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More on Vitex a.k.a. Chaste Tree Berry Women who feel cranky, sore, and fatigued before their period might want to try a treatment used by many German women: the herb chasteberry. Chasteberry, or Vitex agnus-castus, has been used since Roman times as a treatment for menstrual ailments. It's been approved by Germany's Commission E to treat premenstrual symptoms. Chasteberry is one of the most common PMS treatments recommended by doctors in Germany. These recommendations are partly based on surveys of physicians' medical practices, which found that the herb produced significant improvement in symptoms such as breast pain, fluid retention, headache, and fatigue in more than 3,000 women with PMS. However, this was not a fully reliable study. Because it was not a double-blind placebo-controlled study, it's hard to determine how much the results were affected by the power of suggestion. In one unrelated study, women with PMS who were given placebo showed 70 percent improvement in symptoms! Double-blind studies of chasteberry vs. placebo have not yet been conducted. The only double-blind study of chasteberry compared it to vitamin B6, not to a placebo. The study found that the two treatments were equally effective for PMS symptoms. Vitamin B6 has not been proven to be an effective treatment for PMS, so comparing the two treatments tells us very little. Dosage Because so many different chasteberry products are on the market, it's hard to give general dosage guidelines. The best approach is to follow the directions on the label. According to physicians who recommend it, chasteberry usually takes 3 to 4 weeks to begin showing effects. Full effects might take much longer. Safety Issues In studies involving thousands of women, chasteberry has not been associated with any serious reactions. Occasionally, women report mild side effects such as nausea, headache, and allergic skin reactions. However, comprehensive tests on toxicity (long-term or serious side effects) have not been performed. According to a case report, one woman taking chasteberry experienced "ovarian hyperstimulation," the production of multiple eggs at once. Whether chasteberry was responsible is not entirely clear. Although no known drug interactions have been reported with chasteberry, it is possible that this herb could interfere with hormonal medications. Talk to you doctor before taking it if you are on estrogen, progesterone, or the drug bromocriptine. Because chasteberry lowers the milk-producing hormone prolactin, this herb is definitely not an appropriate treatment for pregnant or nursing women. The herb's safety in adolescents and in people with severe liver or kidney disorders has not been established. For more information, see Chasteberry in the TNP Encyclopedia |
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