--- title: Vitex agnus-castus (chasteberry): 89 studies, explained | Niyora description: 89 studies on vitex agnus-castus (chasteberry) and PMS or PMDD, each summarised in plain English: what was tested, who took part, what they found and what it url: https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-vitex/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Vitex agnus-castus (chasteberry) # Vitex agnus-castus (chasteberry): what the research says 89 studies on vitex agnus-castus (chasteberry) in PMS and PMDD, each explained in plain English. 22 of them use the strongest designs: randomised trials and systematic reviews. Randomised trial 29 Review 14 Systematic review 12 Survey study 11 Study 8 Non-randomised trial 7 Randomised trial, 2025 Which is more effective for PMS - Vitagnus, soy, or both together? The abstract provided is incomplete and does not show the full results, so we cannot determine which treatment was most effective. Randomised trial, 2023 Can herbal medicine prevent or treat PMS and menstrual disorders? Yes, several herbs may help prevent PMS and menstrual disorders, but research quality is mixed and better studies are needed. Randomised trial, 2020 What is the best dose of Vitex for treating PMS? A dose of 20 mg daily was most effective for reducing PMS symptoms. Higher dose (30 mg) was no better, and lower dose (8 mg) was less effective. Systematic review, 2020 Does Vitex agnus-castus help cyclic breast pain? Vitex appears moderately effective for reducing cyclic breast pain compared to placebo, works as well as some medications, and is safe with minimal side effects. Guideline, 2019 How should doctors treat PMS and PMDD? Treatment should be tailored to each woman's symptoms and life stage. Options include therapy, herbs, antidepressants, birth control to stop ovulation, and water pills. Review, 2018 Does Vitex agnus castus supplement help treat PMS symptoms? This paper is a protocol (a plan) for a systematic review. The research hasn't been completed yet, so there are no findings on whether Vitex works for PMS. Review, 2017 What causes PMDD and what are the best treatments? PMDD involves an abnormal response to normal hormone changes affecting the serotonin system and brain circuits that control emotion. SSRIs are the first-line treatment, with several other options available. Systematic review, 2017 Does Vitex agnus castus help treat premenstrual syndrome? The meta-analysis found a large pooled effect of Vitex agnus castus compared to placebo, but the included studies have significant quality problems, publication bias, and very different results from each other, so we cannot confidently say it truly works. Systematic review, 2017 Is Vitex agnus castus safe and effective for treating PMS and PMDD? All 8 included trials showed Vitex agnus castus was better than comparison treatments and was well tolerated, but the studies used different definitions of PMS, different outcome measures, and different Vitex preparations, making confident conclusions difficult. Review, 2015 What do we know about PMS and PMDD and how are they treated? PMS affects 30 to 40 percent of reproductive-age women and PMDD affects 3 to 8 percent. Serotonergic antidepressants are the most effective treatment, but oral contraceptives, lifestyle changes, cognitive behavioral therapy, and herbal supplements are also available options. Systematic review, 2014 Do acupuncture and herbal medicine help PMS or PMDD symptoms? Both acupuncture and herbal medicine significantly improved PMS and PMDD symptoms, with most treatments providing over 50% improvement. They appear safe, though the evidence is limited. Systematic review, 2013 Does Vitex (chaste tree) help PMS and PMDD symptoms? Most studies found Vitex better than placebo for PMS. For PMDD, results were mixed: one study showed it equal to fluoxetine, while another found fluoxetine more effective. Side effects were mild. Randomised trial, 2012 Does Vitex agnus castus work for PMS, and what dose is best? Yes, Vitex at 20 mg daily significantly reduced PMS symptoms compared to placebo. A 30 mg dose did not work better, making 20 mg the optimal dose. Randomised trial, 2010 Does Vitex agnus castus (chasteberry) reduce PMS symptoms in Chinese women? Yes, Vitex extract significantly improved all 17 PMS symptoms compared to placebo over 3 menstrual cycles, especially mood and sleep problems. Randomised trial, 2010 What treatments work for premenstrual syndrome? Several treatments reduce PMS symptoms according to controlled studies: SSRIs, some birth control pills, hormone injections, calcium, chasteberry, and cognitive-behavioral therapy. However, about 40% of women don't respond to current treatments. Randomised trial, 2010 Does Vitex agnus castus reduce moderate-to-severe PMS in Chinese women? Yes, Vitex extract significantly reduced PMS symptoms by the 3rd cycle, with 60 percent or greater symptom reduction in the treatment group compared to placebo, especially for mood and water retention. Systematic review, 2009 Which herbs, vitamins and minerals help treat PMS? Only calcium has good evidence to work for PMS. Chasteberry and