer taking due to my age, i am menopausal and have pcos, skin really bad, extremely oily skin again, was told by my GP to learn to live with it !!
I decided to look at natural alternatives, after 12 weeks my skin is clear of acne, oil has reduced, this has been my routine: two cups of spearmint tea, 4 fish oil capsules in the morning, 4 fish oil capsules in the evening, 3 DIM capsules a day.
When i added the fish oil capsules i noticed a marked improvement in knee pain, also for the first time ever i experienced no menstrual cramping.
What are your thoughts on Spirinolactone? I noticed another commenter called it the devils drug.
I’ve had issues with Spiro as well. At higher doses, it can in fact be the devil’s drug. If you do decide to go on it, listen to your body and don’t be afraid to ask questions. I was so desperate for my acne to go away, I didn’t care what it cost. I was on it for only 2 month. And after month 1 they doubled my dose. That’s when I noticed the horrible side effects and quit cold turkey, not to mention I’m still recovering from the hormone imbalance it put me in and the foggy mental state.
PS – my boobs grew 3x their normal size and yes, although it did clear up my acne, be careful what you put in your body.
Are there any supplements that can help reverse insulin resistance and naturally lower high testosterone and androgens in young women?
I have been eating healthy i.e. low unrefined carb, high fat and fiber since age 16 and I’m 21 now and am still suffering from insulin resistance and hormonal imbalance.
I’m already slim and skinny and eating this way has caused me to lose too much weight. Also, eating this way can turn into an unhealthy relationship with food because of constantly restricting. Diet isn’t sustainable for life and shouldn’t be encouraged especially for young people who already are at a healthy weight/BMI. PCOS isn’t affecting my weight(I’m lean) but it is negatively affecting my acne, dry skin, balding/receding hairline, hirsutism, and high male hormones.
A healthy woman in her 20s and teens in general should not be growing thick, dense, dark hair on her entire stomach, chin, neck while simultaneously losing hair on her head, eyelashes, and eyebrows. Forget fertility because I’m not trying to have kids or get pregnant at my age. This is a physical issue. And not to mention that your looks are tied to your fertility so eliminating and reversing the issue of high male androgens can have a positive impact on my fertility as a whole if I wanted to have kids eventually.
Hi Crystal,
Thank you for your comment! Have you been tested to see which androgens are the issue? Is it definitely testosterone and insulin resistance? If you are lean, have no weight issues and have been eating low carb since your teens then insulin resistance is quite unlikely? Other potential causes of PCOS and androgen symptoms are high DHEA-S (adrenal androgens/stress) or androgen sensitivity which is where your body favours the 5-alpha reductase pathway and essentially causes a sensitivity to androgen hormones. Without knowing all your hormone test results it’s impossible for me to recommend something for you as each cause would benefit from a different supplement. It’s becoming widely acknowledged that PCOS isn’t just about insulin resistance and high testosterone and there are other factors like adrenal androgens that can play a role.
With you history of restricted eating and the emotional impact your symptoms are having on your mental health then I definitely wouldn’t rule out cortisol being a driver of your hormone imbalances either. I recommend checking out Lara Briden’s post “4 types of PCOS” – it gives a really great overview on the different variants of PCOS. Amy x
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Hi! Thank you so much for sharing your wealth of knowledge. I’ve had bad acne since I was a teenager. Now I am an adult and still suffering from hormonal acne despite a healthy diet, exercise, clean products, and no birth control. I want to take the Dutch test but have not yet. I’m pretty confident I would benefit from reducing androgens in my body. Torn whether I should try EstroBlock DIM or Beef Liver Capsules. I believe these produce similar results, how do they effect the body differently?
Hi Nikki,
I personally prefer Beef Liver Capsules – they offer a much wider range of health benefits! If you do take DIM you need to ensure that you are eliminating properly and taking an additional supplement (like Calcium D Glucarate) to support all phases of oestrogen detox! Amy x