Which supplements should you buy for PCOS acne?
With countless different supplements vying for your attention, how do you really know which one will actually deliver on their big promises of reducing hormonal acne and clearing your skin in the long term?
There are several household brands, some backed by celebrity influencers use expensive PR and marketing to sell their products however if you open up the hood and look at whats underneath do the products match up to the claims they are making?
That’s why we’re here. We researched the top selling PCOS acne supplements on the internet and made purchases to test some of 2024’s most talked about products. We combed through the scientific research.
Some of the supplements we were informed could even make your skin health and hormonal acne even worse which is why you need to keep reading to make sure you get the scoop on what we discovered.
Why do we need to take supplements for hormonal acne?
Acne and poor skin for women is typically caused by a very treatable imbalance in hormones known as androgens (or testosterone).
These excess male hormones are typically present in women with PCOS, which affects around 10% of women globally1.
The science shows us that for many women with PCOS excess androgens will lead to symptoms like acne, excess hair, scalp hair thinning, excessive weight and irregular cycles. By balancing androgen levels women can block their effects in the body.
Blocking the effects of androgens can be an effective way to naturally improve the hormonal acne forever.2
Excess testosterone/androgens result in:
So if all we’ve got to do is balance androgens why do I need to continue reading this article right? If only it were that simple…
Supporting androgens levels naturally can be extremely difficult.
Finding the right product with a therapeutic dose of natural substances to support androgens levels is key.
BEWARE: Not All PCOS Acne Vitamins Are Equal
In the course of our research, we discovered a few things the supplement industry probably wishes we’d keep under wraps. Including how:
Many androgen blocking vitamins have very little of the high-doses of nutrients you need to truly make an impact.
In fact, many of the products we researched have the potential to worsen your symptoms.
Here’s what to look for in vitamins to naturally support androgen levels…
and what you MUST AVOID at all costs.
Must Haves
Must Avoid
Our Research Backed 10-Point Approach
In addition to our ‘Must Haves’ and ‘Must Avoids’, we have a dedicated ‘Evaluations Team’ that compares and ranks each tested product according to a Research-Backed 10-Point System. We want you to know how our ranking system works:
How We Picked Our Top Choice – A Guide To Our Rankings:
In addition to our ‘Must Haves’ and ‘Must Avoids’, we have a dedicated ‘Evaluations Team’ that compares and ranks each tested product according to a Research-Backed 10-Point System. We want you to know how our ranking system works:
94
Hours of
Scientific Research
11
Hours of
Expert Consultations
52
Customers
Interviewed
The Bottom Line
Androgen Blocker by Nourished Natural Health has been voted #1 by our nutrition expert Hannah Wylie*, with a 9.7 out of 10 score.
What We Loved
Nourished Natural Health was the only brand researched that has included a number of synergistic ingredients needed for optimal results. They’ve managed to pack in:
A high dose of all-important Saw Palmetto, which has been shown to be one of the most effective ways of naturally balancing androgen levels for women. 9
Not only that, they've included high dosages of proven androgen blocking ingredients such as Green Tea, Reishi Mushroom, Nettle Root and Zinc. 7
Nourished Natural Health is the only company offering a “No questions asked” 60-day money Back Guarantee.
There’s just one small thing…Nourished Natural Health is a small company right now, so they don’t have massive inventory like other “household-name” vitamin brands.
That’s why when people find out about Nourished Natural Health's Androgen Blocker, their inventory sells out fast.
But if you’re reading this page, then you might be in luck. Nourished Natural Health let us know they set aside part of their recent shipment specifically for this review.
However, it’s likely they will sell out of their current inventory within the next 24 hours.
SOURCES & CITATIONS
🎓[1] Xu Y, Qiao J. Association of Insulin Resistance and Elevated Androgen Levels with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS): A Review of Literature. J Healthc Eng. 2022 Mar 21;2022:9240569. doi: 10.1155/2022/9240569. PMID: 35356614; PMCID: PMC8959968.
🎓[2] Grant P, Ramasamy S. An update on plant derived anti-androgens. Int J Endocrinol Metab. 2012 Spring;10(2):497-502. doi: 10.5812/ijem.3644. Epub 2012 Apr 20. PMID: 23843810; PMCID: PMC3693613.
🎓[3] Stamatiadis D, Bulteau-Portois MC, Mowszowicz I. Inhibition of 5 alpha-reductase activity in human skin by zinc and azelaic acid. Br J Dermatol. 1988 Nov;119(5):627-32. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1988.tb03474.x. PMID: 3207614.
🎓[3] Fujita R, Liu J, Shimizu K, Konishi F, Noda K, Kumamoto S, Ueda C, Tajiri H, Kaneko S, Suimi Y, Kondo R. Anti-androgenic activities of Ganoderma lucidum. J Ethnopharmacol. 2005 Oct 31;102(1):107-12. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2005.05.041. PMID: 16029938.
🎓[4] Jamilian M, Foroozanfard F, Bahmani F, Talaee R, Monavari M, Asemi Z. Effects of Zinc Supplementation on Endocrine Outcomes in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2016 Apr;170(2):271-8. doi: 10.1007/s12011-015-0480-7. Epub 2015 Aug 28. PMID: 26315303.
🎓[5] Arentz, S., Abbott, J. A., Smith, C. A., & Bensoussan, A. (2014). Herbal medicine for the management of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and associated oligo/amenorrhoea and hyperandrogenism; a review of the laboratory evidence for effects with corroborative clinical findings. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine,14(Article number: 511). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4528347/
🎓[6] Arentz, S., Smith, C. A., Abbott, J., & Bensoussan, A. (2017). Nutritional supplements and herbal medicines for women with polycystic ovary syndrome; a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine,17(Article number: 500). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6895349/
🎓[7] Ashkar, F., Rezaei, S., Salahshoornezhad, S., Vahid, F., Gholamalizadeh, M., Dahka, S. M., & Doaei, S. (2020). The Role of medicinal herbs in treatment of insulin resistance in patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A literature review. Biomolecular Concepts, 11(1), 57-75. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32229652/
🎓[8] Evron E, Juhasz M, Babadjouni A, Mesinkovska NA. Natural Hair Supplement: Friend or Foe? Saw Palmetto, a Systematic Review in Alopecia. Skin Appendage Disord. 2020 Nov;6(6):329-337. doi: 10.1159/000509905. Epub 2020 Aug 23. PMID: 33313047; PMCID: PMC7706486.
🎓[9] Dhariwala MY, Ravikumar P. An overview of herbal alternatives in androgenetic alopecia. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2019 Aug;18(4):966-975. doi: 10.1111/jocd.12930. Epub 2019 Apr 13. PMID: 30980598.