Hi, we actually go by another definition in which opioids refer to “all drugs — synthetic, semi-synthetic, or naturally occurring — with morphine-like properties that act on the opioid receptor.” But thank you for your comment!

Hi Carol,
Thanks for the link to the study. It will be added to the post asap.

Randa

Hi Carol,

This is interesting info. Any studies on the Vitex agnus castus species? The whole post is on that particular species.

Thanks!

Randa

Hi Carol,
Thanks for your feedback. The post does include the treatment of enlarged prostate and prevention of prostate cancer by chasteberry. Its use in treating male pattern baldness will be reviewed and included if the evidence is sound.
Best,
Randa

Hi Carol,

Thank you for your feedback. The information on Vitex increasing progesterone and reducing luteinizing hormone and plasma prolactin hormone was already in the mechanisms section. Vitex increases progesterone and prolactin in low doses and decreases prolactin in high doses. As for vitex and lactation, the reference https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16156340 does state that it is not recommended to use vitex for lactation, but if you read the full study it states “Some evidence suggests that low doses might increase milk production in women who are lactating. A small study involving 20 healthy men showed increased prolactin levels in those receiving a low dose of chasteberry (120 mg per day) but a decrease of prolactin secretion with higher doses (480 mg per day))” Also when you say “Then the story about lactating women giving birth and leaving the hospital has a reference that has nothing to do with lactation, but is really about premenstrual syndrome.” The the reference in question was a review about female reproductive disorders and it did cite that study: https://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/html/10.1055/s-0032-1327831.”Many of the earlier clinical studies on Vitex, such as those focussing on its galactagogue activity [19], [20], were open-label or observational studies.”. However, after reviewing that study, we decided to remove it because the study was old (1943). We also decided to remove all the information regarding lactation because the evidence was not strong as you pointed out. We also added the migraine information per your recommendation in the post as well. The rest of the information you sent will be reviewed in depth to see if the research is sound and will be included if it is.
Thanks again for your helpful and interesting feedback,

Randa

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18415863 “Gynecological efficacy and chemical investigation of Vitex agnus-castus L. fruits growing in Egypt.” Vitex increases progesterone and significantly reduces luteinizing hormone and plasma prolactin hormone.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8330858 “Vitex agnus castus extracts inhibit prolaction secretion of rat pituitary cells.”

Section 4 needs to be corrected. If you want to induce lactation, try Blessed Thistle or Fenugreek, but, don’t try Vitex as it may dry up your milk supply.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4586661/ “The Use, Perceived Effectiveness and Safety of Herbal Galactagogues During Breastfeeding: A Qualitative Study.” Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle are the herbal remedies that are most commonly recommended for deficient milk supply and have been listed as L3 (moderately safe) by Hale.
Galactogogues: medications that induce lactation.Gabay MPJ Hum Lact. 2002 Aug; 18(3):274-9.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26530175/ [Breastfeeding (part III): Breastfeeding complications–Guidelines for clinical practice].

Section 4: You say that Chasteberry induces lactation when Chasteberry actually suppresses lactation because it suppresses prolactin. Prolactin is usually regarded as the hormone of lactogenesis i.e. it causes milk to be produced. But in excess, prolactin reduces libido, causes hypogonadism, galactorrhoea and has inflammatory properties too. According to Wikipedia-prolactin, Prolactin, also known as luteotropic hormone or luteotropin, is a protein that is best known for its role in enabling mammals, usually females, to produce milk. It is influential in over 300 separate processes in various vertebrates, including humans. Prolactin is secreted from the pituitary gland in response to eating, mating, estrogen treatment, ovulation and nursing. Prolactin is secreted in pulses in between these events. Prolactin plays an essential role in metabolism, regulation of the immune system and pancreatic development.
Section 4 should be completely eliminated or revised. Chasteberry (Vitex agnus-castus) suppresses lactation by reducing prolactin. Vitex agnus-castus increases plasma progesterone. It significantly reduces luteinizing hormone levels and plasma prolactin levels. After your baby is born, it’s the instant drop in progesterone once the placenta is delivered that allows the hormone prolactin to cause milk production to increase. After the birth of a baby, you are supposed to have low progesterone levels and when you are nursing, you are supposed to have high prolactin levels. Vitex does the opposite increasing progesterone and suppressing prolactin and suppressing luteinizing hormone. When nursing, you do not want to reduce prolactin with Vitex.

