Science and Supplement News: Black Cohosh Really Quells Hot Flashes

A new study from Germany suggests that the herb black cohosh may work
as well as hormone replacement therapy to relieve menopausal symptoms
such as hot flashes, night sweats and related sleep disturbance.
Supplemental black cohosh also seems to help lift depressive moods and
ease nervousness. Researchers randomly assigned 304 women with various
menopausal symptoms to take 40 mg of Remifemin (a commercial extract of
black cohosh) or a placebo daily for 12 weeks. They found that
Remifemin was noticeably more effective than the placebo in addressing
menopausal symptoms and was especially helpful in reducing hot flashes.
Black cohosh has long been used to treat menopausal symptoms but it has
not been well studied since early trials in the 1980s and 1990s. The
new study was an attempt to gain up-to-date information on the efficacy
of the herb. It was published in the May 2005 issue of Obstetrics and
Gynecology.

Sources:
Obstetrics and Gynecology, May 2005