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Why I've Been Taking This Supplement For 7 Years To Keep My Hormones Balanced*
Hannah Margaret Allen is the Executive Editor at mindbodygreen. Previously she worked at Inverse, Men's Journal, and Condé Nast.
Picture this: I'm on the floor of the bathroom stall. Initially, I'm queasy, but then my vision starts to go, and the discomfort almost makes me faint. I stay there for 30 minutes, unable to get off the cool tile.
This was one of many debilitating period incidents I dealt with before I talked to my general practitioner about it in 2017.
She made it clear that the difficult periods and rough cramps were not normal—let alone something I needed to endure. She shared a few lifestyle tweaks and recommended I start taking Gaia Herbs' Vitex Berry supplement.
"As an integrative medicine physician who specializes in women's health," Chloe Godwin-Gorga, M.D., my aforementioned GP, shared. "Vitex is one of my go-to recommendations."
What is vitex berry?
Vitex agnus-castus, the scientific name of this medicinal herb, also known as the chaste tree, is native to the Mediterranean region and has many efficacious uses.
"It is a gentle herb," Godwin-Gorga shared. "With a long history of traditional use and in our modern cortisol-driven culture, acts to support progesterone production as well as have some dopamine-enhancing effects."*
What's more, vitex is a great supplement for women to take across the many phases of life:
"Vitex is what I would call a 'broad-spectrum' herb in that it has benefits for many different hormonal challenges across a woman's life cycle—from cycle issues to fertility to perimenopausal struggles,"* Godwin-Gorga says.
Why I started taking vitex
Ever since high school, I've struggled with difficult menstrual cycles. They took me out for at least one, sometimes two days, every cycle. I honestly thought this was normal (cramps are the worst for everyone, right?).
I needed a way to support better hormonal balance and avoid hormonal issues, like cycle irregularities, mood swings, and horrible period cramps.*
So I started taking two capsules every morning with my other supplements. The pretty, deep purple capsules didn't have any aftertaste or make me experience any unpleasant side effects. It's been seven years—and my subscription is still going strong.
My experience taking Vitex Berry
Like most herbal supplements, I didn't see an immediate change. But over the next few weeks and months, I noticed fewer overwhelming aches and my mood felt more even.* And while I still occasionally have difficult menstrual cycles, the frequency has decreased.
In fact, when I went to an acupuncturist recently, she immediately recommended I take Gaia Herbs' Vitex Berry. To which I said, "Already am!"
That's the reputation I find Gaia Herbs has in the integrative community. You can trust you know where the herbs were harvested, the potency of the product, and the stability of the high-quality bottles and packaging.
The takeaway
The hormonal support I got from Gaia Herbs' Vitex Berry made my day-to-day life bearable.* So much so, that I've taken it religiously for seven years. In fact, I've changed brands for supplements here and there, but I've always relied solely on Gaia Herbs for their Vitex Berry supplement.
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