Hi! ??? about Vitex?

[rochelly]

Hi Im new the AT board and am wanting to attck this PCOS as naturally as possible. I browsing some of your sigs and see Vitex popping up a lot. What is VItex? What is it supposed to do or benefits have you seen with it? Thanks?

ALso, any pointers for where to start with supplements/one you couldnt live wothout? Thanks and GL to all of you

[karimariep]

I have gone natural too. The first thing I did was went on a low GI diet and cut down on carbs and refined sugar. I am also working out at least 4 times a week because I too need to lose weight. As far as the supplements, I am taking the following daily:
Cinnamon, 2000mg
Myo-Inositol, 2000mg
Choline 1000mg
Prenatals
Omega 3, 6, 9 and

Vitex Tincture (It is the liquid form rather than the pills.) The tincture is supposed to be absorbed better by the body. I bought it at a natural foods/herb store.
I put 40 drops in one ounce of water and drink it twice per day. The Vitex is supposed to help stimulate and stabilize the reproductive hormones involved in ovulation, cycle balance, and menstrual regularity. They say it can take several months to work but after following everything I stated above for the last two months, I got AF on my own for the first time in a year!

Good luck to you!

[rochelly]

Thanks Kari! I googled Vitex (duh!) but am glad SOMEONE replied, this can feel so overwhelming sometimes. I recently bought a low-GI diet book aimed towards PCOS and am giving it a try. Now I just need to amp up the w/outs and sort out the supplements I need to be on. (Ive been on a WL plateau a few months now)

I think I will give the cinnamon a try too, Ive seen it several times and understand it cuold help with my IR. And Im going to check out a thread I saw on the Inositol.

I have a wl clinic here that offers a shot with choline and inositol (and I think D-Chiro) in it and I have tried it before and lost weight and felt much more energy, but didnt know if it was just the diet pills, lol.

So thx for pointing me in the right direction and GL to you too!

[karimariep]

It is soooo overwhelming! I have literally spent HOURS researching the best natural alternatives for PCOS. I am still learning but I'm glad I could help. Let me know if you find something else that works? I would greatly appreciate it.
I talked to an herbalist recently and he said that he had seen good results with PCOS and fertility when you take Peony Root tincture and the Vitex tincture. I have been researching it so I haven't tried it yet but I think I may. From what I can find, the Peony Root is supposed to help with excess androgens.

I don't know if it is the Low GI, Diet, supplements, or all of them but I have been feeling so much better since I started. I have energy and am losing weight so I am going to keep up with all of them. Can't hurt right?

[babedust4me]

I found a supplement called ProCreation, by DreamQuest, I started taking it Monday, along with my Cinnamon and Chromium and B12. The lady at the health food store said it was very good and you could actually take it throughout pregnancy, it contains many different vitamins, including B6 and folic acid. It also contains vitex. She said it is very dangerous to take vitex by itself in case of unknown pregnancy, but that it was okay with the others in this vitamin. I did some research on Vitex and it is infact good for getting the reproductive system started and regular, also good for pms, but can be harmful to us and our babies if continued when pregnant. I can't really give any positives or negatives about it yet, but I hope for results soon!

[Samie]

Hi Rochelly!
Vitex is also known as Chaste tree berry. It is probably the #1 herbal supplement for fertility issues. Whether you are trying to have a baby or not, it can also be extremely beneficial for women who deal with PCOS. It has a very unique action on our body, in that it does not directly affect hormones, chemical, etc like herbal tonics that can be phytoestrogenic, or work directly with the reproductive organs. It work through the pituitary gland. Which is extremely important for anyone who has endocrine disorders, which is in fact what PCOS is. It helps balance out and regulate the pituitary gland basically. Once the pituitary gland is behaving the way it should, it is properly releasing the correct messenger chemicals/hormones to the other hormonal glands in our bodies, ie, ovaries.
Many long time herbalists use Vitex as a go to treatment when there are any female reproductive issues especially regarding a possible hormonal imbalance.
If you are attempting to conceive don't worry about taking vitex with an unknown pregnancy, chances are you will discover the pregnancy before taking vitex during crucial times of preg. It also wouldn't be put into almost every single fertility aid supplement known to man if it wasn't at least mostly safe. I wouldn't take it once pregnancy is discovered...AT ALL, but the jury for some is still out. Even if it's been paired up with something that is supposed to "make" it safe.
I love Susun Weed's web synopsis on Vitex... Its a little hippie, green witchy, but its great.
http://www.susunweed.com/Article_Vitex_RedMoonHerbs.htm

[LilaBabe]

Vitex, soy or clomid?

