Case study: one of my clients has been trying to get basal temps up to enhance chances of conception and success in carrying pregnancy (basal temps usually in 96.6-97.5 range likely due to Hashimotos disease treated with Westhroid -combined T3 and T4 therapy). Following her consult, she takes daily thyroid support, adrenal support, primarily in form of adaptogens targeted to her specific needs and a few other formulas to address other health needs. In addition, she is gluten-free, dairy-free, caffeine-free, which has improved some of her gut symptoms - much of nutritional therapy is focused on gut due to autoimmune nature of her health issues and immune function strongly associated with gut function. Because of blood sugar/insulin resistance issues due to symptoms of PCOS, she also takes an herbal combination that includes white peony and licorice that has supported her in having monthly cycles rather than very erratic cycles and regular ovulation rather than being anovulatory. She initially chose to take vitex as part of her womens health herbal formula, but her basal temps were not coming up, despite more intensive therapy for thyroid and adrenals and hormonal support (for informational purposes, we tried Wilsons thyroid protocol with T3 with no success for this client and unpleasant increase in tachycardia). We switched to 1200mg daily of vitex in three divided doses, which caused more spikes in temp but not steady rise and consistency in staying up past ovulation (almost as if the herb was giving her body support, but it just couldnt maintain metabolic increase in function). Westhroid therapy is taken once in morning and remainder of dose by 3pm to maintain T3 levels throughout the day. Then we began vitex, standardized at 85 mg daily (once in morning) with progesterone cream therapy begun on day of ovulation. That resulted in temps more in mid-to-upper 97 range after ovulation but still not as consistent as needed to ideally maintain healthy pregnancy for mama and baby. She decided to get a progesterone test done at docs office on 7th day post ovulation, thus we knew we would not be able to do progesterone therapy this month but still wanted to provide support in case she conceives to heighten babys chances of good implantation. So we increased vitex to 225mg each morning. She just ovulated and let me know her temp is 98.2, which is highest it has been. Well see if it stays up consistently, but this is a definite improvement in that temps have been higher since increasing vitex dosage. She said her temps definitely rose following initiation of standardized vitex therapy. Vitex is one of those herbs that is a slow and gentle helper/normalizer. It can take 2-6 months to normalize womens hormones, but normalization of cycles, reduction in PMS symptoms, and increase in fertility rates are common effects of vitex therapy. It is my preference to begin with gentle herbal medicine to support body in return to normalcy, but there are times and conditions that require moving to more potent medicine, including standardized herbal products. When I purchase standardized products, I buy from companies who are not adding to the herbal raw material but who are just making sure the raw material has the amount of active ingredient being standardized. Im placing quotes around that because everything in an herb is active; we just happen to be more familiar with the activity of one or more of an herbs constituents sometimes and can get too focused on those to exclusion of the whole herbs activity. We will continue to tweak her protocol as needed for her whole health, but this is a definite improvement. When beginning vitex therapy, it is best to begin using the berries in tincture or dried, powdered form. Then, if normalization of cycles does not occur within 2-4 months, a switch to a standardized product may be indicated. I like to begin at the lower end of the 85-225mg dosage used in most research studies once per day -in morning before breakfast- and move up as needed each month. Vitex is taken every day for hormonal support. If pregnancy occurs, vitex is continued throughout the first trimester and weaned off over a two-week period once the placenta has assumed hormonal support at 10-12 weeks gestation. For women with PMS, it can take the full 225mg to normalize, but for women trying to conceive and normalize cycles, a dosage in the low-to-mid range is usually preferable combined with other support. Hope her case helps others!
Posted on: Wed, 22 Jan 2014 17:38:03 +0000
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