Guest guest Posted March 16, 2002 Report Share Posted March 16, 2002 > Dear List Sisters-- > > I am again looking for ladies who are using essential oil vitex for > menopausal balancing, or are considering using this essential oil. > > Lowana Veal, Janina Sorensen and myself are rewriting The Vitex > Anthology for submission to a British nursing journal. This journal is > linked to Med-Line, and would make the information very accessible to > a lot of people. > > We would very much like to include the experiences of more women who > have used the oil. As the initial project involved use of the oil for > at least three months, we are very much interested in the experience > of other women who have used the oil for at least three months. > > However, if there is anyone who wants to start using the oil now, you > would have two months of use on which to report if you would like to > add more data. I will need to have all information in my hands by > February 15, 2001 to meet an early March deadline. > > We will present the data resulting from less than three months use > as just that-- " less than three months use " > > Those of you who have followed the Vitex Anthology may know that we > currently have 23 detailed reports from women using both the leaf oil > and the berry oil. The participants of the initial project used the > oil in any way they chose, and reported their experience with nine > common menopausal symptoms on a standardized reporting form. A > compilation of this data was presented at the Pacific Institute of > Aromatherapy Conference this past November. > > Several people expressed serious interest in continuing the research > and development on this essential oil. > > Those of you who are using the oil internally may be interested to > know that the initial results indicate that it often works just as > well by inhalation or use in skin creams. > If you have concerns about regular ingestion of essential oils (I am > very conservative in my own use in this manner), you may want to see > if you can get the results you want by inhalation or dermal > application. > > If you are interested in participating, please post me privately and I > will send you the standard information form. I can also refer you to > sources for both leaf and berry oils. > > Feel free to forward this post to anyone whom you feel may be > interested. > Thanks in advance-- > Barbara -------- Barbara Lucks wrote: > > Here is some information that you may find useful. > > I have popped back onto this list as a friend from another list > indicated there was a vitex thread where I might be helpful. I was > relieved to see that nothing has changed on the list, with the usual > beer-bottles flying through the air. > > I am happy to discuss some of the Vitex Anthology for a day or two, > and then I'll be off again--work is crazy and the kids are coming > home for the holidays. I am happy to answer questions as best I can, > but the MOMENT the discussion turns to personal assaults, I'll stop > wasting my time. I will include any nasty personal posts to me as > " group discussion material " to be forwarded to the list before I log > off. > > In nutshell, essential oils vitex agnus castus (from a variety of > plant parts) are showing strong andecdotal evidence of supporting > progesterone balance from menarche to menopause--and beyond. Based on > a small sampling of case studies (23, here is my conclusion: > > " CONCLUSION > > Clearly this data has to be viewed in light of the small number of > participants (23), as well as the totally subjective nature of both > use and measurement of success. My own personal conclusion is that > e.o. Vitex agnus castus of both berry and leaf extraction are > exhibiting the same balancing action that the literature attributes > to the dried berries. However, it may be possible that for a > substantial number of women, the leaf oil may be both broader and more > refined in therapeutic action. If this is indeed the case, the usable > parts of the plant may not be confined only to the berries. > > I am purposely omitting the statistical data, because I don't want it > snipped off into little pieces and sent all over without the > supporting text. E.O. Vitex is still an experimental oil, though I > have no reason to assume that prudent use is likely to cause any harm. > I would define prudent use in self-care as inhalation or use in body > creams at a 1%-2% dilution. > > If one is under the supervision of a medical professional who is in > accord with interal use of the oils, ingestion would be an option. > These strike me as particularly powerful and tricky oils. They can > act as a tuning fork, or they can act as a sledge hammer. Less is > more. > > I would strongly suggest medical supervision if you are going to use > the oil internally. However, the data gathered in The Vitex Anthology > supports a pronounced effect simply by inhalation or dermal > application, so why take it farther than you need to? > > Various studies have shown that e.o. vitex balanced progesterone > levels by direct action on the pituitary. The " active ingredient " > has not been identified (thank goodness!). Seems to me that > inhalation is the fastest was to the pituitary and avoids the liver > for the most part. Even though internal use was suggested to me by my > supplier when I first used the oil (and I personally felt no ill > effects in 18 month of medically supervised internal use), I can get > what I need by inhalation of dermal application. You may need more > than I do--every one is different. I would not rule out internal use, > but I would exercise caution and restraint. > > In the Vitex Anthology, the women reported on a variety of menopausal > symptoms in what I would broadly call " head stuff " and " body stuff " . > Both the berry oil and the leaf oil were nicely effective in managing > " body stuff " --hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness. The leaf > oil appeared to be more effective at " head stuff " --mood swings, memory > loss. Keep in mind this was a very small group, and more research on > both oils is needed. > > I have just received a wee sample of an oil that is a codistillation > of leaves and berries, and, based on my sense of smell, this is a > THIRD oil. I don't have any anecdodal data on this oil--it may well > be a totally new oil. > > I am not able to address the use of e.o. vitex for anything other than > menopausal balancing. Maybe others on this list have more > information. > > USE OF VITEX MAY VOID YOUR BIRTH CONTROL PILLS! Yikes! You don't > want that to happen, so heads up. > > USE OF VITEX MAY INDUCE POST-MENOPAUSAL BLEEDING! Maybe not what you > had in mind if you are totally DONE. However, if you are now in the > " irregular period " phase--or have very heavy periods--the oil is > showing great promise in evening this phase out. > > USE OF VITEX WILL LIKELY REQUIRE RECALIBRATION OF HORMONE REPLACEMENT > THERAPY. You need to work with your doc on this one. It is usually > the progesterone side of the equation that you will need to address. > > DON'T USE VITEX IF YOU ARE PREGNANT. > > I am posting a separate message soliciting further information from > women who are using the oil and may be willing the share their > experience. I am currently rewriting The Vitex Anthology in > collaboration with two other authors for submission to a nursing > journal. > > I am aware of at least four suppliers offering at least three distinct > essential oils vitex agnus castus. Post me personally if you need > these sources. If you are a supplier who sells vitex, please post me > so I may include you in the referral list. > > Many thanks, > Barbara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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