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Vitex: The Woman's Herb

© Lori Ramsey

Vitex is also known as Chaste Tree Berry, Vitex agnus-castus or monk's pepper. It is a fruity herb plant that grows in Mediterranean countries and central Asia. Vitex is a natural remedy that aids women with problems in infertility, premenstrual syndrome, menstrual difficulties, acne, fibrocystic breast disease and heavy menstruation.

Vitex helps to lengthen luteal phase defects and helps to lower high prolactin levels, both of which causes infertility. However, vitex does not contain hormones - its benefits stem from its actions upon the pituitary gland - specifically upon the production of lutenizing hormone. This helps to increase the production of progesterone - thus helping to regulate the menstrual cycle. It also aids in decreasing prolactin levels. A breastfeeding mom, for example, would produce a high level of prolactin, thus the natural birth control effect. But in decreasing the prolactin levels - it may enable a woman to finally become pregnant.

I've heard it said both ways about when and how much vitex should be taken. Some say to take it from menstruation to ovulation - stopping once ovulation has been established and then continuing again if menstruation should occur. Others have said it is safe to take all month long - stopping if pregnancy should occur. On this argument - the effects vitex has on a woman's hormones can benefit her throughout her entire cycle. Also, it may be a smart practice to discontinue any supplements during menstruation, to allow the body to completely cleanse itself. I would suggest reading the bottle and asking a health professional about the dosage and time to take vitex.

Vitex is not a fast acting herb and may take several months to build up in your system. I have read that when using vitex to treat infertility you can take it up to 12 to 18 months - or until pregnancy occurs. Should pregnancy not occur in that time span, seek the advice of a health care professional for the next steps in achieving pregnancy. Another note of caution - you cannot take vitex while taking the fertility drug Clomid - or any drug like Clomid. It seems that vitex and Clomid counter act each other.

I took vitex for about 3 months last fall and really didn't see a difference in me. Perhaps I didn't give it enough time to build up in my system. However I do know a few women who took vitex and became pregnant very quickly. Some women will not see any results,while for others, it may be just the positive answer they're looking for. Some swear by the effects of vitex, claiming that it eases the premenstrual symptoms and alleviating the menstrual cramping. This in and of itself may be reason enough to take vitex, if for anything to alleviate those pesky monthly symptoms. I suppose each woman is different