Is it okay to take Vitex with birth control pills?

Even with the birth control, my periods are still unbearable. I've read great things about Vitex online, but I don't know if it is safe to take while on the pill. Some sources say it can interfere with the pill and cause pregnancy, others say it can cause cancer. If it is just that it increases the risk of pregnancy, it doesn't matter because I'm not sexually active, I only take the pill to avoid my period. However, I obviously wouldn't want to risk getting cancer.

[Elaine Brown, MD]

Hi!
As with most of the "natural products" there is not a lot of information available on Vitex (chasteberry) because very few studies have been done.  There seems to be some evidence that the compounds in the extract work centrally in the brain, perhaps at the level of the pituitary or/and the opiod receptors.

I can't find any information to suggest that it causes cancer, but I also can't find any evidence to the contrary.  For many many years it has been used to alleviate discomfort due to menstruation, so it probably really does do some good.

It is contraindicated in pregnancy, so I'm glad you have good birth control.

Hope this helps!

Dr B