Almost 3 years ago I noticed what was an obvious nose dive in my once healthy and strong libido. I was 28 at the time and couldn't put my finger on it. I also noticed a sudden weight gain that began that mostly resided in my belly/chest area..while rest of body was toned (i work out). i'm 5'10" 182lbs. Although my weight started fluctuating day to day and had gotten up to 194lbs a few months back. Diet is healthy, no fast foods, limited alcohol.
I had blood tested for hormones (Testosterone and Free Testosterone) and the levels came back borderline normal on low end. Since than they've stayed around the low normal side. I tried everything from changing diets to natural supplements but nothing has improved it. I later had my Estrogen levels checked and while my Estradiol was normal, the Total Estrogens were 10% above the max range.
I tried to look back at what changed in my life that may have caused this. I started looking at environmental factors and stumbled across the Tea Tree oil literature. I was shocked to see all the literature about Tea Tree Oil. Low and behold, I started using a new shampoo in Oct '04 and have used it since DAILY at least 2x daily. The realization of drop in my libido hit me in Dec '04. I stopped using it 10 wks ago after coming across the article. I have since gotten back to my normal 180lbs and bloating is almost done. I'm just curious when libido will return? Any suggestions?
Are you saying that Tea tree oil is affecting hormonal levels? That is quite interesting. Can you point to a specific website where we could find out more about this? As you already did the research, it would be easier. Thanks
There is much literature on the web that talks of Tea Tree Oil linked to gynecomastia in 3 young boys. It's even on this website.
Just google <Tea Tree Oil Estrogen > and you'll get a ton of its.
In short, a Pediatric Endo couldn't find a cause for 3 young boys who showed pre-pubery gynecomastia. Hormones weren't not abnormal...also they were aged 4-10. He proceeded to look into external factors and saw that the three boys were using hair products that contained Tea Tree oil and/or Lavender oil. Upon stopping the products the condition dissappeared after 'several' months. A separate study was done to see the effects of the oil on breast tissue and it in fact did mimic estrogen.
Thanks for the explanation! I never heard of this. I am going to research it, I don't know if it affects women as well - I am using a mouthwash that has tea tree oil, every day.
I have read a lot of it. I have a question though about what kind of oils the boys in question were using. Synthetic, or pure and organic,. I wish we knew which products were involved.
Also, it is not clear to me what kind of oils were used in the tests, and if it would make a difference. After all the aborigines in Australia have used tea tree oil for centuries and lavender has also been used for ever!
I also read that it can affect young girls too - early breast development pre-puberty.
It is intriguing and a bit scary if the small amounts contained in personal care products can have this effect. Therefore my suspicion that the oils in question were maybe not pure, organic, but cheap synthetic ones, or adulterated. Who knows!
I'm not sure either. All I do know is my libido and weight changed significantly 2 months after using the shampoo. Since switching shampoos i've lost weight w/out even trying. Now, with the added motivation thay i may have realized what was causing this condition, I've started working out and am feeling even better.
I was using American Crew thickening shampoo that says right on the description how it's special cuz of usage of Tea Tree oil. I was using this shampoo 2x daily. Also, I would let it soak in as I continued to shower as I thought it was benficial. Figure it must've just soaked up in my scalp.
As for wife, she's been patient. Sex life isn't compeletely gone..but takes much effort. It's not as bad now with her being 7 months prego and expecting out first in December. ..so I hopefully will have my libido back when she gets hers!
i was! there were times i would shampoo 3 or 4x during the shower thinking multiple shampooing would be cleaner and better for my hair. that's what lead me to look into it as i realized that my symptoms started right around the time i started shampooing so much. i can't believe it took me so long to relate the two...but the tea tree oil info on the web really connected the dots..otherwise i would have written excess shampoo off as not being a factor.
I cannot tell you what a revelation this has been to me. I read about the young boys, but I don't think I would have made a connection between tea tree oil and the problems I have been having.
