Black cohosh may relieve menopausal symptoms

Black cohosh may relieve menopausal symptoms

A double-blind, placebo-controlled study appearing in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology (2005; 105(5 Pt 1): 1074-83) looked at the effect black cohosh had on menopausal symptoms in 304 women. The women were given either a standardized extract of black cohosh for 12 weeks or a placebo. The women given the supplement experienced greater relief of symptoms than the placebo group. Other research appearing in the journal Nutrition and Cancer (2007; 59(2): 269-77) showed that black cohosh can improve menopausal symptoms, and looked at the possible effect on breast cancer. The authors of the study concluded that supplementation with a standardized extract of black cohosh (containing 2.5% triterpenes) without estrogenic effects that would affect the breast.