vitamin B6 may help, but most of the 62 products people try lack proper research. Randomised trial, 2009 Does Vitex agnus castus reduce PMS symptoms in Chinese women? Yes, Vitex agnus castus significantly reduced PMS symptoms better than placebo. Symptoms improved in both groups, but the herbal medicine group improved more, though the large placebo improvement (50%) means some benefit may not be from the herb itself. Randomised trial, 2006 Do herbal remedies help with PMS, pregnancy nausea, or hot flushes? Preliminary evidence suggests chaste tree helps PMS, ginger helps pregnancy nausea, and black cohosh helps hot flushes, but the evidence is not strong enough to be certain. Randomised trial, 2006 What herbs and dietary supplements have evidence for treating premenstrual syndrome? A review of research found that calcium, vitamin B6, and chasteberry have the strongest evidence from clinical trials for treating premenstrual syndrome. Randomised trial, 2001 Does agnus castus (Vitex) fruit extract reduce premenstrual syndrome symptoms? Yes. Women taking agnus castus had significantly greater symptom improvement than placebo, with 52% having at least 50% symptom reduction compared to 24% on placebo. Randomised trial, 1997 Does Vitex agnus castus work better than vitamin B6 for premenstrual tension syndrome? Both reduced symptoms by similar amounts (47-48%), but more women on Vitex reported excellent results and had no remaining complaints, suggesting Vitex may work better for PMTS. Survey study, 2025 Can a chatbot help monitor PMS symptoms over time? Yes. A Telegram chatbot successfully tracked PMS symptoms across multiple menstrual cycles. Some women with PMS also met the criteria for fibromyalgia. Review, 2025 Do yoga and dietary changes help with PMS symptoms? Yes, both yoga and specific dietary supplements improve PMS symptoms and quality of life. Combining yoga and diet changes together appears to work better than either alone. Non-randomised trial, 2025 Does Mabelle Cycle help restore regular periods in women with stress-related problems? Yes, more women taking Mabelle Cycle restored regular periods compared to those in the control group. After three months, 62.5% of those taking Mabelle Cycle had restored cycles versus 27.5% in the control group. Survey study, 2025 How are PMS and PMDD diagnosed and treated? PMS and PMDD are diagnosed by tracking symptoms for at least two cycles and noting if they occur in the luteal phase. SSRIs are first-line treatment. Cognitive behavior therapy, exercise, acupuncture, and the herb Vitex agnus castus may also help. Cohort study, 2024 Does Vitex supplement improve menstrual cycle problems and quality of life? Yes, after 3 months of treatment, most women showed improvement in irregular periods, pain, and breast tenderness. Quality of life improved for all participants. Survey study, 2023 Can diet help reduce PMS symptoms? A review of past studies found that calcium, vitamin B6, and chasteberry fruit likely help PMS symptoms, while saffron, ginger, and high vitamin D have weaker evidence. Review, 2023 Can herbs and supplements help with PMS symptoms? Herbs like chaste berry and supplements like calcium and magnesium may help with PMS. Evidence is strongest when combined with lifestyle changes and therapy, though more research is needed. Review, 2021 Do herbal products help with PMS? Chaste tree shows effectiveness for PMS, but more research is needed. Evidence for other herbs is still developing. Study, 2020 Does Tazalok work better than Vitex for treating PMS? After 3 months, Tazalok improved hormone levels more than Vitex, with bigger improvements in depression and pain. Since women were not randomly assigned to groups, we cannot be completely certain about these differences. Randomised trial, 2019 Does chasteberry (Vitex agnus-castus) help premenstrual breast pain and related symptoms? Yes, according to multiple placebo-controlled studies reviewed here, chasteberry extracts reduced premenstrual breast pain and other premenstrual symptoms, likely by lowering prolactin, and side effects were mild and infrequent. Systematic review, 2019 Does chasteberry help premenstrual syndrome? Yes, based on 3 high-quality trials, women taking chasteberry were 2.57 times more likely to experience symptom improvement compared to placebo. However, evidence is limited because only 3 rigorous studies met quality criteria. Systematic review, 2018 Can herbal remedies help ease PMS symptoms? A review pulling together 18 Iranian studies found several herbs may help ease PMS symptoms, but it didn't measure how strong or reliable each herb's effect actually was. Systematic review, 2017 Does the herb Vitex agnus-castus help with PMS and related problems? A review of 43 studies concludes that Vitex agnus-castus can help treat PMS and PMDD, ease pain after menstruation, and support infertility treatment, but it is a summary of past findings rather than a measured result. Systematic review, 2017 Does the herb chaste-berry (Vitex agnus-castus) really reduce PMS symptoms? A pooled analysis of 14 trials found a large average benefit of chaste-berry over placebo for