Black cohosh tea is a popular female reproductive health formulation that is made from black cohosh (Actaea racemosa, Cimicifuga racemosa) roots. Black cohosh plant is a flowering plant which is native to North America, and is also referred to as baneberry, black snakeroot, bugbane, or fairy candle. Both the flowers and roots of black cohosh are commonly used in traditional medicine among Native Americans, and have grown in popularity among women’s fertility supplements.
Black cohosh roots and leaves
Both the root and leaf of black cohosh has been used in Chinese traditional medicine for several other health challenges, aside female fertility and menopausal conditions. They are also made into supplements and other herbal formulations, which are being sold in commercial stores and supermarkets. Black cohosh roots and leaves may be combined with other herbal formulations, depending on what you are trying to achieve with them.
How to prepare black cohosh tea (black cohosh tea recipe)
- Black cohosh tea is an easy to make tea drink. To make your black cohosh tea, assemble the following:
- 2 spoonful of dried black cohosh root and leaf powder
- A spoonful of dried ginger powder (to cushion the side effect black cohosh has on the liver)
- 2 cups of clean water
- Natural honey (For taste)
Directions
- Put the black cohosh and ginger powder in a pot and add the 2 cups of clean water to it.
- Bring to boil and allow to simmer for 30 minutes until the liquid is reduced to a cup.
- Bring down, strain and add your natural honey.
- Enjoy your tea warm or cold.
- You can refrigerate and keep for 48 hrs at maximum.
Health benefits of black cohosh supplements
Black cohosh tea can be made from the leaves or roots. It can also be made by combining the leaves and roots. Both the leaves and roots are well fortified with different bioactive compounds such as triterpenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids, glycosides, saponins and a host of other compounds, which confer on black cohosh the pharmacological activities black cohosh usually exhibits.
Black cohosh for female fertility
Black cohosh promotes fertility in women, especially women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is a health condition in which there is a hormonal imbalance, characterized by hyperandrogenism and polycystic ovaries. This hormonal imbalance is associated with menstrual irregularities, and is the common cause of endocrinopathy among women of reproductive age, as it prevents ovulation.
Black cohosh tea has gained popularity among women because of its positive effects on PCOS and ability to increase female fertility ratio. Black cohosh exhibits an estrogen-like effect on the central nervous, and therefore may induce ovulation in women with PCOS. This is done by significantly reducing the levels of Luteinizing hormone and follicule-stimulating hormone/luteinizing (FSH/LH) ratio.
This effect of black cohosh on both the LH and FSH/LH ratio shows that black cohosh tea induces the hypothalamus to reduce the release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone. As a result, the reduction of LH in women with PCOS has been associated with better ovulation and implantation rates. In a study, black cohosh proves to be more effective than the standard drug, Clomiphene, making black cohosh tea a dependable home remedy for polycystic ovarian syndrome and for female fertility.
Black cohosh for menopause
There are several herbal formulations and supplements made from black cohosh, and for the prevention of menopaused symptoms, including hot flashes/flushes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, heart palpitations, tinnitus, vertigo, sleep disturbances, nervousness, and irritability. Black cohosh prevents the onset of menopausal symptoms through its estrogen-like behavior. It may possess selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors activity, which is associated with alleviation of hot flashes.
How long does it take black cohosh to work for menopause?
The efficacy of black cohosh depends on the formulation and mode of administration of the supplements or tea. For a pure black cohosh tea, it may take four weeks of consistent intake of black cohosh tea for the person to start experiencing symptomatic relief. However, the longer the duration taking black cohosh tea the better the experience.
Black cohosh for breast cancer
Although black cohosh plant has been known for its female fertility and anti-menopausal properties, very few people are aware that black cohosh tea can be a very useful preventive, as well as curative home remedy for breast cancer.
The black cohosh plant possesses a bioactive triterpene glycoside, actein, which exhibits antiproliferative and apoptotic effect on human breast cancer cell lines. This compound, actein exerts its effect through the activation of specific stress response pathways.
If you take black cohosh regularly but moderately, you would have been enjoying the breast cancer preventive effect of black cohosh tea. You may also make your tea by adding soursop root powders to your black cohosh root powder before infusing them in hot water. This would offer you a synergistic effect.
Cimicifuga racemosa may be useful for diabetes
Although there are het to be more attention to the antidiabetic activities of black cohosh, some studies have shown that black cohosh possesses some bioactive components that exhibit antidiabetic activity. One of the components, Ze 450, and others such as protopine, and cimiracemoside C, were investigated by some studies, which showed that Ze activated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and their effects compared to that of metformin in HepaRG cells.
It was shown that Ze 450 activated AMPK to the same extent as metformin. AMPK activation promotes the survival of pancreatic beta cells, and inhibits insulin resistance, thereby promoting insulin sensitivity and glucose transport across the cellular membrane. AMPK also promotes glucose metabolism, and ameliorate diabetic complications.
The activation of AMPK makes black cohosh a therapeutic agent for treating type 2 diabetes. This means that a regular administration of black cohosh supplements may be a great help for people with diabetes. Black cohosh tea should also be your daily drink, at moderation, if you are treating type 2 diabetes.
Black cohosh may improve ulcer
Black cohosh tea is well fortified with several antioxidant antimicrobial compounds that helps alleviate the pathogenesis of gastric ulcers induced by immobilization stress.
May be beneficial for treating cough
In traditional medicine, black cohosh has been used for the treatment of various forms of cough, and sore throat. It may also be used to treat skin rashes. You may want to try tropical girdlepod for cough, wound healing and skin rashes.
May be a great remedy for cholesterol hypertension
Some studies have suggested that black cohosh possess anti-hyperlipidemic and hypotension activities. By lowering serum cholesterol level, black cohosh may help in maintaining proper blood flow throw the arterial vessels. It may also antagonize angiotensin converting enzymes, thereby preventing hypertension. Avocado seed tea is another but an excellent remedy for hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases. You may want to give it a trial, as you would testify like others who had done so.
May improve anxiety
Black cohosh tea has mild sedative and anti-depressant effect on the central nervous system. It may be a good remedy for treating anxiety disorder and other diseases associated with the central nervous system.
Side effects of black cohosh
Some of the side effects of black cohosh tea may be due to the person’s allergy to black cohosh, in which case, it is advisable that you stop taking black cohosh tea or other black cohosh supplements. Some of the likely side effects of black cohosh include:
- Body cramps
- Weight gain
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Visual disturbance
- CNS disturbances
Who should not take black cohosh tea?
Do not take black cohosh tea or supplements if you have liver associated diseases. If you start urinating dark urine develop jaundice, while taking black cohosh or its other supplements, please cease immediately.
If you are taking blood clotting medication, do not take black cohosh tea or supplements.
People who are taking birth control pills, those taking hormone replacement therapy, and those on blood pressure medications should avoid taking black cohosh.
References
Kamel HH. Role of phyto-oestrogens in ovulation induction in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. May 2013;168(1):60-63.
Einbond, L. S., Wen-Cai, Y., He, K., Wu, H. A., Cruz, E., Roller, M., & Kronenberg, F. (2008). Growth inhibitory activity of extracts and compounds from Cimicifuga species on human breast cancer cells. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology, 15(6-7), 504–511. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2007.09.017.
Moser C, Vickers SP, Brammer R, Cheetham SC, Drewe J. Antidiabetic effects of the Cimicifuga racemosa extract Ze 450 in vitro and in vivo in ob/ob mice. Phytomedicine. 2014 Sep 25;21(11):1382-9. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2014.06.002. Epub 2014 Jul 8. PMID: 25022210.
