Hot flashes are characterized by a feeling of intense heat in the face, neck and chest. Hot flashes that occur during the night are often referred to as night sweats. They commonly affect menopausal women, but it is possible to have a hot flash even if you're not going through menopause. Hot flashes do not require treatment, but some women find them so distressing that they seek medical help. Low-dose antidepressants or hormone therapy are sometimes used to control hot flashes. An herb known as black cohosh may also help to reduce their frequency. Talk to your doctor before using herbs.
Properties and Potential Benefits
Sometimes known as black snakeroot, black cohosh is a type of buttercup that is used as an herbal medicine for a number of conditions including osteoporosis and painful menstruation. However, it is primarily used to alleviate menopausal symptoms including hot flashes. The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center notes that it contains a number of active compounds and that may work in a similar way to the female sex hormone, estrogen, although this has not been proven.
Administration
The rhizome and root of black cohosh are use to prepare teas, tinctures, capsules and solid extract. The dose required to alleviate hot flashes may vary according to your overall health and age, although the University of Maryland Medical Center notes that 20 mg taken twice daily has been used to alleviate hot flashes.
Effectiveness
Evidence to show that black cohosh alleviates hot flashes is mixed. An analysis of data from seven clinical trials, published in the January 2010 issue of "Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine," shows that black cohosh reduces menopausal vasomotor symptoms, or hot flashes and night sweats, by 26 percent. However, the results of a clinical trial published in the December 2009 issue of "Menopause" found that black cohosh was no more effective than placebo in reducing hot flashes and night sweats.
Safety Considerations
Black cohosh may cause mild side effects including rash, stomach discomfort and headache. Its use has been implicated in several cases of hepatitis, although the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine notes that it is unclear whether black cohosh was directly responsible. Don't use black cohosh if you have a hormone-sensitive cancer, liver disease, endometriosis or uterine fibroids. It may interact with of drugs you are taking, including medicines that are modified by the liver, such as fluoxetine and tramadol, and the cancer drug cisplatin.
References
- NHS Choices: Menopause - Symptoms
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Menopause
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center: Menopause
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Black Cohosh
- "Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine"; Efficacy of Black Cohosh-Containing Preparations on Menopausal Symptoms: A Meta-Analysis; T. Shams et al.;January 2010
- "Menopause"; Safety and Efficacy of Black Cohosh and Red Clover for the Management of Vasomotor Symptoms: A Randomized Controlled Trial; S.E. Geller et al.; November 2009
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