Black Cohosh: Herbs at a Glance Does It Work 

What Is Black Cohosh? 

Black  cohosh (Actaea racemosa, Cimicifuga racemosa) is an herbal supplement often used for natural menopause relief. Specifically, it is frequently used to help alleviate the symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness.
  
How Does Black Cohosh Work? 

It  is not clear how exactly  black cohosh works. It contains several different active compounds. Because it is most often used for menopause symptoms, it is thought that  the herb's activity  is related to estrogen. While  black cohosh seems  to work like  estrogen (it has many actions similar to estrogen), research suggests  that it  does not bind to estrogen receptors  and does not increase the number  of estrogen receptors. Therefore, it is  not known how or why this supplement has estrogen-like effects.
  
Is It Effective? 

Many studies have evaluated the effectiveness of black cohosh for treating  the symptoms of menopause, and  the results  have been mixed. Some  studies indicated that it worked well, while other studies suggested that it was no more effective than a placebo (a "sugar pill" that does not contain any active ingredients).
 
There is not enough evidence  to evaluate the effectiveness of this supplement for any other use. 

Does  Black Cohosh Work? 

Black  cohosh (Actaea racemosa, Cimicifuga racemosa) is an herbal remedy that is frequently used to treat  the symptoms of menopause.  In addition to this use,  black cohosh is sometimes claimed to be useful for  the following: 

• Treating osteoporosis 
• Treating premenstrual syndrome (PMS) 
• Inducing labor (stimulating labor in pregnant women). 

Black Cohosh Studies 

Of all the possible  black cohosh uses, only  one is supported by scientific evidence. Even so, studies have shown conflicting results. Many studies have shown  black cohosh to be moderately effective for treating  the symptoms  of menopause (often as effective as prescription medications), and many studies  have shown that black cohosh is no more effective than a placebo (a "sugar pill" that does not contain any active ingredients).
 
Early research suggests that black cohosh may be helpful for osteoporosis. However, this research was not designed to evaluate  whether black cohosh increases bone mineral density or lowers the risk  of fractures (broken bones). More evidence is necessary before any conclusions can be made.
 
There is not enough evidence to recommend  black cohosh for PMS  or for inducing labor   

Final Thoughts  on Black Cohosh Effectiveness 

Early  studies suggest that  black cohosh may be useful for natural menopause relief. However, further research is needed  to confirm that  black cohosh is indeed effective (and safe) for this  and other uses. It is important to remember than black  cohosh is classified as  a supplement (not a drug)  and is, therefore, less strictly regulated than drugs. This means that it can be marketed without being shown  to be safe or effective. 

Notes: DrJMinor

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EditText of this page (last edited December 23, 2009)