Chasteberries are the small brown fruit of the Chaste tree, and have been used in traditional medicine for a variety of purposes. The name “chaste” berry comes from the fact that these tiny berries were once thought to control sexual libido in men. Chasteberries have also been called “monk’s pepper” or “monk’s berry” because ancient monks would eat it as a way to control their sexual desires and remain committed to their vows of celibacy. Modern day research has found that chaste berries are not really effective for this purpose though.

Today, Chasteberries are used for different reasons, mostly by women. These tiny herbs have been shown to help regulate hormonal balances, alleviating a lot of the irritating and sometimes painful issues surrounding the reproductive tract and organs, to help provide better overall women’s reproductive health. Chasteberries have been found to help with the symptoms of PMS, infertility, menopause, breast tenderness, and irregular menstrual periods. You can find Chasteberry extract at health food stores in capsule, powder, and tea forms.

The benefits of Chasteberry come from its influence on the pituitary gland to regulate the release of the hormones prolactin, progesterone, and leutinizing hormone. Studies have shown the progesterone plays a vital role in allowing a woman to get pregnant and her ability to carry a baby to term. Low levels of the hormone may lead to infertility and miscarriage due to thinning of the uterine lining, and luteal phase defects. Chasteberries work to regulate and maintain healthy levels of progesterone, which can improve fertility and fetal health. Progesterone abnormalities can also lead to long, painful, early or late, or no menstrual periods, which not only can contribute to infertility but also can increase symptoms of PMS like cramps, headaches, and depression. Chasteberries may also help to clear up acne caused by hormonal swings before and during your period.

Increased production of prolactin has been linked to breast tenderness and pain in both nursing and premenstrual women. Chasteberry’s work to regulate these high levels of prolactin, as well as maintaining the progesterone balance, can greatly help decrease the pain. You may not notice results right away when taking a supplement of Chasteberry, but in clinical trial most women reported a significant decrease in, or total relief from, their symptoms after about 3 months of use.

Although not usually associated with side effects, taking too much of the Chasteberry extract may lead to headaches, dizziness, nausea, upset stomach, rashes, and itchiness. It is recommended that Chasteberries only be used for a maximum of 6 months for menstrual and menopausal issues, and only up to a year for infertility problems. Because of its ability to regulate hormones, you should not take Chasteberry in any form while you are pregnant or breastfeeding, unless you are advised by your doctor.

Because of the many benefits for women’s health that can come from a supplement of Chasteberry, it is being seen more and more in many “women’s only” weight loss pills and other dietary supplements. There isn’t any evidence however, to suggest that Chasteberry has any effect on weight loss.