Fat Burning Food

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?

Though it grows to a height of twenty-two feet, chaste tree is just a large shrub native to the Mediterranean and southern Europe. Naturally it grows on moist riverbanks, but it can be grown in ornamental gardens in America as well. Look for its blue-violet flowers to blossom in midsummer. Chaste tree berries are only used to treat female problems today.

Its effect on sex drive is not the only seeming contradiction in its use. Some have used it to treat infertility, while others claim it, at best, has no affect. Some use it to treat post menopausal symptoms, while other say it makes them worse. It has been used to both encourage lactation and discourage excessive lactation.

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.

Because of its ability to balance the body, chaste tree berry reduces the production of certain hormones and increases the production of others. The reason it is used to treat infertility is that it tends to shift the balance in favor of the gestagens which hormones condition the body for pregnancy.

Because it encourages production of progesterone, the herb is especially effective in balancing the female reproductive system. This has helped restore menstruation, regulate heavy periods, and restore fertility which is caused by hormonal imbalance. It has also relieved PMS tension and eased the changes of menopause. Some believe it is helpful for premenstrual breast tenderness, a condition linked to excess prolactin.

Other uses include relief of paralysis, pains in the limbs, and neuropathic muscular weakness, all treated with chaste berry tincture. Chaste tree berries are even used to treat acne in men and women. The berries can be ground in a pepper mill and used as a mild substitute for black pepper. The spicy aroma of the leaves and flowers are used for 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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