Black Cohosh and Menopause

Here's the scoop on Black Cohosh

The studies done on Black Cohosh have not shown consistent results.  In a few, it is better than placebo, and in others, it's no better than placebo.  However, one thing I explain to my patients, is that with ANY menopause treatment, the placebo response can range from 30-50%, so if if works for you, then it works.

Part of the problem when looking at Black Cohosh, is that there are so many different formulations and it's available in different strengths.  It also seems that some women do very well with it, while others are left scratching their heads wondering what the big deal is.  

I've spoken to many researchers in the area of hot flashes and night sweats and many of us believe that women may have certain receptors that uptake black cohosh differently than other women and thus see relief when using it.

Since Black cohosh is generally considered a "relatively safe herb", though it's not recommended for women on statins or any medication that has potential liver toxicity. For a complete list, I use the WebMD list.

Black Cohosh is a choice for hot flashes and night sweats. It won't help vaginal dryness or protect our bones from loss of mineralization.  The things I tell my patients to watch out for are stomach cramps and diarrhea.I tried Remifemin, a pharmaceutical grade Black Cohosh and found that it reduced my night sweats and hot flashes by about 25-30%.  This helped me for about 4 months, then for some reason, it stopped working.  I've also heard this from other patients, who find that it relieves their symptoms for a while, but few of my patients stay on it for more than 6-12 months.  I've found that they either decide to use  something else or put up with their symptoms.

There are many different remedies to consider and you can also read my  Personal Guide to Menopause for more information.

Comments

[Seattle dermatologists]

Found your post interesting to read. I cant wait to see your post soon. Good Luck for the upcoming update. :) Thanks for sharing!

[Henry garcia]

not an easy topic to right on... but still you managed to do a great job ! :) ...very informative indeed ! thanks alot !

[Jennifer West]

As for those who are asking if black cohosh is safe for women who undergo breast cancer treatment, there has been mixed results on how effective the herb is. It's advisable to ask a doctor before using it.