Comments on: Vitex or Chasteberry, the Female-Friendly Fruit for PMS

By: Tami Dougherty

Tami Dougherty — Fri, 05 Aug 2016 11:50:30 +0000

For men to help with andropause, balancing hormones, it seems to be helping. Just wanted to know your recommended dosage and once or twice a day. Thanks for the wonderful information :-)

By: carol yang

carol yang — Thu, 04 Aug 2016 17:40:03 +0000

Dr. Axe could you recommend any brand of Vitex for irregular period/hyperprolactinemia? thank you for you time.

By: Dawn

Dawn — Fri, 20 May 2016 04:29:52 +0000

Anyone used this for teenage acne? Results?

By: Kolleen

Kolleen — Fri, 20 May 2016 04:16:56 +0000

A bit off subject but I have a vitex tree and I wouldn’t attempt to use it as I don’t know the variety but let me say it’s a beautiful tree. It smells wonderful and attracts bumblebees. I love it. It’s low water and heat loving. Give it a shot if you want a specimen tree.

By: Leslie

Leslie — Mon, 16 May 2016 22:54:57 +0000

Dr. Axe—Is this herb safe for a breast cancer survivor who has had a Fibroid, Endometriosis and PCOS? My cycle is regular.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Tue, 10 May 2016 18:27:46 +0000

That should have read… “women with cycles less than 27 days, greater than 35 days, and/or with LPD…” Sorry

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Tue, 10 May 2016 18:25:19 +0000

I wish I read this earlier. Almost every other site and blog suggests much higher doeses of Vitex. I tried Vitex, even though I have regular cycles and ovulate regularly. I have a 10 day Luteal Phase and wanted to lengthen it. I started with a tincture of Vitex, using 40 drops (330 mg) 2 times daily, or 660 mg/day. I had splitting headaches and nausea from it, so quit within a week. Then I read the dosing here, and this study (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8369008) that suggested a MUCH smaller dose of only 20 mg!. So I tried again, using just 20 drops each morning, or 165 mg/day) just during the follicular phase. No headaches or nausea, and in the first month, I O’d 3 days earlier, on CD11, but my cycle length stayed the same (25 days). A 14 day luteal phase! It caught me by surprise… I had started using the OPK too late, It looks like I am gearing up to O early again this month too, as my OPKs are getting darker and darker, and I am only on CD7. I am thinking about taking it all month this month, even though I am using 250 mg of progesterone cream during the luteal phase aleady.

I keeping reading that women with regular cycles shouldn’t take Vitex as it could mess up their cycles. Really, I think it is a matter of proper dosing. Women with cycles 35 days and/or with a LPD (me) may benefit from lower doses than women with, for example, PCOS or endometriosis.

My take away message for women with regular cycles (but long or short, or with LPD) is, start with a low dose. It may be all you need, and you may avoid adverse effects to your cycle, and some side-effects. Jury is still out for me, but it looks promising so far.

Good luck everyone!

You are not seeing this post because you are ignoring JennyMaize.

By: Kim

Kim — Wed, 04 May 2016 02:47:24 +0000

So does Vitex lower libido?

By: Michele Brady

Michele Brady — Tue, 03 May 2016 21:24:57 +0000

I have very heavy periods and PMS that turns me into someone I don’t even recognize Chaste Berry has been a game changer for me. I finally know what it’s like to have a normal flow and mental state during my period. Great article Dr. Axe. You are putting all the pieces together that has taken me three years to figure out.
Thank you very much!