PMS symptoms, but the underlying studies had a high risk of bias and very inconsistent results, so this cannot be taken as a firm conclusion. Guideline, 2013 What do experts agree is the best way to treat PMS and PMDD? A group of international experts agreed that treatment should start with careful diagnosis, and that the main options work either by calming brain serotonin activity or by stopping ovulation, with some other approaches worth more study. Survey study, 2012 What non-hormonal medications and therapies help severe PMS and PMDD? SSRIs (a type of antidepressant) are well-established for severe PMS and PMDD, taken either continuously or during the luteal phase. Cognitive-behaviour therapy, calcium, and chasteberry may also help, though the strength of evidence varies. Randomised trial, 2012 Does Vitex agnus castus help women with PMS? Yes, Vitex significantly improved PMS symptoms compared to placebo in both mild and moderate cases. Systematic review, 2011 Do herbal treatments help PMS and PMDD? Vitex agnus castus seems to reduce symptoms better than placebo. Ginkgo biloba and crocus sativus might help, but evening primrose oil and St. John's Wort do not. Randomised trial, 2006 Which dietary supplements and herbs work for PMS? Calcium and vitamin B6 have the best evidence for PMS. Evening primrose oil and magnesium have conflicting results. Other supplements like Vitex need more and better research. Review, 2003 Do complementary and alternative medicine treatments work for PMS and PMDD? Some treatments like exercise, mind-body approaches, and certain herbs and supplements have good evidence of working. Many other approaches lack conclusive evidence. Randomised trial, 2003 Does chaste tree help premenstrual symptoms? Chaste tree extract has been shown in controlled studies to help breast tenderness before the period and may help other premenstrual symptoms. It works by reducing prolactin, a hormone linked to breast tissue. Randomised trial, 2001 Does agnus castus help with PMS? Yes, agnus castus was safe and effective for treating PMS in a randomized, blinded trial of 170 women, though this is based on one study. Review, 2001 What is the best treatment approach for PMS and PMDD? About 5 percent of women have premenstrual symptoms severe enough to affect their daily lives. Start with lifestyle changes, then serotonin-based antidepressants if needed, preferably taken during just the luteal phase. Non-randomised trial, 2000 Does Vitex agnus castus (chaste tree) help premenstrual syndrome symptoms? In a large study without a control group, 93% of 1,634 women reported decreased PMS symptoms after three months of Vitex, with good tolerance and minimal side effects, though the lack of a control group limits certainty about the effect. Randomised trial, 1998 Does Vitex agnus castus help cyclical breast pain? Yes. The extract reduced breast pain faster than placebo and was well tolerated. Non-randomised trial, 2026 Is Pilates exercise or Vitex agnus supplement more effective at reducing PMS symptoms? Yes, both reduced PMS symptoms after 2 months (p<0.001), but Pilates was significantly more effective than Vitex agnus (p<0.001). The study lacked randomization and did not compare to standard PMS treatments. Randomised trial, 2026 Do seed cycling capsules with chasteberry reduce PMS symptoms over two months? Yes, women reported significant improvements in PMS symptoms including pain, cramping, bloating, mood, and sleep. However, this was an open-label study without a control group, so we cannot be sure the improvements are from the product rather than expectation. Survey study, 2025 Can a plant-based supplement reduce PMS symptoms? Yes, a multi-ingredient plant-based supplement taken daily for three months significantly reduced anger, irritability, mood problems, and other PMS symptoms in most women. Without a control group, some improvement might be due to placebo effect or natural changes over time. Review, 2025 Do herbal remedies help with menstrual and menopausal symptoms? Several herbs have been traditionally used and may help with menstrual pain, irregular cycles, mood changes, and heavy bleeding. More rigorous testing is needed to confirm these effects, and you should talk to your doctor before using herbs, especially if you take other medicines. Survey study, 2025 Which Kampo medicines do Japanese doctors use for PMS and PMDD? 19.5% of Japanese gynecologists prefer Kampo medicine for PMS/PMDD. Different doctors choose different types based on their experience and whether they work in a clinic or hospital. Study, 2025 Could ginkgo biloba, soy, and other nutrients help hormone-related mood problems like PMS and PMDD? This paper presents a theoretical model suggesting ginkgo biloba, soy isoflavones, and supporting nutrients might together support hormone, blood vessel, and brain chemical balance in conditions such as PMS and PMDD. It is not a new study in women, so we cannot know how well it works. Survey study, 2024 What do pharmacy students know about using herbs for PMS? Pharmacy students had moderate knowledge (58.9% correct answers) about these herbs, and about 