>>My understanding is that vitex -- if used too much -- actually has the
reverse effect of low doses of vitex. I have witnessed this with clients as
well. Small amounts of vitex are great. Many people therefore think that
if a small amount is good than more is better. It is not. It can all but
eliminate a milk supply in my experience.<<
I have done some research on this herb and it really does seem to go both
ways. What I don't have a good handle on is the exact amounts of "high" vs
"low" for lactation stimulation vs suppression. Rat studies have certainly
shown suppressive effects on lactation, which is the reason that more
current resources list it as not recommended for lactation. But I don't
think they've all taken a look at dosages and usage.
In the 40's and 50's there were a couple of studies done giving mothers
vitex in the early postpartum period to see if it improved lactation:
Bautze 1953, German: Tested 200 women using 2 chaste tree fruit
preparations (no details) against untreated control group of 100 women.
Those treated with chaste tree reportedly showed an increase in milk supply
and "freer flow of milk." (Summary from American Herbal Pharmacopoeia)
Mohr 1954, German: prospective randomized, double blind controlled trial
compared effects of Agnolyt solution (15 drops TID), Vit B1 (1 tab TID) and
control group. In all 3 groups lactation increased through the first 10 days
postpartum. Day 10-20 the second two groups "declined" while Agnolyt group
maintained or increased through day 20. (Summary from American Herbal
Pharmacopoeia)
From Donald Brown MD, 1994 clinical monograph on vitex: "Vitex has been used
historically to increase milk production in lactating women-- another
example of its modulating effect on prolactin levels. Only one controlled
study exists.... "Mohr found that lactating women with poor milk production
treated with vitex liquid extract were able to effectively increase
production. Vitex often took several weeks to show results but was then used
effectively over several months."
From David Hoffman, Herbal Materia Medica online: "Vitex.... can be taken
safely throughout the end of the third month of pregnancy, which may help
prevent miscarriage, according to German research. After the third month it
is still safe to take but not recommended because it may bring on the flow
of milk too early. In one carefully controlled study with 100 nursing
mothers, it was found that women who took vitex had an increased milk flow
compared to women who took a placebo. Later research showed that the best
way to stimulate milk production is to take vitex first 10 days after birth.
(citation number given but not listed further)
From Steven Foster's monograph online: Quoted Pliny & Dioscorides (1st
century) and Theophrastus (3rd cen AD): "They encourage rich milk." Also
references to German papers in 1941, 42 43, and then mentions Mohr.
From Longwood Herbal Taskforce: mentions data on research on human MALES:
when given doses of 120, 240 or 480 mg of special vitex extract (BP1095E1)
daily 14 days, there was a significant increase in prolactin in men
receiving LOWEST dose but a slight reduction in prolactin when receiving
HIGHER dose. Changes depended on baseline prolactin of individual (My
comment: this speaks to the "modulating effect" on prolactin). They also
reference the 1943 article: "Found increase in milk production in 80% of 125
patients. Regarding the Mohr article, they state: "controlled trial of 817
patients, there was a significant effect from vitex administration, with avg
milk production about 3x that of controls after 20 days treatment."
Most of the current research looks at the negative side of vitex and its
potential inhibiting effects on prolactin, and discounts the earlier
studies. To my knowledge, however, I don't think anyone has studied the
lactation application in humans directly, something that I think might be
worthwhile. I really think there is more to this picture than we are hearing
right now. The problem: who cares about lactation and increasing milk
supply?
~Lisa Marasco MA IBCLC
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