Released: December 19, 2006

Black cohosh no aid for menopause symptoms

Source: Thomas H. Maugh II, LA Times [SF Chronicle]

The widely used herbal remedy black cohosh does nothing to eliminate hot flashes, night sweats and other symptoms of menopause, either alone or in combination with other herbs, federally sponsored researchers reported Monday.

Thousands of women use the supplement, but a controlled trial reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine showed it is no more effective than a placebo. Only estrogen produced a significant reduction in hot flashes.

“In the doses we used, and the way we used it, it did not work,” said epidemiologist Katherine Newton of Group Health, a Seattle-based health system, who led the study. “The findings will certainly be a disappointment to women. It would have been nice to find something that is safe and effective.”

The study was sponsored by the National Institute on Aging and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, both components of the National Institutes of Health.

Read Full Article: Black cohosh no aid for menopause symptoms