83% believed the herbs could help PMS symptoms. However, this study only surveyed opinions. It did not test whether these herbs actually work. Randomised trial, 2024 Does a supplement with Rhodiola, Vitex, and vitamin B6 reduce PMS? The supplement improved mood and antioxidant protection in women taking it, but the study could not tell if this was better than placebo because both groups improved similarly. Review, 2024 Can herbal remedies and lifestyle changes help manage premenstrual syndrome? A review suggests that herbs like Chaste Tree, Evening Primrose Oil, Dong Quai, and Ginger, combined with diet and exercise, may help relieve PMS, though individual responses vary and clinical evidence is limited. Review, 2024 What methods can help relieve PMS symptoms? Diet changes, physical activity (especially yoga and Pilates), relaxation techniques, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and SSRI medications can all reduce PMS severity. Non-drug methods appear to be low-cost alternatives to medication. Survey study, 2024 Does Vitex agnus castus help PMS, and what causes PMS? Risk factors for PMS include delayed menarche (2.5 times increased risk) and painful periods (2.1 times increased risk). Treatment with Vitex agnus castus extract showed 2.8 times higher symptom remission than no treatment. Non-randomised trial, 2023 Does a supplement with Vitex, vitamin B6, and magnesium reduce PMS symptoms? Yes. The supplement was more effective than standard therapy alone at reducing PMS symptoms and improving quality of life, with the best results when combined with standard treatment. Study, 2023 Can a herbal supplement called chasteberry help with PMS and period pain? This review of past studies suggests chasteberry is safe and has a positive effect on PMS and period pain, though it is a summary of other people's research rather than a new trial. Cohort study, 2023 Do plant compounds help irregular periods and PMS? Yes. All 15 women developed more regular cycles averaging 27.1 ± 3.2 days with reduced menstrual pain and flow. In the 7 women with PMS, depression, headache, and abdominal pain improved. The study was very small without a control group. Cohort study, 2023 What medications and supplements treat PMDD? SSRIs are the first-line medication. Combined oral contraceptives and Chasteberry are second-line options. Certainty varies by treatment type. Randomised trial, 2023 Does chaste tree help treat high prolactin levels related to PMS? Some evidence suggests chaste tree might help with mild high prolactin levels, but the evidence is weak and unclear. We need larger, better studies. Systematic review, 2022 Can diet and herbal medicine help with PMS symptoms? Few studies exist, but the review suggests eating well is important for managing PMS. Three herbal medicines show potential: Vitex Agnus Castus, Angelica sinensis, and evening primrose oil, though stronger evidence is needed. Cohort study, 2022 Can the herbal supplement Agnus castus ease PMS symptoms in teenage girls? In this small study, three months of Agnus castus (20mg daily) reduced most PMS symptoms in teenage girls, working best on mood-related and fluid-retention symptoms and less well on skin and joint symptoms. Randomised trial, 2020 How should premenstrual syndrome be diagnosed and treated? PMS is diagnosed by tracking cyclical symptoms that appear 2-14 days before menstruation and disappear when menstruation starts. Both hormonal treatments like birth control pills and non-hormonal treatments like Vitex extract have been shown in research to be effective. Non-randomised trial, 2020 Do aerobic exercise and Vitex extract reduce PMS symptoms in teenage girls? Yes. Both 8 weeks of aerobic exercise and Vitex extract significantly reduced psychological and physical PMS symptoms compared to control group, with the combination being most effective. Case report, 2019 Can chasteberry, a herbal remedy for PMS, cause a psychotic episode? A report describes one woman who developed a psychotic episode after taking chasteberry for premenstrual syndrome. Because this is only one case, it cannot show how often this might happen. Study, 2019 Do Western herbal medicines help with menstrual pain and discomfort? One herbal medicine, Vitex agnus-castus (chasteberry), has research showing it works. Most other herbs used by Western herbalists have not been properly tested for safety or effectiveness. Review, 2019 What causes PMDD and which treatments actually help? This review explains that PMDD likely comes from an unusual brain response to normal hormone changes, involving serotonin and a brain receptor called GABA-A, and it says serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the first choice of treatment, with other options available if those do not work. Randomised trial, 2017 Can chasteberry (Vitex agnus castus) help premenstrual breast pain and PMS? Based on a review of earlier placebo-controlled studies, chasteberry extract seems to ease premenstrual breast pain and some PMS symptoms, likely by lowering prolactin. Side effects were mild and infrequent, but this is a summary of past research, not a new trial. Survey