Originally published March 7 2011
Black cohosh safe for your liver, review finds
by Jonathan Benson, staff writer
(NaturalNews) A safety review published in the journal Menopause has confirmed that black cohosh, a natural plant alternative to conventional hormone replacement therapy (HRT), is safe and will not cause liver damage. Some recent reports have questioned the dietary supplement's safety, but the new study confirms that menopausal women can safely use black cohosh to help alleviate hot flashes, night sweats, and other menopause symptoms.
Led by Dr. Belal Naser from the German-based Schaper & Brummer GmbH & Co., manufacturer of a popular brand of black cohosh, the study analyzed 1,100 women who used either black cohosh, HRT, or a placebo to treat menopause symptoms for up to six months. Not only did users of black cohosh not experience visible signs of liver damage, but 62 percent of those taking the supplement that had indicators of liver problems prior to the study actually saw these indicators normalize at the completion of the study.
At least eight different studies have shown that black cohosh is just as effective as synthetic HRT therapies at treating menopause symptoms, but without the harmful side effects. A 2004 study from the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Ariz., for instance, found that black cohosh reduces weekly hot flash averages by more than 50 percent. And the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists supports the use of black cohosh for treating menopause symptoms. (http://www.naturalnews.com/026403_black_coho...).
Conventional HRT drugs, on the other hand, have been shown to increase women's risk of having a heart attack or stroke, as well as developing breast cancer, ovarian cancer, blood clots, and asthma. Much of the research claiming synthetic HRT drugs to be effective is also based on medical fraud, according to some reports (http://www.naturalnews.com/HRT.html).
Sources for this story include:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/01/28/us...
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