I checked your references in section 4. Your references do not support your research. The first reference you site actually said the opposite, “Chasteberry is NOT recommended for enhancement of milk production.” The next reference sited a small study involving 20 healthy “MEN” which showed increased prolactin levels in those receiving a low dose of chasteberry (120 mg per day) but a decrease of prolactin secretion with higher doses (480 mg per day). Then the story about lactating women giving birth and leaving the hospital has a reference that has nothing to do with lactation, but is really about premenstrual syndrome.
Below are your references and what your references actually say.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16156340 “Chasteberry” It says, “It’s traditional use as a galactagogue (i.e., a substance that enhances breast milk production) is NOT well supported in the literature and should be DISCOURAGED.” It also says, “Chasteberry is NOT recommended for enhancement of milk production.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9021345 “The effects of a special Agnus castus extract (BP1095E1) on prolactin secretion in healthy male subjects.” It says, “A small study involving 20 healthy “MEN” showed increased prolactin levels in those receiving a low dose of chasteberry (120 mg per day) but a decrease of prolactin secretion with higher doses (480 mg per day).”

Here is another study about Vitex and lactation.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18204102 “Safety and efficacy of chastetree (Vitex agnus castus) during pregnancy and lactation.” In lactation, theoretical and expert opinion conflict as to whether chastetree increases or decreases lactation.

Here is other interesting info on Vitex.
In males, Vitex reduces excessive prolactin which reduces male breasts (gynecomastia) by increasing androgens and reducing estrogen.
A web search shows men use Vitex to reduce gynecomastia, improve decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, and infertility. Vitex increases progesterone, lowers prolactin, plus has no effect on testosterone on males, according to the research here.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18646183 “Hyperprogesteronemia in response to Vitex fischeri consumption in wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii).” There are documented effects on female reproductive function, evidenced by increased progesterone levels and consequent regulation of luteal function with Vitex agnus castus consumption. During a 6-week period of intense V. fischeri consumption by male and female chimps,. V. fischeri consumption was associated with an abrupt and dramatic increase in urinary progesterone levels. Female estrogen levels were not significantly impacted, nor were male testosterone levels as both male and female chimps consumed the fruit. (Note: Vitex agnus-castus and Vitex fischeri are in the same genus and share similar phytoconstituents.)

According to Wikipedia/progesterone, adult males have levels of progesterone as high as those in women during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle.

This study below shows high prolactin causes decreased androgen, increased estrogen, and gynecomastia in males, so Vitex can reduce high prolactin which is the real cause of gynecomastia, and reduce gynecomastia in men. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3987263/ “Gynecomastia: Clinical evaluation and management.” Although prolactin receptors are present in male breast tissue, hyperprolactinemia may lead to gynecomastia through effects on the hypothalamus, causing central hypogonadism. Activation of prolactin also leads to decreased androgen and increased estrogen and progesterone receptors in breast cancer cells. If similar events occur in male breast tissue, it could lead to gynecomastia.

Here is something else. In women, Vitex reduces excess prolactin which reduces breast cancer risk.
http://www.biochemia-medica.com/content/role-prolactin-human-breast-cancer The Role of Prolactin in Human Breast Cancer. A decrease in prolactin levels achieved by either pharmacologic or genetic means in human breast cancer cells dramatically reduced transformation and tumorigenic properties of these cells.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2752044/ Vitexins, nature-derived lignan compounds, induce apoptosis and suppress tumor growth. A mixture of Vitexins EVn-50 and purified Vitexin compound VB1 have cytotoxic effect on breast, prostate, and ovarian cancer cells and induces apoptosis with cleavage in PARP protein, up-regulation of Bax, and down-regulation of Bcl-2. This induction of apoptosis seems to be mediated by activation of caspases because inhibition of caspases activity significantly reduced induced apoptosis. We demonstrated a broad antitumor activity of EVn-50 on seven tumor xenograft models including breast, prostate, liver, and cervical cancers. Vitexin is a class of nature lignan compounds, whose action and anticancer effect is mediated by the mechanisms different from the classical lignans. Vitexin induced antitumor effect and cytotoxic activity is exerted through proapoptotic process, which is mediated by a decreased Bcl-2/Bax ratio and activation of caspases.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12520164 “Cytotoxicity and apoptotic inducibility of Vitex agnus-castus fruit extract in cultured human normal and cancer cells and effect on growth” Cytotoxicity of the extract against human uterine cervical canal fibroblast, human fibroblast (HE-21), ovarian cancer (MC-7), cervical carcinoma (SKG-3A), gastric signet ring carcinoma (KATO-111), colon carcinoma (COLO201), and small cell lung carcinoma (LU-134-A-H) cells was examined. It is concluded that the cytotoxi activity of Vitex extract may be attributed to the effect on cell growth, that cell death occurs through apoptosis, and that this apoptotic cell death may be attributed to increased intracellular oxidation by Vitex extract treatment.