I am a female in my 30's, and for the last couple of years a have been having highly unusual and life-disrupting menstrual irregularities. I have racked my brain trying to figure out what could have caused this to start happening out of the blue. Like you, I have had hormone tests and have tried supplements and dietary changes, and, in addition, have spoken extensively with other women on this site about it. Little did I think that help would come from a man!
A few months before my body started acting haywire, I made a lot of changes in my diet and habits - all of which I thought were for the good. Trying to get toxic chemicals out of my life as much as possible, I switched to natural cleaning and personal care products. After reading your posts, I looked through my things. I have two kinds of shampoo with tea tree and one with lavendar. I have soaps and oils and lotions and detergents with one or both of these estrogenic substances. Tea tree is in my mouthwash. I have even used tea tree lozenges when sick with a cold!
I also did the internet search you mentioned and was lead to a site which listed many herbs (2 of which I drink as tea) that act like estrogen in the body.
I hope that things get back to normal for me as I phase these products out of my life. When you ask a question or share and experience on this site, you never know who you are going to touch or help. Thank you so much and I hope your situation continues to improve!
I can't tell you how happy/mad/excited/frustrated I am as I think about what I went thru for the last 2.5 years...and to link it to a stupid shampoo. I began over doing it with the shampoo thinking my hair would get thicker (as it's advertised as a thickening shampoo) and so I would use it excessively within the same shower! I wondered if it was the shampoo but I had done that before though with other shampoos so I disregarded it. Than I came across the Tea Tree oil in shampoo and checked my bottle and its advertised right on the description as Tea Tree oil used to allow hair to retain water. I think the estrogen it created in me caused me to retain water!
It has been a couple of months since your original post and I have been wondering if you have had any improvement in your condition.
As I mentioned before, I have had female problems for the last couple of years and so any time I get a lead on anything that might have caused these sudden changes (which I consider to be hormonal upsets), I look into it. All of my tea tree products are gone and I have only one or two that contain lavendar and will soon be gone.
Like you, I had my hormone levels tested and my doctor told me they were all in the normal range (though I sometimes question what doctors call "normal"). Nevertheless, I have clear symptoms of estrogen and prolactin imbalance. I got curious yesterday and looked up prolactin at the Wikipedia site. Some of the things I read there made me think of you. Obviously the sections on lactation will not apply to you, but since men do have prolactin also, you never know. Find the section on libido. I wonder if tea tree could upset prolactin as well as estrogen levels.
Have you and your wife welcomed your little one yet?
I have been seeing great results since stopping the tea tree oil. Libido is slowly coming back.
As for prolactin..had it checked. normal (smack in middle of range). also has an MRI to make sure no prolactinoma and that my HPTA is working properly.
I have pics that show clear abdominal bloating/fat that is now gone since stopping. I can send pics if u'd like...
yes wife and I now have a little boy! he and mom are both doing healhty thanks for asking!
This is very interesting. Firstly, I congratulate you on the positive resolution of your health problem. From yours, and other peoples experiences, we should learn to be careful with new products, even when they are supposed to be good for you and are sold in health food stores. But there is another aspect to this Tea Tree oil adventure. If it has such obvious estrogenic properties, wouldn't it be good for women who need estrogen, like the ones in peri, or post menopause? It would be interesting to read what dr. Weil has to say on the subject.
My sister had given me a little bottle of Tea Tree Oil a while back - I don't remember why. I was considering finding out what I could use it for & took a look online. You really have to be careful & do you research before using these things - herbal remedies, etc. Years ago I used toothpaste with Tea Tree Oil. I don't remember any adverse reactions, but didn't use it that long. See below from an Alternate Medicine site . . .
Ditto
People use tea tree oil for the following conditions:
Acne
Athlete's foot
Dandruff
Vaginitis
Thrush
Periodontal disease
As an antiseptic
Boils
Lice
Eczema
Psoriasis
Yeast infection
Safety Concerns
One study shows that tea tree oil may alter hormone levels. There have been three case reports of topical tea tree oil products causing unexplained breast enlargement in boys. People with hormone-sensitive cancers or pregnant or nursing women should avoid tea tree oil. For more information, read Lavender and Tea Tree Oils Linked to Breast Enlargement in Boys.
