Herbal relief for hot flashes

Natural Health, June, 2004

What's your best choice for an herbal supplement to alleviate hot flashes? Black cohosh shows promise for treating menopausal symptoms, suggests a research review from the Journal of the North American Menopause Society. But the authors note that there's limited evidence for the herb's effectiveness, due to poor testing methodology.

To better determine the role of black cohosh in managing menopause, Northwestern University will soon launch a one-year study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health. The study will also include red clover, another promising botanical. In the meantime, Mind Over Menopause, a guide from Harvard Medical School, recommends that you take black cohosh for no longer than six months to treat hot flashes.