Another interesting fact: Vitex reduces benign breast cysts (fibrocytic disease).
https://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/html/10.1055/s-0032-1327831 “Vitex agnus-castus Extracts for Female Reproductive Disorders: A Systematic Review of Clinical Trials.” Benign breast cysts also called fibrcystic breast disease is due to excessively high prolactin levels or hyperprolactemia. Also breast tenderness and pain especially before your period are due to excessively high levels of prolactin. Vitex agnus castus reduces benign breast cysts.
https://clinphytoscience.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40816-016-0038-z “The premenstrual syndrome, premenstrual mastodynia, fibrocystic mastopathy and infertlity have often common roots: effects of extracts of chasteberry (Vitex agnus-castus) as a solution.” Vitex agnus-castus extracts may affect these conditions and reduce hyperprolactemia (thus reducing pms syndrome, mastalgia/breast tenderness, benign breast cysts, and infertility) through dopaminergic activity via binding to dopamine-2 (DA-2) receptors, resulting in prolactin inhibition.

Vitex reduces arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and lymphomas.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24680620 “Therapeutic effects of standardized Vitex negundo seeds extract on complete Freund’s adjuvant induced arthritis in rats.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9741302 “Vitexicarpin, a flavonoid from the fruits of Vitex rotundifolia, inhibits mouse lymphocyte proliferation and growth of cell lines in vitro.” Vitexicarpin may be a potential therapeutic agent involved in inflammatory/immunoregulatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and lymphomas.

Vitex helps insomnia and improves sleep quality.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28208808 “Adding Agnus Castus and Magnolia to Soy Isoflavones Relieves Sleep Disturbances Besides Postmenopausal Vasomotor Symptoms-Long Term Safety and Effectiveness.” A significant increase in sleep quality and psychophysical wellness parameters was observed.
Probably the most important finding, Vitex can help prevent dementia since it decreases luteinizing hormone and increases progesterone. You can increase your body’s progesterone level naturally in several ways: vitamin C and Vitex/chasteberry for women who are premenopausal, and over-the-counter progesterone cream or progesterone pills for women who’ve reached menopause. When you’re premenopausal, your ovaries still may be able to produce progesterone, but they need a nudge. Once you’ve had your final period and a year has passed (the official definition of menopause), topical or oral progesterone is the best choice. Brain cells concentrate progesterone to levels twenty times higher than blood serum levels. How Vitex helps in dementia:
Vitex can improve the quality of night time sleep with increased delta sleep by increasing progesterone and especially by lowering luteinizing hormone which can help stop dementia. Luteinizing hormone rises to high levels with age in both men and especially in menopausal women because of the reduction in progesterone levels plus lowered sex hormones. High luteinizing levels increase core body temperatures and prevent delta sleep and increase night time awakenings. Vitex lowers luteininzing hormone which facilitates delta sleep with a core body temperature drop for brain cells to shrink for the glymphatic system to work in nighttime brain cleaning of brain toxins and preventing Alzheimer’s disease.
http://www.eurekaselect.com/81915/article “Evidence for the Role of Luteinizing Hormone in Alzheimer Disease.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glymphatic_system
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2276126/ ‘Sex Hormones, Sleep, and Core Body Temperature in Older Postmenopausal Women”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2499593 “The role of estradiol and progesterone in decreasing luteinizing hormone pulse frequency in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle.”

