Does black cohosh help reduce hot flashes?

Black cohosh is an herbal medicine that can have a positive impact on the reduction of hot flashes and their severity. OB/GYN specialist Suzanne Gilberg-Lenz, MD, discusses this herbal remedy.

Transcript

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[MUSIC PLAYING] It's my go-to herb for my patients who either don't want to use hormones or can't use hormones. Maybe they're a smoker.

00:06

Maybe they've had breast cancer. Maybe they just don't want to do it. Maybe they have high blood pressure or other heart problems.

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Black cohosh is a traditional herbal medicine which has been shown to have great positive impact

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on the reduction of hot flashes and the reduction of the severity of the hot flashes.

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So women who take black cohosh consistently over a period of time may experience

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like a 50% reduction in their symptoms, which can be really significant for people. The evidence is very, very strong, and very clear.

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And of course, there is traditional usage of this for probably millennia. I love it. It's my go-to herb for my patients

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who either don't want to use hormones or can't use hormones. Maybe they're a smoker. Maybe they've had breast cancer. Maybe they just don't want to do it.

01:03

Maybe they have high blood pressure or other heart problems. And I really like using the traditional herbal medicines,

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especially when they've got good, strong scientific data to support their use. So it's 40 milligrams twice a day.

01:17

You've got to give this probably two to four weeks to see any kind of change in your symptoms. And I would say should be using this for about six months.

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It's best to work with someone who's well-versed in herbal medicine, but you can pick this up over the counter at pharmacies.

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And they're very cost-effective. [AUDIO LOGO]