What are the benefits of the chasteberry herb?

Answer 1

Vitex has the effect of stimulating and normalizing pituitary gland function. It normalizes the activity of female sex hormones, and is indicated for dysmenorrhea, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), menopausal symptoms, and other disorders related to hormone imbalance. Unlike other herbs used for this purpose, vitex does not contain plant estrogens. lnstead, it contains at least two forms of testosterone, as well as the growth-stimulant hormones androstenedione and progesterone. Vitex also seems to lower production of the hormone prolactin. Benefits of vitex for specific health conditions include the following:

• Acne, fibrocystic breasts, menopause-related problems, menstrual problems, and premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Symptoms related to the menstrual cycle, including cramps, breast pain, and acne flare-ups, among a host of others, are often caused by hormonal imbalances during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, the phase that occurs after an egg is released from the ovary. Sometimes, the corpus luteum, the yellowish ovarian scar that forms after the egg is released, produces inadequate amounts of estrogen and progesterone or excessive amounts of testosterone. Vitex stimulates the production of estrogen and progesterone, while it stops the production of excessive amounts of testosterone by providing compounds that are very similar to it. A German study found that vitex can reestablish the luteal phase of the period in women whose periods are abnormally short. In addition to balancing hormones in these conditions, vitex can reduce pain. The analgesic effect of the herb is due to its content of agnoside. The most important use of vitex in England is in treating menopausal symptoms. For relieving symptoms such as hot flashes, positive results should be noticed after two to three months'. Several studies indicate that vitex can help control acne in teenagers, both male and female. It usually starts working after ten days; however, it may take six months or longer to see its full benefit.

• Endometriosis and infertility. German and Austrian physicians take advantage of vitex's ability to increase the production of progesterone in treating endometriosis, a condition in which the endometrial tissue normally found within the uterus escapes into the abdominal cavity, causing pain and menstrual difficulties. Because it stimulates growth of the uterine lining, vitex can help reverse infertility.

• Prostate cancer. Theoretically, there are grounds for believing that vitex could be useful in treating prostate cancer, and the herb is frequently recommended for this purpose. At least in laboratory studies, vitex reduces the production of prolactin, a hormone responsible for converting testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, which in turn stimulates the growth of prostate cancer cells. Reducing the production of prolactin theoretically should slow the growth of prostate cancer cells. Whether this effect takes place in the human body, however, is not yet known. Since vitex contains both compounds that stop the conversion of testosterone and the testosterone compounds themselves, it is probably too risky to use this herb as a treatment for prostate cancer.