Vitex reduces polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), amenorrhoea, oligomenorrhoea and hyperandrogenism.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4528347/ “Herbal medicine for the management of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and associated oligo/amenorrhoea and hyperandrogenism: a review of the laboratory evidence for effects with corroborative clinical findings.”

Vitex can reduce migraines and headaches by normalizing hormone levels, but the addition of magnesium, and vitamin b-6 can make migraines better.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26707041 “Is migraine a consequence of a loss of neurohormonal and metabolic integrity? A new hypothesis.” We evaluated 30 patients ages 16-66 with migraine who were treated with a multimodal treatment program. All patients received a complex program which included: hormonorestorative therapy (HT) with bio-identical hormones; correction of balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic systems and simultaneously calcium/magnesium balance; “resetting” the pineal gland; improvement of intestinal absorption through restoration of normal intestinal flora, and a cleanse from parasitic infestation (if necessary). Serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), pregnenolone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), progesterone, total estrogen, and total testosterone were determined. Results: All patients responded to this regimen. We do not have patients who still have migraine after they started to use this program. Laboratory finding prior to HT showed the significant deficiency in production of all basic steroid hormones (progesterone and pregnenolone production declined the most). Concurrent symptoms such as fibromyalgia, insomnia, depression, gastrointestinal disorders, and fatigue had disappeared. Total cholesterol completely normalized in 22 (91.7%) patients. No adverse effects or complications related to this program were registered. Conclusions: Our findings support the hypothesis that migraine is a consequence of a loss of neurohormonal and metabolic integrity, and that migraine can be managed by a multimodal approach.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21530095 “A new horizon into the pathobiology, etiology and treatment of migraine.” Increased progesterone during pregnancy evokes progesterone receptors A/B, which coexist with estrogen receptors, providing complete remission from migraine episodes. Moreover, estrogen also increases nociception through extracellularly signal-regulated kinase (ERK) stimulation and down-regulating antinociceptive GABA, IL-R1 and Zn-fingers. Hormones may provoke migraine indirectly by disrupting mineral homeostasis. Estrogen enhances the absorption and half-life of copper which in turn inhibits the absorption of zinc. Zinc is required for the synthesis of melatonin and CoQ10 essential for growing women. Excess of copper exacerbates the deficiency of zinc, melatonin and CoQ10 typically low in migraineurs. Melatonin is an antioxidant, free radical scavenger and activates antioxidant enzymes like CuZn-superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase (a Se-enzyme) and glutathione reductase. Zinc deficiency reduces activity of CuZn-SOD. Magnesium and vitamin B6 modulates the level of NO in the cell, both of which are deficient in migraineurs. Magnesium is essential for the removal of trapped NO from within the cell which does not occur under low magnesium levels, which reacts with superoxide generating dangerous peroxynitrite. Iron stimulates nitric oxide synthase producing more NO which is inhibited by zinc, thus, antagonizing peroxynitrite generation. Female hormones lowers magnesium but increase calcium levels which enhance migraine ubiquitousness. Accumulation of copper and iron in deep areas of brain and peripheral nerves typically catalyses the oxidation of catecholamines and generate free radicals involved in lipid-peroxidation, demyelination, denudation of axons and neurodegeneration in specific areas exposing hyperalgesic axons provoking Classical migraine. Furthermore, zinc is an essential component of Zn-fingers (Krox20 and Krox24) which play a pivotal role in the differentiation of Schwann cells-the mainstay for the myelination/remyelination of peripheral nerves. Taken together, conceptually and logically, 30 migraineurs were administered 75 mg of zinc sulfate orally in water daily for 6 weeks+one capsule of vitamin B-complex+one capsule of vitamin A or E (first 10 days) which almost cured all of them. Placebo controlled trials with incremental doses of zinc sulfate along with magnesium and selenium are proposed to augment recovery involving large population of migraineurs. Monitoring of hair and blood mineral analysis for rational therapy is recommended.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22791378 “Use of Vitex agnus-castus in migrainous women with premenstrual syndrome: an open-label observation.”. Out of 100 women over 3 months, 66 women reported a dramatic reduction of PMS symptoms, 26 a mild reduction, and 8 no effect. Concerning migraine, 42 % of patients experienced a reduction higher than 50 % in frequency of monthly attacks, and 57 % of patients experienced a reduction higher than 50 % in monthly days with headache.