What Is the Scientific Evidence for Black Cohosh?
Menopausal Symptoms The body of evidence regarding black cohosh for menopausal symptoms remains incomplete and inconsistent, though promising. The best study was a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 304 women with menopausal symptoms. 27 This study appeared to find that black cohosh was more effective than placebo. The best evidence was for a reduction in hot flashes. However, the statistical procedures used in the study were somewhat unusual and open to question. Promising results were also seen in a 3-month, double-blind study of 120 menopausal women. 48 Participants were given either black cohosh or fluoxetine (Prozac). Over the course of the trial, black cohosh proved more effective than fluoxetine for hot flashes, but fluoxetine was more effective than black cohosh for menopause-related mood changes. Previous smaller studies have found improvements not only in hot flashes but also in other symptoms of menopause. For example, in a double-blind, placebo-controlled st