I just started a thread with these questions. Basically, I want to increase fertility and move up my O day. Right now, I o on about day 19/20/21.

Will vitex help?

[Samie]

Are you SURE your ovulating? How long are your cycles? What are your symptoms w/ PCOS?

[LilaBabe]

Sammie, my cycles are an average of 34 days. I've been off BCPs for about 8 months. I have a couple of cycles in there where they were 38 days.

Ovulation was confirmed one month by my RE.
I usually ovulate around day 19-22. I've been ttc as long as I've been off BCP.

I have some cysts on my ovaries..and my lh/fsh ration was almost, but not quite 2:1 when the dr. took my blood in May.

[Samie]

You could definitely give Vitex a try Lila.
If you think its messing things up after being on it a couple of months, then just stop taking it.
But I've not heard of very many women who've had issues, with either taking it by itself or in some fertility blend. But its WAY cheaper to take it by itself in most cases.
If you do decide to do soy, the jury is still out about taking it w/ Vitex on the same days.
So some women, take Vitex all month long, except the days they take soy. Smeets88 or Jess, did it this way the month she got her BFP. I think she was one of us more "regular" cysters too.

[babedust4me]

So Samie...lol, I was just inquiring about this yesterday somewhere...and did alot of research on vitex and soy isoflaves together. Is it safe to take them together? I found a place that said you only take the SI for five days, as you would clomid, but to continue with the vitex until O then reduce your intake of Vitex to 400mg a day at the most until BFP or AF. I am new to this herbal thing too, but taking Pro Creation by Dreamquest. It only gives me 50mg of vitex a day...I am feeling after reading so much that I should forget about this more expensive supplement and go for the tincture vitex.?

[rochelly]

Thanks Samie. I will check out that link. B/C it all seems a little confusing. I think I need a supplement calendar, lol.

GL babedust just make sure you research e/thing out yourself (even when you feel like you are going crazy) and ask your dr if you are unsure about s/thing mixing (or pharmacist, they can be great for that).

Kari, ITA - sometimes I feel like I have information overload and it all just reaches a threshold s/where in my head and turns to mush, then I have to start all over, lol.

[LilaBabe]

Thanks guys. I still don't know what i'm gonna do, but i have to make a decision F A S T bc i'm on day 3.
I THINK i'm going to stay on MACA the days i do not do soy....
Sammie, what do you think about that? i'm afraid of switching to soy and vitex both in one cycle...

[Samie]

I've not personally ever taken MACA, but from what I have seen around the boards, is several women take this and other things, along with the soy, with no issues.
I understand about the vitex...I've not personally started taking it yet, as I feel my body is really trying to keep its self regulated. I do have an unopened bottle in my cabinet for when I do want to try it. Hopefully I won't have to, as I will hopefully get my BFP before then.
One thing to remember, is that soy is a food. Its just a very strong phytoestrogenic food. So, taking the pills 5 days out of the month, isn't very likely to interfere with much. The only thing I do know it could potentially interfere with is if you have thyroid issues...you may want to do more research if you do, or consider using Red Clover Blossoms, or Dong Quai as an alternative.

[babedust4me]

I think next week I am going to start the Vitex and soy. I have had the worst week ever it seems with the Pro-Creation that I purchased. My sleep has been disturbed and interupted all week, waking all hours of the night, I have had heartburn every morning when I wake up and they make me really jittery for the first hour to two hours after I take them. I have taken a few digital tests that show BFN just in case, before I start the Vitex and Soy. Does anyone know which way i should start this regimen? Do I start the Soy for the first 5 days then add the vitex in? Or do I start the Vitex and wait for AF and then to start Soy when AF goes away?