Hi Nicole, Great information, thank you! I also have PMDD. I got my hormone levels tested and my OB said they look great. My progesterone is I started Vitex for a week and broke out on my face and chest pretty bad way worse than usual and I took a break today. Thanks so much for any input! Vitex might not be the right fit for you. I offer all of this in my Fix Your Period Program. And, if your progesterone was tested days after ovulation occurred, then yes it is low.
Just my two cents. Have you read anything to support this? I followed this and had great success. I had already stabilized my blood sugar levels and I still needed some help with my progesterone , which is why I turned to vitex.
I did discontinue after 6 months, this month being the first without it so I shall see what happens with my monthly report card! Thanks for the informative post. So I stopped using the pill 14 months ago. My cycles is also very short, between days at the most.
My gynae prescribed Clomid 50 mg for one month as well, nothing happened. It seems I do ovulate, but just very early. So we are thinking that the endometrium is maybe too thin to support implantation since I ovulate so soon after my period like one day after my period. I have been taking Vitex for the past 3 months, no difference yet.
I do have two boys already, aged 6 and 8 years old. I am 33 years old. Hey Nicole, do you just give advice to women to take this pill or are you the founder of it? Thank-you for this helpful information. I am 39 and have been TTC for 2 years. I have been diagnosed with a short luteal phase and very low progesterone. I was taking Vitex liquid for 2 months and to my surprise I found out I was 5 weeks pregnant! After a 6 week ultrasound with a strong heart beat we were feeling hopeful.
My OB strongly suggested I begin progesterone supplements. I miscarried 10 days after starting the sups at 8. My question is can vitex AND progesterone sups work together? Could Vitex alone sustain a pregnancy thought the first trimester? Any info would be appreciative as we prepare to try again.
Thank you for the informative article. What about a 48 year old woman in periomenopause who has chronic 10 pounds of water retention and bloating. I eat perfectly. Oatmeal, kale shakes with protein and coconut oil, organic spinach shakes with organic blueberries, pineapple and strawberries.
I eat nuts, one kind bar a day, salmon twice a week, occasionally grass fed beef. I bike miles a week and weight lift five days a week and not one pound is coming off. Just had my labs down and the hormone doctor said that my estrogen is slightly high while relative to my progesterone which is slightly low.
I really do not want to take progesterone. I was considering chasteberry but do not know. I would appreciate your opinion. Thank you. Sincerely, Catherine. Thank you so much for your great work! I am impressed how you link all different symptoms with the big hormone picture which is extremely complex, uff!
Your blog arrived on time! I used to have cycles of days, but the last cycles lasted more than 50days?! The thing is that I have already changed my diet radically, and my blood sugar is much more stable have not measured it, but the symptoms of hypoglycemia have basically disappeared , and my PMS is less and my menstruation is much less painful.
My progesterone is low in relation to estrogen, but a trial of using progesterone creme was horrible, it made me depressive within 2 days.
My MD would like to give me pregnenolone now. What do you think about this? Any ideas? I took vitex for 3 months and it made me feel very sad and depressed. Also it reduced my period cycle from days to 22 days and my period during the third month taking vitex last 3 weeks in a row, that is the reason I decided to stop using it. It was really scary. As you said it is not for every body. I was taking it to avoid PMS and to regulate my period.
The only good thing is that after stopping vitex I had two cycles of 22 days and I did not get my period this month because I am pregnant! Thanks for your great work and giving us all this information. However, if they are drinking it times every single day, that might be a different story. I think a times a week or times a month is probably fine. Thank you so much for this! I am currently taking vitex tablets brand name Premula being for moderately high prolactin levels.
After 60 days I have felt quite a difference, as I had little PMS leading up to my period, my cycle was 32 days long instead of the usual 45 days and my acne has improved immensely. The only difference I found, was that my menstrual bleed increased quite substantially..
I am also taking liquorice, thuja and white peony tableted form from mediherb. Vitex could definitely be causing it as one of the "side effects" is increased menstrual flow. Licorice could potentially be causing this because it raises cortisol and blood pressure and I saw a few references to it increasing menstrual flow or being used to bring back a period.
It also can raise estrogen levels which would explain heavier periods for sure. I don't recommend using licorice for too long and blood pressure should be monitored throughout use.
I've never used thuja or white peony before so I can't speak for them but a quick search online shows that white peony is a blood mover, so it helps with stagnation, which could cause more bleeding I imagine.
And then Thuja promotes menstruation so I imagine this could have a similar effect to the licorice and white peony. Hi, Nicole, This was a really timely and helpful post for me. Especially since my periods have been getting shorter down from 4 days when I was on the pill to 3 days, and then in the last couple of months 2.
If it worked for you, do stay on it? Or should I have stopped a few months ago? And should you taper off or go cold turkey? Hi Stephanie! Great questions. You can just stop it cold turkey for a few months and see what your cycle does without it. Diet and lifestyle are such a huge component of hormonal health and fertility so I think these should be your main focus.
Hope this helps! Wishing you all the best! Hi Nicole, Loved this post with new info on Vitex I did not know! This looks like the opposite and it turned my knowledge of the herb upside down…Also, what do you think of increasing dopamine via herbs and nutrients in addition to vitex to increase LH?
Vitex contains several different constituents, including flavonoids, iridoid glycosides, and terpenoids. The whole fruit extract, rather than one of its individual constituents, appears to be necessary for the medicinal activity of vitex. The benefits of vitex stem from its actions upon the pituitary gland—specifically on the production of a hormone called luteinizing hormone LH. This indirectly increases progesterone production and helps regulate the menstrual cycle. Vitex also keeps prolactin secretion in check.
