Vitex agnus-castus is better known by its common name, chaste tree or chaste berry. The name of this botanical was given in honor of its ancient use as an anaphrodisiac, but today, its common name is prized for its ability to promote fertility. The ripe, dried fruits of vitex agnus-castus possess glycosides and flavonoids and are most often used in preparing therapeutic extracts. Chaste tree extract seems content to predominantly occupy a unique niche in women’s health issues.
The Unsuspected Cause Worldwide, about 10% of couples who desire to have children are afflicted with infertility. In about half of the cases (40%–50%), the semen is the issue, with either poor quality or low volume. Agarwal A, Baskaran S, Parekh N, et al. Male infertility. Lancet. 2021;397:319-333. There has been a striking decrease in semen…
The Unsuspected Thyroid Another undiagnosed epidemic in the infertility department is hypothyroidism. Of course they checked your thyroid and everything was “normal”. Normal doesn’t mean healthy. Let me explain “normal” to you. Throughout the year, people go to their doctor for various complaints. Your doctor runs blood work and the information is collected. After a…
In herbal medicine, red clover is typically used to treat respiratory issues (such as asthma, whooping cough, and bronchitis), skin disorders (such as eczema and psoriasis), inflammatory conditions like arthritis, and women’s health problems1 (such as menopausal and menstrual symptoms). They’re also a rich source of isoflavones. These are compounds that act as phytoestrogens—plant chemicals similar to the female hormone estrogen. Isoflavone extracts are touted as…
