Black Cohosh for Menopausal Relief

As you can probably tell by looking at my information, I have not, and will never go through menopause. What caused me to become interested in this topic is that 2 of my sisters recently went through it and had a tough time at it.

While traditional hormone replacement therapy seems to work reasonably well, it has proven side effects such as increased cancer risk as well as being bad for the heart. I knew deep inside there had to be a safe and effective natural alternative.

Since I blog about health related topics, I decided to go down to the local library and read up on natural cures for menopause and hot flashes. While there are some other natural remedies for menopausal symptoms (such as hot flashes), there was one that really caught my eye. It was black cohosh extract.

Black cohosh is a freestanding perennial plant that grows throughout many parts of North America; but also in Europe and Asia. While some people use it as an ornamental plant, we'll be focusing on the medicinal value in this particular Hub.

The use of black cohosh has been recorded throughout history. But most notably, it was used by the Native Americans. Black cohosh was used as a treatment for colds and coughs, headaches, kidney problems, anxiety, hot flashes, and other problems associated with menopause.

It was soon adopted by the colonists and it's use continues to this day.

Black cohosh was most commonly prepared and used as a tea. But it was also used for soaking.

During the 19th century, black cohosh was recommended by the Eclectics as a treatment for many conditions including menopausal symptoms. It was also listed in the United States Pharmacopoeia from 1820 to 1920 for the treatment of many of the above conditions.

Black cohosh was also one of the main ingredients in Lydia Pinkham’s Vegetable Compound, which was a popular patent remedy for menopausal symptoms available in the 1800's.

Today, there are several patent remedies containing black cohosh available in Europe and Australia. The most common of these is Remifemin. And with black cohosh being accepted as a safe and effective remedy for menopausal symptoms, it's use has been rapidly growing in the west.

There have been many studies conducted in both Europe and the United States that point to the effectiveness and safety of black cohosh for the treatment of menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, anxiety, and fatigue. But in this section, I will only list a few of them.

One double blind randomized study was conducted on a group of 95 women. The black cohosh group saw a significant drop in their amount and severity of hot flashes. The placebo group saw no improvement.

Another 12 week randomized placebo controlled study produced excellent results when compared to the control group; as well as an estrogen group. The black cohosh group saw a significant drop in stress and anxiety as measured by the 14 point Hamilton Anxiety Scale.

In 1982, an open retrospective study was conducted in Germany. It involved over 600 female patients. It was observed that women who were taking black cohosh were far less likely to suffer from severe menopausal symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and hot flashes. And with black cohosh gaining in popularity in the West, we can be sure that there will be more information coming out about this amazing herb.

Only minor black cohosh side effects have ever been reported, and it appears to be very safe.

As stated earlier, I am a man, and don't expect to be testing this out anytime soon. But I am still amazed by what I keep finding out about these amazing healing herbs. If you know someone who may be going through this time in her life, consider passing the word on. Black cohosh has been proven to be safe and effective.

Like I say in my other pages...If you could patent black cohosh and then sell it for $5 a pill, you would certainly be seeing it on TV; as well as any other advertising medium you could imagine. Herbal remedies are not wildly profitable, this is why you will rarely, if ever hear about them. It is up to us to spread the word.

Thank you for reading and best wishes.