Black Cohosh

Black Cohosh is an herb that exerts its effects on the endocrine regulatory (hormonal) mechanism in your body. It’s a phytoestrogen, but by definition that means it’s weaker than the estrogens your body creates. Structurally, black cohosh more closely resembles estradiol, which researchers believe offers protection against cancer of the endometrium, ovaries and breast. That’s a real conclusion from research done on menopause treatment alternatives. You can take black cohosh for menopausal symptoms and get protection against cancer at the same time.

How should you take Black Cohosh for menopause?

The most commonly used preparation is black cohosh extract. It is standardized (that’s good because you know just how much of the herb you’re getting each time you take a capsule) to contain 250 mg of black cohosh extract. Not all uses for black cohosh have been approved by the FDA. Black cohosh should not be used in place of medication prescribed for you by your doctor.

Black cohosh is often sold as an herbal supplement. There are no regulated manufacturing standards in place for many herbal compounds and some marketed supplements have been found to be contaminated with toxic metals or other drugs. Herbal/health supplements should be purchased from a reliable source to minimize the risk of contamination.

How does Black Cohosh for menopause work?

Black cohosh has been used in alternative medicine as a possibly effective aid in reducing the frequency of hot flashes caused by menopause. Other uses not proven with research have included premenstrual syndrome (PMS), infertility, breast cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, rheumatism, migraine headaches, mental function, and many other conditions.

It is not certain whether black cohosh is effective in treating any medical condition. Medicinal use of this product has not been approved by the FDA. Black cohosh should not be used in place of medication prescribed for you by your doctor.

Black cohosh is often sold as an herbal supplement. There are no regulated manufacturing standards in place for many herbal compounds and some marketed supplements have been found to be contaminated with toxic metals or other drugs. Herbal/health supplements should be purchased from a reliable source to minimize the risk of contamination.

Black Cohosh has been used by Native Americans for more than two hundred years, after they discovered the root of the plant helped relieve menstrual cramps and symptoms of menopause. These days it is still used for menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes/flushes, irritability, mood swings and sleep disturbances. It is also used for PMS, menstrual irregularities, uterine spasms and has been indicated for reducing inflammation associated with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and neuralgia.

Herbal researcher Dr. James Duke has this to say about Black Cohosh; “Black cohosh really should be better known in this country, especially with our aging population and the millions of women who are now facing menopause. Recognized for its mild sedative and anti-inflammatory activity, black cohosh can help with hot flashes and other symptoms associated with that dramatic change of life called menopause. It’s also reported to have some estrogenic activity. Herbalist Steven Foster refers to a study that compared the effects of conventional estrogen replacement therapy with black cohosh. That study looked at 60 women, younger than 40 years old, who had had complete hysterectomies and were experiencing abrupt menopause. In all groups, treatment with black cohosh compared favorably with conventional treatment.”