Does damiana raise oestrogen is a live search question, and the laboratory answer is that it did 2 opposite things across 24 tested compounds. Both were in a dish.
The extract inhibited aromatase, which would lower oestrogen synthesis. Three of its compounds also showed direct estrogenic activity.
Quick Answer: Does Damiana Affect Hormones?
There are no human hormone measurements. In laboratory assays the methanolic extract inhibited aromatase, the enzyme that makes oestrogen, with an IC50 of 63.1 micrograms per millilitre, while three isolated compounds showed direct estrogenic activity in a yeast screen. Both findings are in vitro and point in opposite directions.
Key Takeaways
- There are 0 human measurements of any hormone taken with damiana.
- In vitro the extract inhibited aromatase, with an IC50 of 63.1.
- Pinocembrin and acacetin inhibited most, at 10.8 and 18.7 micromolar.
- Another 3 compounds showed estrogenic activity in a yeast screen.
- Those 2 findings point in opposite directions, and both are in a dish.
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The Laboratory Findings
One study tested the extract and 24 isolated compounds for 2 different hormonal effects, and found both. What damiana is comes first, in our guide to the plant.
| Assay | Result |
|---|---|
| Aromatase inhibition, whole extract | Dose-dependent, IC50 63.1 micrograms per millilitre |
| Aromatase inhibition, pinocembrin | IC50 10.8 micromolar |
| Aromatase inhibition, acacetin | IC50 18.7 micromolar |
| Estrogenic activity, apigenin 7-glucoside | EC50 10 micromolar |
| Estrogenic activity, Z-echinacin | EC50 20 micromolar |
| Estrogenic activity, pinocembrin | EC50 67 micromolar |
Aromatase makes oestrogen, so inhibiting it would lower production, while the estrogenic finding points the other way.[1]Anti-aromatase activity of the constituents from damiana (Turnera diffusa) — Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2008) View source Pinocembrin appears on both lists, which is exactly why a dish is not a person.
Why This Cannot Be Turned Into Advice
Four things separate a yeast assay from a human hormone result.
- Concentration: Assay levels need not be reachable in the body.
- Absorption: A compound in a dish is not a compound in blood.
- Direction: The 2 findings here contradict each other.
- Human data: 0 trials measuring oestrogen with damiana.
That is why we make no hormone claim for this herb, and why anyone reading that damiana balances hormones is reading marketing rather than evidence.
The Human Study That Involved Women
There is one, and its design has already been covered because it matters so much.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Product | ArginMax for Women |
| Ingredients | Ginseng, ginkgo, damiana, L-arginine, multivitamins, minerals |
| Participants | 77, with 34 active and 43 placebo |
| Improved overall satisfaction | 73.5% against 37.2% on placebo |
| What it measured | Sexual function, not hormones |
It measured satisfaction, desire, dryness, frequency and clitoral sensation, and it measured no hormone at all.[2]A double-blind placebo-controlled study of ArginMax, a nutritional supplement for enhancement of female sexual function — Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy (2001) View source The full reading is in what the libido research shows.
Menopause, Periods and PMS
All three appear in the marketing and none appears in the evidence.
- Menopause: 0 human trials of damiana.
- Cycle regularity: 0 human trials.
- Premenstrual symptoms: 0 human trials.
- Traditional use: Women's health problems, listed generally.
Traditional use is a reason to be curious rather than a reason to expect a result. The safety exclusions matter more here, and they are in the safety cautions.
The One Firm Rule
If there is a single thing to take from this page, it is this.
| Situation | Position |
|---|---|
| Pregnancy or planning pregnancy | Avoid; the genus is traditionally used as an abortive |
| Hormone-sensitive condition | Ask a clinician, given the in vitro findings |
| On hormone therapy | Ask before adding it |
| General curiosity, no conditions | Low risk, and low expectations |
The genus review lists women's health problems among traditional uses, and notes that most reported activities were tested only in chemical, cell-based or animal assays.[3]Ethnobotany, phytochemistry, and bioactivity of the genus Turnera (Passifloraceae) with a focus on damiana - Turnera diffusa — Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2014) View source On that basis our 60-capsule bottle carries no hormone claim.
See a Clinician Rather Than Reaching for a Herb If
- Pregnancy or planning a pregnancy, given the traditional use of Turnera species as abortives
- New or persistent sexual difficulty, which can signal a cardiovascular, hormonal or mental-health issue and deserves assessment
- Diabetes, or use of any glucose-lowering medication
- Liver disease, or unexplained jaundice, dark urine or right-sided abdominal pain
- Any plan to smoke or vape damiana leaf
Frequently Asked Questions
Does damiana increase estrogen? +
There are 0 human measurements. In vitro it did 2 opposite things: inhibited aromatase and showed estrogenic activity.
Does damiana raise estrogen? +
Not on any human evidence. Exactly 3 isolated compounds showed estrogenic activity in a yeast screen, which is a dish rather than a person.
Does damiana lower estrogen? +
The whole extract inhibited aromatase with an IC50 of 63.1, which would lower production. That is 1 in vitro finding, contradicted by another.
What are damiana benefits for females? +
None are established in humans. The 1 relevant trial tested a 6-ingredient formula and measured sexual function rather than hormones.
Does it help menopause? +
There are 0 human trials of damiana for menopause. Traditional use lists women's health problems in general terms only.
Does it help PMS or periods? +
There are 0 human trials for either. Both claims come from tradition rather than from research.
Is it safe with hormone therapy? +
Ask first. The 2 opposing in vitro findings are a reason for caution rather than for reassurance.
How long does it take for damiana to work for women? +
No trial has measured onset for damiana alone. The 6-ingredient formula study ran 4 weeks before assessing anything.
Can I take it while pregnant? +
No. The genus is traditionally used as an abortive, which is the 1 firm exclusion on this page.
Is it a phytoestrogen? +
Three of its compounds showed estrogenic activity in vitro, and the extract also inhibited aromatase. Calling it 1 thing or the other overstates the data.
Does it affect fertility? +
There are 0 human trials, and the abortive traditional use argues for avoiding it when trying to conceive.
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