Chamomile and PCOS: What the Research Actually Shows

Why Researchers Are Interested in Chamomile

Chamomile flowers contain a wide range of bioactive compounds including:

• Flavonoids
• Terpenoids
• Coumarins
• Polyphenols

These compounds are known to have several biological effects including:

• Anti-inflammatory activity
• Antioxidant effects
• Hormone-modulating properties
• Mild analgesic (pain-reducing) effects

Because PCOS is associated with chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and hormonal imbalance, researchers have become interested in whether chamomile might influence some of these underlying processes.

PCOS Is Not Just A Hormone Condition

One of the key reasons chamomile is being explored is because as we know PCOS is now understood to involve several interconnected systems.

Women with PCOS commonly experience:

• Elevated androgens (male-type hormones)
• Insulin resistance
• Chronic low-grade inflammation
• Oxidative stress
• Disruptions to ovarian follicle development

These processes influence ovulation, menstrual cycles, skin symptoms, and long-term metabolic health.

Any intervention that helps reduce inflammation or oxidative stress may have downstream effects on hormonal regulation and ovarian function.

What The Human Studies Found

The review analysed several clinical trials involving women with PCOS who used chamomile in different forms, including capsules and topical oil.

Across these studies, researchers observed improvements in some clinical symptoms, including:

• Reduced hirsutism (excess hair growth)
• Reduced menstrual pain
• Increased number of dominant follicles in the ovaries
• Reduced ovarian volume in some participants

These findings suggest chamomile may influence certain visible or symptomatic aspects of PCOS.

However, when researchers pooled the data from the clinical trials, the results were more mixed.

Chamomile supplementation alone did not significantly change:

• Testosterone levels
• Cholesterol levels (LDL, HDL)
• Triglycerides

This means that while some symptoms improved, the measurable hormonal and metabolic markers did not consistently shift in the available human studies.

Animal Studies Show Stronger Effects

Interestingly, animal studies in PCOS models showed much clearer biological changes.

In these studies, chamomile extract was associated with:

• Lower testosterone levels
• Reduced estrogen levels
• Improved antioxidant activity
• Reduced oxidative stress markers

Chamomile also increased the activity of important antioxidant enzymes in these models.

This suggests the plant may influence underlying biological pathways involved in PCOS - even if these changes have not yet been consistently demonstrated in human trials.

How Chamomile Works In The Body

Researchers have proposed several possible mechanisms for chamomile’s effects.

Some of its plant compounds were found to influence hormone production by interacting with enzymes involved in steroid hormone synthesis.

These compounds may:

• Influence enzymes involved in androgen production
• Affect luteinizing hormone signalling
• Provide mild phytoestrogen activity

Chamomile also influences inflammation.

Certain flavonoids in the plant suppress inflammatory pathways, including the cyclooxygenase (COX-2) pathway that regulates prostaglandins and inflammatory signalling.

Because chronic inflammation and oxidative stress are closely linked with insulin resistance and androgen excess in PCOS, reducing these processes may indirectly support hormonal balance.

What This Means For Women With PCOS

Chamomile alone is not a cure for PCOS, but this research highlights something important.

Plant compounds with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects support some of the biological processes involved, including;

• Menstrual discomfort
• Some visible symptoms like excess hair growth
• Ovarian follicle development

However, current research does not yet show consistent improvements in core hormonal or metabolic markers.

More large, well-designed clinical trials are needed before stronger conclusions can be made.