Health Benefits of Black Cohosh
Health Benefits of Black Cohosh
Black cohosh (actaea racemosa) is a flowering plant belonging to the buttercup (Ranunuclaceae) family native to North America. Native Americans used black cohosh for treatment of a variety of conditions including fever, cough, pain, malaria, sore throat, kidney ailments, and menstrual cramps. Black cohosh has been used for medicinal purposes in Germany since the 19th century.
Today, black cohosh is commonly used to treat menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, heart palpitations, tinnitus, vertigo, sleep disturbances, nervousness and irritability.
Black cohosh may relieve symptoms related to reductions or imbalances in the hormone estrogen.
Studies have shown in 2010 that menopausal women who consumed black cohosh provided a 26% decrease in hot flashes and night sweats.
In a 2018 study, 80 menopausal women, with hot flashes, who consumed 20mg of black cohosh daily for 8 weeks had a significant reduction of severity of hot flashes and improvement of the quality of life.
Black cohosh may also relieve symptoms of PCOS that may include irregular menstrual cycles, infertility, excess facial hair growth and thinning. In a 2014 study, 98 patients with PCOS and infertility who consumed black cohosh combined with Clomid, a medication to treat infertility, may have helped improve their pregnancy rates.
Black cohosh may help with menstrual regulation with or without PCOS.
Black cohosh may also treat fibroids. A 3 month study where 244 post-menopausal women consumed 40mg of black cohosh showed that the size of their uterine fibroids decreased by up to 30%.
Black cohosh may help improve your mental health, especially in menopausal women but more research is needed.
Black cohosh may help reduce inflammation associated with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis but more research is needed.
Black cohosh may help treat osteoporosis. Black cohosh may help improve sleep.
Black cohosh may have side effects, including upset stomach, headache, rash, mild weight gain, breast pain or enlargement, spotting or bleeding outside of your menstrual cycle and liver damage. Black cohosh may worsen breast cancer or any other hormone-sensitive conditions but more research is needed.
Black cohosh may interaction with certain medications.
As always consult with your physician.
Sources:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3955607/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5868221/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actaea_racemosa
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/BlackCohosh-HealthProfessional/
https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/black-cohosh
https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/black-cohosh
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-is-black-cohosh