Black Cohosh For the Breast Cancer Survivor - Naturally Treating Hot Flashes

Black cohosh is used to manage menopausaltotal of 1,102 had taken black cohosh. The mean
symptoms, including hot flashes, and may preventoverall observation time was 3.6 years. Results
breast cancer. In April 2007, a retrospectiveshowed that black cohosh was not associated with
case-control study was published in the Internationalan increase in the risk of recurrence but associated
Journal of Cancer revealing that black cohosh had awith prolonged disease-free survival. After 2 years
significant protective effect against breast cancerfollowing initial diagnosis, 14% of the control group
due to its antiestrogen, antiproliferative andhad developed a recurrence, while the black cohosh
antioxidant properties. But for someone with agroup reached this proportion after 6.5 years.
history of breast cancer, use of estrogenic plantsNow, onto the latest safety studies! Black cohosh
may be contraindicated.seems to have a relatively good safety profile. The
There are really two questions to address here: 1) isliver damage reported in a few individuals using black
black cohosh effective to treat hot flashes and 2)cohosh has been severe, but large numbers of
can women with a diagnosis of breast cancer safelywomen have taken the herb for years without
use black cohosh?reporting adverse health effects. In the case studies
Let's start with the issue of efficacy. In June 2006, arelating liver damage, we can't rule out the possibility
phase III, double blind, randomized, placebo-controlledthat the black cohosh was tainted or
crossover trial conducted at Mayo Clinic wascross-contaminated. That's why it is so important to
published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.seek quality controlled herbal products.With relevance
Researchers found that patients using 20 mg of blackto cancer patients, black cohosh does not seem to
cohosh twice a day reported a decrease in hot flashexhibit phytoestrogenic activity and is in fact possibly
frequency by 17% compared to the placebo groupan inhibitor of tumor growth (Aug 2007, Supportive
who reported a decrease of 26%. In other words,Care in Cancer). The 2007 Nutrition and Cancer study
this trial failed to provide any evidence that blackfound that black cohosh did not raise estrogen
cohosh reduced hot flashes more than the placebo.markers in the serum. Authors of a March 2007
In April 2008, a summary of black cohosh trialsstudy published in the International Journal of Clinical
conducted over 20 years was published inPharmacology and Therapeutics reported that an
Menopause. Researchers looked at results of severalincrease in the risk of breast cancer recurrence for
trials involving a total of 1,581 women and 329 men.women using black cohosh, compared to women not
Results from the randomized trials in womentreated with black cohosh, was unlikely.
demonstrated that hot flashes were not substantiallySo, my suggestion is to try black cohosh to see if it
decreased by black cohosh, or for that matter, byhelps you manage your menopausal symptoms. We
vitamin E or a soy-based product. So while it appearsknow it's safe and there is a possibility that black
the most current literature on this topic has foundcohosh may help you prevent a recurrence. I would
that black cohosh is not effective in treatingrecommend you try Remifemin, a quality-controlled
menopausal symptoms, smaller studies indicate itblack cohosh dietary supplement developed and used
might be somewhat effective. And, there is potentialby Europeans for years. It is now available in the
that black cohosh may reduce risk of breast cancerUnited States at many larger-chain drugstores and
recurrence. In a retrospective, cohort study publishedsupermarkets. Follow package instructions.
in Nutrition and Cancer, 2007, of 18,861 patients, a