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long term use of Vitex
February 15 2008 at 2:27 AM Miles (no login)
I recall a discussion people were having about whether or not to take vitex long-term. I found this info on a producct containing vitex, while searching the web today:

ngredients: Vitex, Self Heal, Fu-ling, Astragalus, Curcuma, Atractylodes, Scutellaria

Organs Affected: Liver, Speen, Lungs, Heart, Urinary Bladder

Fem-Mate helps to promote progesterone production and balance female hormones. As a result, it tends to alleviate or eliminate hot flashes in menopause. In some cases, Fem-Mate in conjunction with Chinese Bitters appears to be the only product that alleviate hot flashes after years of using hormone replacement therapy. It also alleviates PMS symptoms by stimulating progesterone production.

Notes:

* Long-term use of Fem-Mate for PMS may reduce its efficiency probably because the increased production of progesterones may lead eventually to increased estrogen production.


So, according to this, if you are estrogen dominant, long term use of vitex would actually be detrimental. So, if that's true, unfortunately, "long-term" is not defined. 5 months? 1 year? etc.




hopeful88
(Login Hopeful88)
SENIOR MEMBER
Re: long term use of Vitex
February 16 2008, 6:31 AM

Why would more progesterone mean more estrogen being produced though?



Jackie
(Login classyfashh)
Re: long term use of Vitex
February 16 2008, 6:39 PM

Didn't somebody say if you take too much progesterone producing supplements when you are estrogen dominant that ... yeah exactly what you said. But they said because progesterone is a type of estrogen. Actually I'm not even going to bother answering because I have no idea..

But I also have no idea if this is the Vitex taking effect or the massaging in these past 3 days... Because my boobs have been seemingly getting fuller and firmer.
NICE !
:]



waxingmoon
(Login waxingmoon)
SENIOR MEMBER
Re: long term use of Vitex
February 17 2008, 1:30 AM

This website is so chocked full of information. You just have to know where to look. Check out the Information on Herbs link.

I think the information you are getting from that product is inaccurate. There is no evidence that vitex will ever increase estrogen dominance.

Progesterone is used by the body as a precursor to many hormones. One of these is estrogen. So yes, progesterone does promote estrogen. It also activates estrogen receptors so we are able to respond better to estrogen.

THIS DOES NOT MEAN IT CAUSES AN IMBALANCE IN ESTROGEN VERSUS PROGESTERONE. (by the way this is no 'shouting' - this is emphasis for those who prefer to 'skim' rather than read)

Estrogen dominance does not always mean you have too much estrogen - it means that you do not have enough progesterone to balance your estrogen.

When you take a substance like vitex you promote progesterone - (and you will find out how if you look to the link above). So even though this progesterone -as it normally and healthily does - increases a woman's estrogen - it does not make estrogen dominance.

I have searched far and wide to find out why some articles say the use of vitex should be curtailed. They never list any plausible reason. I find just as many if not more that indicate it has never been implicated in any harmful health effects.


waxingmoon



Jackie
(Login classyfashh)
Re: long term use of Vitex
February 17 2008, 7:54 PM

Wow.
Thanks for the post waxingmoon.
Totally more understanding now :]
I had the total wrong idea on oh how that worked. oops!



Blooms
(no login)
Vitex and long term use
February 17 2008, 9:03 PM

In research studies, it has been documented that taking Vitex for as long as 9 years (the max length that the study followed up on the women who participated) without any side effects, with the dosage they were using. Do a search and you should easily come across reviews of research done with Vitex as it's famed for use in PMS, progesterone deficiency, endometriosis etc. The dosage they used in the studies is also reported.

I guess if one doesn't take more than what the studies has used on participants, one shouldn't have side effects. It;s been documented to be a relatively safe herb (used alone in studies).



Miles
(no login)
Re: long term use of Vitex
February 18 2008, 4:36 AM

Thanks for all the information. Yes, I wasn't sure about that website's statement, as they didn't even define what long term meant. I guess, like with any herb or supplement, if you start to experience the very symptoms you are trying to 'fix', you will know that the supplement is no longer working.



Laura
(Login pussycat_laura)
HI
February 18 2008, 2:44 PM

I take a ticture 100g of it contains 50g 'rubus ideus' extract and 50 g 'vitex agnus castus' extract, in etilic alcohol made of cereals 30% vol.
I have to take 4 ml in water every morning before breakfast.
what do you think the dosage is enough to be effective on enlarging my breasts? or I should take more or less???
this is the only product that contains agnus castus that can be found in my country so I hope it can help me .

thanks.



waxingmoon
(Login waxingmoon)
SENIOR MEMBER
Re: long term use of Vitex
February 18 2008, 3:35 PM

Laura,
My brain is frightened by the complex question you have posed. First I would have to convert grams to liters and then figure the percentages and.... AAAHHHGH... it's that horrible dream I keep having that I am in school and I have this test... but I haven't been to class all year long... and its a MATH test... and if I don't pass it I fail... and then there are these green dogs that know the formula but they won't give it to me unless I can solve this riddle...


Really, if you are following what the label on the bottle says you are doing just fine. More is not always better when it comes to NBE. The vitex will not be a problem even if you took more, but the raspberry leaf it contains could possibly be a problem if you took more than you should.

I found this about raspberry leaf:

Risks
In high doses, raspberry leaf may cause muscles in the uterus to contract or relax; therefore, a miscarriage could occur if it is used by a pregnant woman. Raspberry leaf should not be used by women who have endometriosis, uterine fibroids, or cancers of the breast, ovaries, or uterus. Men who have prostate cancer should also avoid using it. Women who are breast feeding should not drink large amounts of raspberry leaf tea due to unknown effects on infants. Individuals who take insulin or oral drugs for diabetes should also limit their use of raspberry leaf by mouth, because it may reduce blood sugar levels erratically. http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/DVH/HerbsTake/0,3927,552026|Rubus%2Bidaeus,00.html


So, maybe someone else can answer you complicated MATH question, but you are probably fine just staying with your dosage if that is what the label says to do.

waxingmoon (the math phobic)



Durga
(Login durga)
SENIOR MEMBER
Re: long term use of Vitex
February 18 2008, 9:18 PM

Laura,

I've had similar questions regarding liquid extracts and I feel like they (my questions) are being avoided like the plague! I think it's just that not many people may be using liquid forms, and also that there's elusive math involved

I think Waxingmoon's right, if you're taking the dose that's listed on the label, you should be fine. Vitex takes a while to have effect (up to three months or so?), so give it a trial and see if you notice results. If not, you may want to try another herb that you can increase dosages on-if that ends up being the case. Yes, the raspberry is questionable as far as upping the dose.

Maybe you'd want to make a separate post and see if there's anyone else in your country that knows other herb suppliers.

Good luck,
Durga




Hopeful88
(Login Hopeful88)
SENIOR MEMBER
Re: long term use of Vitex
February 19 2008, 7:57 PM

I never knew all of this about raspberry leaf! I used to have alot of the tea but not anymore... didn't notice anything strange, but interesting info