You’re probably thinking: what in the world is Chasteberry!
Chasteberry, a key ingredient in Balance, comes from a shrub called the Chaste tree. Chaste trees bloom beautiful purple flowers that ripen into white berries (aka Chasteberries).
What can Chasteberry help treat?
So what is Vitex used for? Chasteberries are a low-risk homeopathic supplement that has been widely used for 2,000+ years. For centuries, women have used Chasteberry to treat menstrual and hormone-related problems.
Nowadays, practitioners like naturopaths use a Chasteberry vitamin to treat a number of conditions, including:
- Menstrual disorders (amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea)
- PMS (premenstrual symptoms)
- PCOS
- Hormonal acne
- Corpus luteum insufficiency
- Hyperprolactinemia
- Infertility
- Premenstrual mastodynia
- Ovarian cysts
- For women coming off birth control
Chasteberry increases progesterone production
Let's look at how this near-magical shrub does what it does for PMS symptoms.
An imbalance of estrogen and progesterone in the body causes most PMS symptoms and menstrual disorders. Reproductive events like coming off hormonal birth control can cause hormonal imbalances.
Taking birth control affects the anterior pituitary gland at the base of the brain. This important gland controls reproductive hormone regulation. Birth control creates an overabundance of estrogen while limiting progesterone production.
Your body may need some help to get back into hormonal balance. That's where Chasteberry comes in.
Chasteberry works to increases progesterone production in a few key steps:
- Chasteberry works in the anterior pituitary gland, binding to dopamine receptors.
- This binding causes a reduction of prolactin. Prolactin causes the development of mammary glands needed for pregnancy and breastfeeding. This is what causes breast tenderness, menstrual abnormalities, absence of ovulation, and other PMS symptoms.
- Decreased prolactin production increases progesterone. An increased level of progesterone, in turn, helps balance the hormonal imbalance that commonly causes PMS and menstrual irregularities.
Chasteberry is an active ingredient that helps you regain control of your menstrual cycle and PMS symptoms.
Does Chasteberry work?
Chasteberry has gone through vigorous testing by academic professionals and other medical experts. Most studies prove the shrub effective in helping PMSing and other menstrual issues.
Chasteberry for Acne
Struggling with acne can be frustrating and discouraging, especially if this acne is caused by hormone imbalances. Chasteberry has been shown to improve many different menstrual and hormone related adverse effects like acne.
Increasing progesterone regains balance in the body, which can help solve some acne problems. Chasteberry also increases progesterone without decreasing estrogen or increasing testosterone, the two main causes for hormone-related acne.
Chasteberry for PCOS
PCOS is a complex hormone imbalance that affects 20% of all women. PCOS patients often suffer from ovarian cysts, insulin resistance, imbalance of LH/FSH ratio, decrease of estrogen and an increase of androgens.
Chasteberry has been shown to decrease ovarian cysts, improve follicle health, improved cholesterol status, and improved LH/FSH ratio. All of which can help women with PCOS regain their period or successfully ovulate.
Chasteberry for PMSing
In clinical trials conducted at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology-University in Australia, 32% of menstruators showed improvement in PMS symptoms by the first month of taking a Chasteberry vitamin. 84% of participants showed improvement by the third month.
The study also compared Chasteberry to pyridoxine, also known as vitamin B6. Natural Chasteberry outperformed pyridoxine in treating PMS symptoms.
Chasteberry for PMDD
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a severe and disabling form of premenstrual syndrome that affects around 5% of menstruating women.
Chasteberry vitamin supplements proved to be a valid PMDD natural treatment alternative to prescription medication, fluoxetine.
The key ingredient in Premama's Balance is Chasteberry. We take extensive time to research product ingredients, alongside our Board of Medical Advisors, so you are empowered to take control of your reproductive journey.
References:
“Vitex... Fertility Super Herb?” Natural Fertility Info.com, 31 May 2019, https://natural-fertility-info.com/vitex.
Daniele, Claudia, et al. “Vitex Agnus Castus.” Drug Safety, vol. 28, no. 4, Apr. 2005, pp. 319–332., doi:10.2165/00002018-200528040-00004.
Wuttke, W., et al. “Chaste Tree (Vitex Agnus-Castus) – Pharmacology and Clinical Indications.” Phytomedicine, vol. 10, no. 4, 2003, pp. 348–357., doi:10.1078/094471103322004866.
van Die MD;Burger HG;Teede HJ;Bone KM; “Vitex Agnus-Castus Extracts for Female Reproductive Disorders: a Systematic Review of Clinical Trials.” Planta Medica, U.S. National Library of Medicine, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23136064/.
Anna, et al. “Vitex Supplements - The Right Way To Use Vitex For Hormones.” Flo Living, 12 May 2020, www.floliving.com/vitex-supplements-the-right-way-to-use-vitex-for-hormones/.
Ibrahim, N. A., et al. “Gynecological Efficacy and Chemical Investigation OfVitex Agnus-CastusL. Fruits Growing in Egypt.” Natural Product Research, vol. 22, no. 6, 2008, pp. 537–546., doi:10.1080/14786410701592612.
Christie S, Walker AF. Vitex agnus-castus L: (1) A review of its traditional and modern therapeutic use; (2) Current use from a survey of practitioners. Eur J Herbal Med 1997; 3: 29-45
