The ancients called it Monk’s pepper. This is because chaste tree berry (also known as Vitex and by he trade name Femaprin) supposedly had the ability to decrease sexual desire. However, others say it is an aphrodisiac, in other words, it has the opposite effect. Can both be true?
Chaste tree berry (also known as Vitex and by he trade name Femaprin) was at one time called Monk’s pepper because of its supposed ability to decrease sexual drives. However, others have taken it to enhance sexual drives. How could it do both at the same time?
Though a shrub, chaste tree will grow up to twenty-two feet tall. It is native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean region. It flourishes on moist riverbanks, but it can also be grown as an ornamental plant in American gardens. The beautiful blue-violet flowers blossom in midsummer. It is only used today for female problems.
That it could bring about opposite responses is not limited to sex drives. Chaste berry has been used to inhibit excessive milk in nursing mothers and to encourage lactation. It magnifies post menopausal problems and solves them. It both hinders conception and helps overcome infertility.
How can this be explained? Chaste tree berry is what is called an adaptogen. This means it works to normalize hormone imbalance through its affect on the adrenal glands, in this case the pituitary. In other words, it restricts hormonal excesses and encourages deficiencies. Other examples of herb that are adaptogens would include ginseng, ginkgo, garlic, echinacea, goldenseal, and taheebo.
In order to balance the body hormones, chaste tree berry decreases the production of some hormones and increases the production of others. Some claim its success in treating infertility because it tends to shift the balance in favor of the gestagens which are hormones that condition the body for pregnancy.
Chaste tree berry encourages production of progesterone. This is why the herb is especially effective in balancing the female reproductive system. It is taken to help restore menstruation, to regulate heavy periods, and, as mentioned above, to restore fertility caused by hormonal imbalance. Some using it have found relief from PMS tension, and eased the changes during menopause. Premenstrual breast tenderness, linked to excess prolactin, is helped with chaste tree berry.
Chaste tree berry is also used, in tincture form, to relieve pains in the limbs, to relief pain of paralysis, and to treat neuropathic muscular weakness. Some even use them to treat acne. The berries can be ground and used as a substitute for black pepper, the flowers and leaves, with their spicy aroma, used in flavoring.
As a tincture, use 20 drops one or two times a day. Or take 20 to 40 mg of the herb daily. Capsules or one cup of tea may be substituted as well. Some rest better when they take chaste berry shortly before bedtime. The herb is slow acting; wait at least two months or longer to know if it is helping.
Warnings are in order but are not universally agreed upon. Some say pregnant women and nursing mothers should not take chaste tree berry. If a woman has a hormone-sensitive cancer (e.g. pituitary, breast, uterus, etc.) it might be best to avoid it. Chaste tree berry should be avoided if you are taking exogenous hormones such as menopausal hormone replacement therapies or oral contraceptives. Some rare adverse reactions include itchy allergic rash, mild nausea, or headaches. Some women have reported that the length of their cycle changed.
Chaste tree berry and other bulk herbs are not miracle medicines. Herbs are natural ways to deal with the complex needs of the human body. So start taking herbs and make your body healthier, naturally.
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