A controlled clinical trial found that women taking 20 mg per day of a concentrated vitex extract for three menstrual cycles had a significant reduction in symptoms of PMS, including irritability, mood swings, headache, and breast tenderness. A review of other trials and case reports suggests there is at least preliminary support that vitex should be considered for women with irregular periods, infertility, and mildly elevated prolactin levels.
Caution: Agnus castus should not be taken during pregnancy. The German Commission E monograph recommends a daily intake—30—40 mg of the dried herb—in capsules or in liquid preparations. With its emphasis on long-term balancing of a woman's hormonal system, vitex is not a fast-acting herb and is unlikely to give immediate relief to the discomfort associated with PMS.
For premenstrual syndrome , frequent or heavy periods, vitex can be used continuously for four to six months. Infertile women with amenorrhea lack of menstruation can remain on vitex for 12 to 18 months, unless pregnancy occurs during treatment.
Side effects may include minor stomach upset and a mild skin rash with itching. Vitex is not recommended for use during pregnancy and should not be used concurrently with hormone therapy e. Agnus castus extracts inhibit prolactin secretion of rat pituitary cells. Horm Metab Res ; The use of Vitex agnus castus for hyperprolactinemia.
Quart Rev Nat Med ;Spring Schellenberg R. Treatment for the premenstrual syndrome with agnus castus fruit extract: prospective, randomized, placebo controlled study.
BMJ ; Treatment of premenstrual tension syndrome with Vitex agnus-castus. Controlled, double-blind study versus pyridoxine. Phytomedicine ; Premenstrual syndrome: Treatment with a phytopharmaceutical. Treatment of premenstrual syndrome with a phytopharmaceutical formulation containing Vitex agnus castus. Treatment of cyclical mastalgia with a solution containing Vitex agnus extract: results of a placebo-controlled double-blind study. The Breast ; Bone K. Vitex agnus-castus: Scientific studies and clinical applications.
Eur J Herbal Med ; Vitex agnus castus extract for the treatment of menstrual irregularities due to latent hyperprolactinemia. Arzneim Forsch ; [in German]. Amann W. Improvement of acne vulgaris following therapy with Agnus castus Agnolyt. Ther Ggw ; [in German]. Learn more about TraceGains, the company. The information presented by TraceGains is for informational purposes only. It is based on scientific studies human, animal, or in vitro , clinical experience, or traditional usage as cited in each article.
The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals. For many of the conditions discussed, treatment with prescription or over the counter medication is also available.
Information expires December This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.
Uses Botanical names: Vitex agnus castus. What Are Star Ratings? This supplement has been used in connection with the following health conditions: Used for Why 3 Stars.
However, not all benefits are backed by science. Here are the science-backed benefits — as well as some myths — associated with Vitex agnus-castus. Vitex , which is the name of the largest genus in the Verbenaceae plant family, includes species worldwide 1.
This fruit — as well as other parts of the plant — are typically used as an herbal remedy to treat a variety of ailments. Vitex agnus-castus is a plant frequently harvested as an herbal remedy for a variety of ailments. Its most popular use is to relieve PMS, menopause symptoms and infertility issues. One of the most popular and well-researched attributes of Vitex agnus-castus is its ability to reduce symptoms of PMS.
Researchers believe that vitex works by decreasing levels of the hormone prolactin. This helps rebalance other hormones, including estrogen and progesterone — thus reducing PMS symptoms 4.
In one study, women with PMS took Vitex agnus-castus during three consecutive menstrual cycles. In total, 93 percent of those given vitex reported a decrease in PMS symptoms, including:. In two smaller studies, women with PMS were given 20 mg of Vitex agnus-castus per day or a placebo for three menstrual cycles. Twice as many women in the vitex group reported a decrease in symptoms including irritability, mood swings, headaches and breast fullness, compared to those given the placebo 6 , 7.
Vitex agnus-castus also appears to help reduce cyclic mastalgia, a type of breast pain linked to menstruation. Research suggests that it may be as effective as common drug treatment — but with far fewer side effects 8 , 9 , However, two recent reviews report that although vitex appears helpful in reducing PMS symptoms, its benefits may be overestimated 11 , 12 , The hormone-balancing effects of Vitex agnus-castus may also help relieve symptoms of menopause.
In one study, vitex oils were given to 23 women in menopause. Women reported improved menopause symptoms, including better mood and sleep. Some even regained their period In a follow-up study 52 additional pre- and postmenopausal women were given a vitex cream.
Of the study participants, 33 percent experienced major improvements, and another 36 percent reported moderate improvements in symptoms, including night sweats and hot flashes However, not all studies have observed benefits.
One recent and larger double-blind, randomized, controlled trial — the gold standard in research — gave women a placebo or a daily tablet containing a combination of vitex and St. After 16 weeks, the vitex supplement was no more effective than the placebo at reducing hot flashes, depression or any other menopausal symptoms Keep in mind that in many studies reporting benefits, women were provided with supplements that mixed Vitex agnus-castus with other herbs.
Vitex may improve female fertility due to its possible effect on prolactin levels This may be especially true in women with luteal phase defect, or a shortened second half of the menstrual cycle. This disorder is linked to abnormally high prolactin levels and makes it difficult for women to become pregnant. In one study, 40 women with abnormally high prolactin levels were given either 40 mg of Vitex agnus-castus or a pharmaceutical drug.
0コメント