by ancientCurrent on April 13, 2010
Vitex Agnus Castus or Chasteberry is a magical herb for women. In Western herbalism Vitex is used for a myriad of conditions surrounding the female reproductive system including luteal phase insufficiency (which often results in miscarriage or infertility), infertility, PCOS, amenorrhea, PMS and menopausal symptoms. Many herbs show properties of phyto-estrogens very few have phyto-progestin properties. However, Vitex is one of them.
Numerous studies have found that the berries of the plant act on the hypothalamus and the pituitary glands by increasing LH (lutenizing hormone) and mildly inhibiting the release of FSH (Follicle stimulating hormone). High levels of prolactin are also found with corpus luteum insufficiency and Vitex can also be used to regulate those levels.
The following article is from Tori Hudson’s site on the use of Vitex to Reduce PMS
Chinese women suffering from moderate to severe premenstrual syndrome (PMS) were studied in a prospective, double-blind, placebo controlled, parallel-group, multi-center clinical trial. A Vitex agnus castus extract, contained 4.0 mg of dried ethanolic (70%).
The mean total Premenstrual Syndrome Diary (PMSD) score decreased from 29.23 at baseline to 6.41 at the end of the third cycle for the Vitex group and from 28.14 at baseline to 12.64 at the end of the third cycle for the placebo group. The difference in the PMSD score from baseline to the third cycle was significantly lower in the treatment group than in the placebo group. The Premenstrual Tension Syndrome Self-Rating Scale (PMTS) decreased from 26.17 at baseline to 9.92 for the treatment group and from 27.10 to 14.59 for the placebo group; similar positive results to the PMSD scores.
Comments: I’ve long used Vitex for the treatment of PMS and in my opinion, it is the single most important plant for the treatment of PMS. The effect of Vitex is on the hypothalamus-hypophysis axis and results in an increased secretion of luteinizing hormone which then favors a progesterone effect. Several other placebo controlled studies have found that Vitex reduced a variety of PMS symptoms. The current study adds to the clinical relevance of this plant in the treatment of moderate to severe symptoms of PMS.
References
He Z, Chen R, Zhou Y, et al. Treatment for premenstrual syndrome with Vitex agnus castus: A prospective, randomized, multi-center placebo controlled study in China. Maturitas 2009; 63:99-103
Acupuncture can also be helpful in regulating the menses…see post on how TCM regulates the menstrual cycle.
by ancientCurrent on February 28, 2010
Having a miscarriage can be rough. When I experienced a miscarriage I felt a wide range of emotions; grief, disappointment, guilt, emptiness and even embarrassment.
I had a missed miscarriage during the first trimester of my first pregnancy. I wasn’t even sure if I was ready to get pregnant but when I found out I was cautiously excited. One day I started spotting at about 10 weeks and called my midwife, Joanne Middleton. She was brutally honest and to this day I still love her for that. She said “listen to me, you may be having a miscarriage. let’s get a sonogram and know for sure.” She said my chances of miscarrying were 50%. Anyway, the whole sonogram experience was cold and horrendous and I learned that I had miscarried a few weeks back.
I cried a lot for a few days and spent way too much time on the internet. I started piecing back the days of my pregnancy trying to figure out when it happened. I began blaming myself for everything.
I received an acupuncture treatment from a close colleague called the “trauma treatment”, a Japanese treatment that helps address emotional and physical trauma. This particular point protocol is focused on the Kidney meridian and helps support the adrenal glands. Along with diet and herbs I began to feel much better.
After taking a few months off to regain my strength (in Chinese medicine a miscarriage is considered as draining as if you carried a baby to term) we got pregnant again. I continued getting regular acupuncture treatments and taking herbs to help “secure the fetus“. My innocence was a bit lost but everything worked out fine and Lucia is here with us today.
Although the miscarriage was horribly devestating it helped foster my passion for having a baby…plus I wouldn’t have met my Lucia..?
How Acupuncture and Herbs can help prevent Miscarriage:
In Chinese medicine the act of sustaining a pregnancy depends a lot of your Kidney Qi and Kidney Yang. If a person is deficient in Kidney Yang they may appear to have hypothyroidism or tend to run cold, have low back pain, hair loss, memory loss, decreased libido, tinnitis, excessive urine and weight gain.
Kidney Yin plays a large role in fertility as well. Those presenting with Kidney Yin vacuity issues manifest with more hyperthyroid issues like insomnia, agitation, wired feeling, hyper, dryness, back pain.
Chinese herbs have a long history of use in aiding fertility. Records indicating herbal treatment of infertility and miscarriage date back to 200 A.D., including mention of formulas that are still used for those purposes today, in the famous medical text Shang Han Lun. The first book devoted solely to gynecology and obstetrics, The Complete Book of Effective Prescriptions for Diseases of Women, was published in 1237 A.D.
By addressing the root cause we can help secure a “restless fetus”. If the egg is not viable then no amount of acupuncture or herbs will help sustain the pregnancy. Nature knows best. Chinese medicine can offer a little support in the right direction. Some concepts behind the treatments are that acupuncture can help reduce your sympathetic nervous system. When people are under stress cortisone is produced which has an inverse effect on progesterone. Also a few herbs like Vitex Chasteberry and Mexican Yam help to raise progesterone levels.