Occasionally, people may have allergic reactions to tea tree oil, ranging from mild contact dermatitis to severe blisters and rashes.
Undiluted tea tree oil may cause skin irritation, redness, blistering, and itching.
Tea tree oil should not be taken internally, even in small quantities. It can cause impaired immune function, diarrhea, and potentially fatal central nervous system depression (excessive drowsiness, sleepiness, confusion, coma).
The tea tree oil in commercial toothpastes and mouthwashes is generally considered to be acceptable because it is not swallowed. Avoid homemade tea tree oil mouthwashes.
Seek medical attention if you experience symptoms of overdose: excessive drowsiness, sleepiness, poor coordination, diarrhea, vomiting.
Don't use tea tree oil if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Keep tea tree oil out of the reach of children and pets.
Did you see any improvement since stopping tea tree oil? I have been using a tea tree oil based mouthwash for many years (Jason) with no visible problems, but who knows. I'll have a new blood work done in January - so I will see if everything is normal. But maybe I should think about changing mouthwash anyway.
It is also worth checking the other ingredients in the products you were using and are using, there are many other endocrine disruptors that we don't think off, even in "natural" products from the healthfood store. I just checked my mouthwash and the only ingredient I don't like in it is Polysorbate 20. Polysorbates are not toxic in general, but polysorbate 60 and 80 are emulsifiers that have been associated with the contaminant 1,4 dioxane, knwon to cause cancer in animals. So there you have it - can we really trust polysorbate 20 which is derived from lauric acid. I don't know.
The other ingredient to absolutely stay away from is PARABENS : in a 2004 study published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology reported parabens are a cause for concern. British researchers found traces of it in twenty women who had breast tumors. Parabens are believed to act like the female hormone estrogen.
The best thing is alwasy to check out each ingredient - a good website for that is http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/index.php?nothanks=1
The general EWG website is : www.ewg.org - and you can click on "skin Deep" which leads you the the cosmetic database.
Ditto, so now, I'm sure you are not going to use the Tea tree oil your sister gqve you. Also, how long have you had it? Even if it were some other oil, if it isn't fresh, discard it.
No, not going to use it. I've only had it for the past year, but I don't anticipate needing to use it for anything. From the way Tea Tree Oil smells, you'd think you could remove paint or varnish with it .
If the mouthwash is your only exposure to tea tree, maybe it is not enough to cause any problems for you. If you read my post above, I had been inundating my system with the stuff. I was not consciously seeking out products with tea tree, but I was trying a lot of different items and the ones I liked often happened to contain it - not to mention lavendar.
So, my tea tree and lavendar products are gone. I just used the last of my lavendar body lotion this weekend. I had invested too much money in all of the products I had to just toss them. Probably to your disbelief, I am holding on to my bottle of pure tea tree oil because I use it so infrequently. I don't think occasional use is going to hurt anyone.
It is hard to tell if there has been any improvement in my cycle yet. It has been really messed up for about 2 1/2 years now. I am using flaxseed and vitex to try to normalize it. I hope to see improvement in the next 3 or 4 months now that I am not being exposed to the hormone disrupters.
Thanks for asking and thank you for your informative posts. I do avoid parabens and try to avoid other ingredients too long to pronounce.
You're probably right, using it in the mouthwash alone is not going to hurt. And I suspect as well that it depends on what kind of tea tree oil is used - pure or adulterated and in what quantity.
I don't blame you for keeping the tea tree oil. I is very useful to have around for occasional use when needed. It is definitely not going to hurt!
<<I do avoid parabens and try to avoid other ingredients too long to pronounce.>.
Same here, I avoid ALL chemicals in my cleaning products and cosmetics and around the house. There is enough pollution that we can not avoid!
Here are some pics while using Tea Tree Oil and 15 wks afterwards. No changes in Diet or lifestyle. I worked out during the before pics and continued to after stopping Tea Tree oil. No change in diet.
