Black Cohosh for Menopause

Written By Graig Alpert
Black cohosh may improve menopausal symptoms

A 2005 study found that a 40mg extract of black cohosh daily significantly improved menopausal symptoms, especially hot flashes, compared to placebo over 12 weeks. Women closer to onset of menopause had more benefit than those in a later phase. Black cohosh may act as a selective estrogen receptor modulator and may affect serotonin. Black cohosh may cause digestive or other side effects.

Osmers R, Friede M, Liske E, Schnitker J, Freudenstein J, Henneicke-von Zepelin HH. Efficacy and safety of isopropanolic black cohosh extract for climacteric symptoms. Obstet Gynecol. 2005 May;105(5 Pt 1):1074-83. doi: 10.1097/01.AOG.0000158865.98070.89. Erratum in: Obstet Gynecol. 2005 Sep;106(3):644. PMID: 15863547.

Wobser RW, Takov V. Black Cohosh. [Updated 2023 May 21]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2026 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470187/

Graig Alpert
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