Review of Vitex = a Beneficial Herbal Supplement for Women

Vitex, also known as chasteberry, vitex agnus-castus or Monks Pepper, is one of the best herbs for balancing female hormones. It regulates menstrual cycles as well as relieves symptoms such as headaches, mood swings, PMS, cramping, acne, breast tenderness, water retention, depression and constipation. It can help to relieve many female hormonal issues, is easy to find and affordable.

The chaste tree is native to woodlands and dry areas of southern Europe and western Asia. It has been used for centuries to treat hormonal imbalances in women. It is one of the oldest phytomedicines. It is a slow acting herb so taking it regularly for extended periods of time makes it work best. Many women see little change in the first three months and much greater change after the initial three months. By six months, almost all women see positive changes in their hormone balance. This supplement had been used to prevent postpartum hemorrhage and to help pass the placenta many years ago as well. Vitex has many different uses and helps almost all women with cycle regulation.

Vitex works on the pituitary gland, which is responsible for signaling the body to make the correct amounts of each hormone. It helps to bring balance to these hormones. It stimulates the pituitary gland to produce more progesterone and less prolactin. Vitex does not contain hormones, it only stimulates the pituitary gland so there are no side effects.

Many women with menstrual irregularity do not produce enough progesterone during the second phase of their cycles. The second phase is the luteal phase. Estrogen is the dominant hormone during the first phase of the menstrual cycle and in some irregularities, it continues to dominate the second phase as well, leading to menstrual abnormalities. Most of the women that experience this type of problem have higher than normal levels of prolactin. This can be a major cause of infertility.

Vitex is also commonly used to help treat perimenopausal as well as menopausal symptoms. Hot flashes, clotting, irritability and irregular periods benefit from taking this herb. Many women also see positive changes in PMS and mood swings overall when taking Vitex regularly.

It is not recommended during pregnancy and lactation, although some alternative medicine practitioners might say it is OK to use in some situations. Vitex has been proven to help women with PCOS, or polycystic ovarian syndrome. Many PCOS sufferers have seen great improvement in balancing their hormones naturally with Vitex. Women with PCOS typically have irregular cycles, trouble with ovulation, acne and mood swings so taking this supplement can be beneficial in many areas.

The most commonly recommended dosage is two to four capsules two times a day. The capsules are 500 mg each. You can easily find Vitex in any health food store or online at drug store type websites. It is affordable and easy to find, so why not give it a try and feel better in just weeks.

I take Vitex, one capsule, three times a day, every day. I take it because I have PCOS and a problem with cycle regulation as well as mood swings, PMS and acne. I have been taking it for only a month now and have seen some change already. I am hoping to see even more change over the next few months. I have heard only good about this herbal supplement and I feel that it can benefit almost all women that experience any menstrual cycle irregularities. It costs less than $10 a bottle and a bottle contains 90 capsules. That is less money than if I had to go on conventional medication to ease the symptoms of PCOS. There are no side effects and that is always a plus. So I recommend it if you have any PMS or menstrual cycle issues and if you are experiencing infertility, it can benefit you as well.