PHILADELPHIA – A popular herbal treatment called black cohosh is practically ineffective at relieving hot flashes and night sweats in women going through menopause, a study found.
The findings were disappointing news for women seeking alternatives to estrogen-progestin hormone supplements, which have been linked to breast cancer and heart problems.
The yearlong study at Seattle-based Group Health of 351 women suffering from hot flashes and night sweats found that those given black cohosh got about the same amount of relief as those who took a placebo. And those groups saw nothing close to the improvement in women on hormones.
Black cohosh – an herb that is a member of the buttercup family and is commonly given to ease menopause symptoms – is available in pill or liquid form and is sold over the counter in many health food stores and over the Internet.
It is among a host of supplements including soy, wild yam, red clover and St. John’s wort that have been tried for relief of hot flashes and night sweats, but studies almost universally have found they don’t work.
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