Vitex Chasteberry Side Effects

Chasteberry, also called vitex, is used to balance female hormones, regulate menstruation and promote breast milk production. Germany’s regulatory agency for herbs, Commission E, approves vitex for treating mastodynia, or breast pain, as well as menstrual irregularities. This herb can have some side effects, however, and should not be used by everyone. It’s best to consult a doctor before adding it to your regimen, advises the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

Pregnancy Concerns

You need to avoid chasteberry if you are pregnant, advises NCCAM. That’s because it has emmenagogue effects, according to Drugs.com. This means chasteberry promotes menstrual discharge.

Side Effects

You may experience gastrointestinal side effects including diarrhea when you use vitex, according to “The Essential Herb-Drug-Vitamin Interaction Guide,” by George T. Grossberg and Barry Fox. You also may have appetite loss or suffer depression. Other possible side effects can include a rash, itching headaches, hair loss, fatigue, acne and increased menstrual flow, according to Drugs.com.

Dopamine Agonist Interaction

Taking chasteberry with dopamine agonists such as levodopa, bromocriptine, selegiline or amantadine can increase risk of side effects from these drugs, including dizziness, vomiting, nausea and headache, according to Grossberg and Fox. That’s because the herb has dopamine agonist activity, which increases dopamine levels in the brain, according to drugs.com.

Birth Control Difficulties

Chasteberry can make your birth control pills less effective, according to drugs.com. It can interfere with action of ethinyl esttradiol with desogestrel, drospirenone, ethynodiol diacetate, levonorgetrel, norethindrone, norgestimate or norgestrel as well as mestranol and norethindrone and norgesterel.

Hormone Sensitive Conditions

If you have a hormone sensitive condition, such as estrogen-sensitive breast cancer, you need to avoid vitex because it can have hormonal effects that will worsen your condition, according to Grossberg and Fox. Vitex also may interfere with your efforts regarding in vitro fertilization.