Actually according to the article from the New England Journal of Medicine (very complete study and history of the 3 patients)(http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/356/5/479) and the US Dept of Health and Human Service - National Institutes of Health (http://www.nih.gov/news/research_matters/february2007/02122007boys.htm) nothing was conclusive on this study and this is the only finding seen. They also stated that the products the boys were using all contained Lavender Oil and only some contained Tea Tree Oil:
My family has been using Melaleuca Alternafolia Oil a pure Tea Tree Oil from Australia in all our cleaning products, laundry products, and personal hygiene products for about 5 years now and none of my 4 boys or 3 girls have developed prepubertal gynecomastia.
Lavender and/or Tea Tree Oils May Cause Breast Growth in Boys
A new study suggests that repeated topical use of products containing lavender oil and/or tea tree oil may cause prepubertal gynecomastia, a rare condition that results in enlarged breast tissue in boys prior to puberty.
Doctors can seldom pinpoint the cause of prepubertal gynecomastia. Dr. Clifford Bloch, a pediatric endocrinologist at the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Science Center?s School of Medicine, decided to look closer after diagnosing three of his young male patients with the condition. The patients were otherwise healthy Caucasian boys, 4, 7 and 10 years old, with normal hormonal levels when they were diagnosed. Upon questioning their parents, Bloch found that all had used personal care products?soap, skin lotions, shampoos and hair styling products?containing lavender oil, and some of which also contained tea tree oil. In each case, several months after the products were discontinued, the gynecomastia subsided.
Bloch discussed the cases with researchers at NIH?s National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). The NIEHS researchers turned to human cells to test the ability of the oils to modulate or inhibit genes normally affected by estrogen, the female hormone that stimulates breast tissue growth, or androgen, the hormone known to control masculine characteristics and inhibit the growth of breast tissue. Their results were published in the February 1, 2007, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
The laboratory experiments showed that pure lavender and tea tree oils can mimic the actions of estrogens and inhibit the effects of androgens. These results don?t prove that the oils caused the prepubertal gynecomastia in the three boys, but they do provide a possible explanation for Bloch?s findings.
The good news is that the oils didn?t alter the levels of the usual forms of circulating estrogens and androgens in the boys. Dr. Derek Henley, the lead NIEHS author on the study, said, ?We do not anticipate any long-term effects on hormonal levels.?
Although this study found an association between the topical application of these essential oils and prepubertal gynecomastia, it doesn?t tell researchers how strong the association might be. Further research will be needed to determine the prevalence of this condition in boys using products containing lavender and tea tree oils.
Scientists also don?t know whether these oils could affect prepubertal girls, adolescents or adults. The findings are applicable only to young males with unexplainable enlarged breasts. Boys with prepubertal gynecomastia should consult their physicians about reducing the use of products that contain these oils.
Related Links:
Household Products Database:
http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/
My son is a wrestler, football player, and body builder, 6'3 235 and looks as good if not better and uses Melaleuca Oil and has for the past 5 years.
There was one study back in Feb 2007 almost 18 months ago and the levels may have been up but because tea tree oil was only in a few of the products, it was inconclusive that the tea tree oil was the cause however as the study says, Lavender Oil was in all the products.
So I guess we can all deduct what we want from the study, all a matter of interpretation.
the main thing to gather/interpret from the study is that the boys led the Dr to believe that oils had a part in play...so that led them to do independent studies on the oils...individually. it was thru these studies that confirmed the oils..by themselves...mimic estrogen the way they bind to the cell receptors. there's nothing to misinterpret...it proved that the oils mimic estrogen on human cells. if that was the cause for the condition in the boys may be inconclusive cuz the studies weren't done or sample size not big enough...but the key is the lab studies they did.
also, some experience side effects while others don't to several different medicines. there's no other explanation for my condition and then reversal immediately after stopping the shampoo. as ridiculous as it sounds...it is what it is.
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Tea Tree oil for 31yr male 
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