My friend Noor sent me a photo of her kitchen counter a few weeks ago: four different tea tins lined up next to her heating pad, and a text asking whether any of them were doing anything or if she'd just spent forty euros on hot water and good marketing. I didn't have a great answer for her on the spot, so I went looking into it properly, and the answer turned out to be more interesting than a simple yes or no.
Period tea has become one of those things everyone seems to have an opinion on, usually without much to back it up. Some people swear a specific blend gets them through the first day of their period without reaching for a painkiller. Others think the whole category is a nicely packaged placebo. Both of those things can be true at once, depending on what's actually in the cup.
We've written before about what's actually going on with period sex, and drinks like this keep coming up in that conversation, because how your period feels physically has a lot to do with whether sex or intimacy is even on the table that week. So here's what the research says about what's in your cup, and what it can and can't do for you.
Does period tea actually reduce cramps, or is it just a warm mug placebo?
Some of it is genuinely doing something, and ginger is the clearest example. A 2024 meta-analysis of multiple trials found that ginger reduced both the intensity and the duration of period pain compared to a placebo, with effects roughly comparable to common anti-inflammatory painkillers like ibuprofen. Most of those studies used ginger powder rather than tea specifically, so a cup of tea won't hit the exact same dose, but a strong ginger tea, or one built around ginger alongside other warming ingredients, is still a reasonable way to get some of that effect into your day.
The heat itself plays a role. A warm drink increases blood flow to your abdomen in a similar way to a heating pad, which is part of why period tea tends to feel soothing even before you get into what's actually in the blend.
What should actually be in a period tea for it to do something?
Ginger has the strongest research behind it for cramps specifically. Chamomile doesn't appear to reduce cramping directly, but it's been linked to better sleep, and poor sleep is associated with worse period symptoms overall. Cinnamon has shown some promise in small trials for reducing pain intensity during the first few days of a period.
Ingredients drawn from Traditional Chinese Medicine, like red dates, black sugar, longan and goji berry, are traditionally used to support circulation and energy during menstruation rather than to block pain the way an NSAID does. That's the logic behind a blend like our Gentle Period Tea, which combines aged ginger with those ingredients instead of relying on ginger alone.
How to actually get something out of it
Start a day or two before your period is expected, not on the first painful morning. Two to three cups a day, spread through the day rather than one large mug, seems to match what the research on tea and period pain looked at. And if cramps are already severe, tea is a nice addition to a painkiller, not a replacement for one.
Can what you drink during your period change your mood, not just your cramps?
To some degree, yes. Less physical pain and better sleep both free up mental space, and a lot of what gets described as a "bad mood" during a period is really exhaustion from being in pain for days without a break. We went into this in more detail in how to turn that time of the month into your best sex life yet, and the same logic applies to mood generally: fix the physical discomfort first, and a lot of the emotional weight of your period tends to lift with it.
"Women have used it to reduce menstrual cramping and pain, and also to decrease labor times during pregnancy." Alyssa Pacheco, RD, dietitian specializing in women's health, GoodRx
Does period tea have anything to do with sex or libido during your period?
Not directly, no single cup is going to change your hormones. But cramps and low energy are two of the biggest reasons people go off sex during their period in the first place, and dealing with those makes room for wanting intimacy again, whenever that is for you. We looked at this exact question in can sex bonbons help boost libido during your period, and tea fits into the same idea: it's less about a direct effect on desire and more about clearing the physical obstacles that get in the way of it.
Pairing a period tea ritual with something like our Libido & Energy Tea Set for the days after your period, once cramps have eased, is a way a lot of our customers bridge that gap between "surviving my period" and "feeling like being touched again."
None of this replaces seeing a doctor if your cramps are severe enough to keep you home from work most months, which is a sign worth taking seriously rather than managing with tea alone. We've also written about why period underwear might be the easiest upgrade to your period routine, if a warm drink is only solving part of the problem for you.
Common questions about period tea
Does period tea actually help with period cramps?
Some blends do more than others. Ginger is the ingredient with the most research behind it, and a 2024 meta-analysis found it reduced both the intensity and length of period pain about as well as common anti-inflammatory painkillers. A tea made with fresh or powdered ginger, alongside other warming ingredients like red dates and black sugar, is a reasonable way to get some of that effect while also doing something for circulation.
What ingredients should I actually look for in a period tea?
Ginger has the strongest research behind it for cramps specifically. Chamomile has been linked to better sleep and, in at least one study, to lighter bleeding. Ingredients used in Traditional Chinese Medicine formulas, like red dates, longan and goji berry, are traditionally used to support energy and circulation during your period, which is the thinking behind blends like our Gentle Period Tea.
When should you start drinking period tea, and how much?
Most of the research and traditional use point to starting a day or two before your period is due and continuing through the first few days, when cramps and prostaglandins are at their highest. Two to three cups a day tends to be the range mentioned most often, though there's no single agreed dose.
Can period tea help with your mood or your sex drive during your period, not just cramps?
Indirectly, yes. Less pain and better sleep tend to free up space for wanting sex or intimacy in the first place, and a warm ritual like tea can be part of what makes you feel more like yourself during your period. It isn't a libido supplement, but easing the physical side of your period often does more for your mood and your interest in sex than people expect.
Is it safe to drink period tea every day?
For most people, yes, especially blends built around food ingredients like ginger, dates and goji berry rather than concentrated supplements. If you're pregnant, trying to conceive, or on medication that could interact with herbs, it's worth checking with your doctor first, since large amounts of some period tea ingredients are usually advised against in pregnancy.