study, 2015 How does Vitex agnus castus work to help PMS? This article proposes that Vitex agnus castus (in products called Cyclodynon and Mastodynon) may help PMS by affecting dopamine levels in the brain. However, the abstract does not present actual research results or evidence that it works. Randomised trial, 2015 Can Vitex help a woman with high prolactin levels and irregular periods? Yes, in this one case. A woman with mild high prolactin who could not tolerate standard treatment improved with Vitex. But this is only one patient, so we cannot know how well it works for others. Non-randomised trial, 2014 Does Vitex help PMS symptoms? Yes, Vitex reduced PMS symptoms, with 91 percent of women improving by the third cycle. However, without a control group, we cannot be certain Vitex itself caused the improvement. Survey study, 2014 Do herbal remedies or birth control pills improve quality of life for women with PMS? Yes, both treatments led to statistically significant improvements in physical and psychological health, though this was an observational study without a control group for comparison. Randomised trial, 2013 What treatments work for PMDD? Serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants and hormonal contraceptives are the most evidence-based treatments. Alternative treatments like calcium, chasteberry, St. John's wort, and behavioral therapy may help but have less research supporting them. Randomised trial, 2013 Does Vitex agnus-castus reduce migraines in women with PMS? In this open-label study of women with both PMS and migraines, over 40% experienced major reduction in migraine frequency and duration. Without a control group, we cannot be certain the improvement was due to Vitex. Study, 2011 Does taking vitex help reduce PMS symptoms in teenage girls? Yes. In this study, 44.4% of the girls had no PMS complaints at all after 3 months of treatment, and another 28.8% had a reduction of all their PMS symptoms. Randomised trial, 2011 Is Vitex agnus castus effective for premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Vitex agnus castus appeared to reduce PMDD symptoms with no reported side effects. However, this was a very small preliminary study without clear methodology or statistical comparison, so firm conclusions cannot be drawn. Survey study, 2009 Do doctors diagnose and treat PMS the same way in different countries? No. Doctors in different countries use very different treatments: North America and the UK favour antidepressants called SSRIs, while France uses hormones and painkillers and Germany uses a plant extract. Few doctors diagnose PMS at all despite how common it is. Randomised trial, 2009 Does a combination of St. John's Wort and Chaste Tree help PMS-like symptoms in perimenopausal women? The herbal combination significantly improved PMS symptoms, especially depression and food cravings, compared to placebo. The study was very small with only 14 women. Review, 2009 Does Vitex agnus castus help PMS symptoms? This review of previous studies suggests that Vitex might help PMS by lowering a hormone called prolactin, but we need stronger research to be sure. Study, 2008 How common is PMDD and how does it affect women's lives? About 5% of menstruating women have severe PMDD with significant impairment in functioning. At least another 20% have clinically significant premenstrual symptoms. PMDD affects romantic relationships, parenting, work, and increases health care use. Study, 2007 Do compounds from Vitex rotundifolia act like estrogen in the body? In laboratory cells, two compounds from Vitex rotundifolia (agnuside and rotundifuran) acted like estrogen and turned on estrogen-related genes. This suggests they might help regulate hormone levels, though testing in people is still needed. Lab study, 2006 How does Vitex agnus-castus work in the body to help with PMS? Vitex agnus-castus extracts can activate opioid receptors in cells. This may explain how the herb helps with PMS symptoms. The extract without fat was more active than the extract with fat. Randomised trial, 2003 Does chasteberry (Vitex agnus castus) work as well as fluoxetine for PMDD? Both treatments worked in similar numbers of women (68.4% for fluoxetine, 57.9% for Vitex), with no significant difference. Fluoxetine worked better for emotional symptoms while Vitex worked better for physical symptoms. Study, 2003 Does Vitex agnus castus help treat PMS? This is a description of a planned systematic review. No results are available yet. Review, 2002 What supplements or alternative treatments help PMS symptoms? Several supplements show evidence for helping PMS: calcium, magnesium, vitamin E, thiamine (vitamin B1), and omega-3 fatty acids. Japanese herbal formulas may also help. Non-randomised trial, 2000 Does Vitex agnus castus (chasteberry) extract reduce PMS symptoms? Vitex extract reduced PMS symptoms by 42.5% during treatment, with 47% of women experiencing at least 50% improvement. Without a control group, we cannot be certain improvement was from the herb versus placebo or natural improvement. Show more studies Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