What is the active ingredient in Vitex?
The major active constituents of V. agnuscastus are iridoid glycosides, flavonoids, alkaloids, and essential oils. Its dominant pharmacological effect on the body is inhibition of prolactin secretion.
What are the benefits of Vitex?
Vitex can help raise your progesterone levels and lower your prolactin levels. It can help your premenstrual symptoms and ease breast pain and tenderness.
What does agnus-castus do to hormones?
Agnus-castus binds to dopamine receptors in the hypothalamus and pituitary gland (1). This can lead to a decrease in the release of the hormone prolactin (9–11), among other hormones. Prolactin is the primary hormone responsible for promoting lactation, or the creation of milk in pregnant and postpartum people (11).
What does Vitex do to hormones?
Vitex has been shown to help re-establish normal balance of estrogen and progesterone during the menstrual cycle. Vitex also blocks prolactin secretion in women with excessive levels of this hormone; excessive levels of prolactin can lead to breast tenderness and failure to ovulate.
Does Vitex increase testosterone?
Vitex can increase progesterone levels4 and reduce elevated prolactin9,17 and testosterone16 levels, all of which contribute to the restoration of regular menstruation in women with amenorrhea.
Can Vitex mess up your hormones?
Hormone-sensitive condition such as endometriosis; uterine fibroids; or cancer of the breast, uterus, or ovaries: Vitex agnus-castus can affect hormones and might affect estrogen levels. Don’t use vitex agnus-castus if you have a hormone-sensitive condition.
Can vitex increase estrogen?
Vitex significantly increased the estrogen level in the Vitex + d-galactose group, compared to the d-galactose group (p < 0.05). Vitex also significantly increased the estrogen level in the Vitex + Aging group, compared to the Aging group (p < 0.05; Fig. 1C).
Is vitex good for estrogen dominance?
Vitex has an effect of enhancing progesterone and decreasing estrogen levels. This can help balance out the estrogen dominance, which is frequently the root of many hormonal cycle issues.
Is Vitex an anti androgen?
Chaste tree (Vitex agnus castus) standardized extract also has anti-androgenic effects. If you have a history of hormone-sensitve illness or take hormone medications, including birth control, ask your doctor before taking chaste tree.
Can Vitex raise estrogen?