Black Cohosh 101 part 3

Can black cohosh be used to treat arthritis?

There are only anecdotal reports, which claim that black cohosh is useful in arthritis. At the moment there is no clinical evidence that black cohosh is useful for any type of arthritic disorder. There are many isolated reports which claim that black cohosh does not provide relief from arthritic pain.

Is black cohosh useful for Menopausal symptoms?

Even though black cohosh is a widely popular supplement among postmenopausal women who want treatment for their symptoms, the clinical evidence is not easy to interpret. Most women use black cohosh to treat menopausal symptoms such as migraine headaches, sleep disturbances, hot flashes, mood problems, sweats, heart palpitations, and vaginal dryness. There are some studies in humans that do suggest improvement in symptoms with black cohosh, however, not all women experience the same relief of symptoms, and the symptom relief is not sustained. Some reports indicate that black cohosh does work well for about 3-6 months. Currently, some health care providers only recommend black cohosh for short-term use. Because of the variability in quality of product, many women will have to try out a few products to determine which is the most effective. In the end, all women should understand that black cohosh only works in less than 50% of individuals.

Does black cohosh relieve menstrual migraine?

Nearly 30% of women develop menstrual migraines. Many women do report relief of headaches after ingesting back cohosh but this relief is not seen in all postmenopausal women. Further, after a few weeks or months, black cohosh fails to work. Of all the postmenopausal symptoms, menstrual migraines may be the one symptom that is amenable to treatment with black cohosh.

What is dose of black cohosh?

No one really knows what dose of black cohosh to take. Every herbal store sells a different product with different formulations and a different dose. The British herbal commission recommends a dose of 40-200 milligrams of dried rhizome daily in divided doses. However, there are women who take nearly 300-400 mg three times a day.
The liquid formula does is also variable and ranges from 0.4 to 2 milliliters of a (1:10) formula dissolved in 60% ethanol. This tincture does taste bitter and acrid. Most reports indicate that a dose of 40 mg for 12 weeks if effective

Black Cohosh 101

Many postmenopausal women take black Cohosh. The vendors who sell this product make it sound like this product is a remedy for every medical symptom after menopause. One of the major reasons why black cohosh has gained popularity is because it is deemed to be a better alternative to hormonal therapy in menopausal women. Black cohosh is sold as a treatment for:

-hot flashes
-mood disturbances
-diaphoresis (sweating)
-palpitations (fast heart beats)
-vaginal dryness

Is there any evidence that black cohosh works?

There have been a few studies, which have looked at this product, and some studies have revealed an improvement in menopausal symptoms. However, not all studies show the same degree of improvement in symptoms.

How does black cohosh work?

The exact mechanism how black cohosh works is unknown but is believed to be related to either a direct effects on the estrogen receptor or alteration of hormonal levels

Is black cohosh safe?

The supplement has been studied for up to 6 months and appears to be safe for this time period. Long-term safety of black cohosh is not known and caution is advised until more long term data are available

Can black cohosh be used in women with breast cancer?

Use of black cohosh in females with breast or uterine cancer should be used with great caution. Most physicians do not recommend it but if one does use the supplement, it has to be under the supervision of a health care professional