Chasteberry Benefits for Women

Chasteberry, also known as chaste tree berry, vitex, or monk's pepper, may be associated with several benefits. Chasteberry owes its name to its historical use as an antiaphrodisiac for monks and nuns. Traditionally, herbalists and midwives have recommended chasteberry supplements to women suffering from infertility and hormonal disruptions.

Herbalists now believe that there are many benefits of chasteberry supplements. After checking with a health care provider, consider using chasteberry for any of the following purposes.

PMS Treatment

Herbalists recommend that women who are prone to PMS take 400 mg of chasteberry daily. Some studies have shown that it can ease PMS symptoms including fatigue, mood disturbances, breast tenderness and menstrual headache.

Lactation Support

Traditionally, midwives believed that chasteberry could improve breast milk output and let-down reflex in women who were breastfeeding babies. No studies have evaluated the safety of using chasteberry to increase breast milk, so it is probably best to stick with more popular herbal galactatogues, such as fenugreek or fennel tea.

Menopause Relief

Chasteberry may increase estrogen levels in women who are entering the menopausal transition. In theory, chasteberry supplements benefit menopausal women by easing hot flashes, night sweats, low libido and other menopausal discomforts. Chasteberry may be included in other menopause-relief herbal regimens.

Female Fertility Support

Some small-scale studies have supported the use of chasteberry supplements as treatments for infertility. It appears to be most effective when infertiliy is a direct result of a hormonal disturbance, such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). No studies have evaluated the use of chasteberry to prevent miscarriage or other complications of pregnancy.

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine offers more information about chasteberry's benefits for women.