An Introduction to Black Cohosh Dosage
Black cohosh (
Actaea racemosa, Cimicifuga racemosa) is an herbal supplement typically used for relieving
symptoms of menopause. Unlike medications (for which the standard doses have been well established in carefully designed studies), there is less information available for determining the best dose for herbal supplements, including black cohosh.
Reasonable Black Cohosh Dosing
With prescription (and non-prescription) medications, researchers establish the most effective and safest doses in special studies, known as dose-range studies. These studies are done early in the development of medications, long before they are ever approved. However, because herbal supplements do not need FDA approval, dose-range studies are rarely performed. Without such studies, only vague "trial and error" information is available.
Some information about black cohosh dosing can be obtained from clinical studies and from practical experience with the supplement. Most studies of black cohosh for treating
menopause symptoms used a specific brand of black cohosh (Remifemin
®). These studies generally used doses of 40 mg or 80 mg twice daily, although recent data suggests that 20 mg twice daily may be sufficient.
There is not enough information available to recommend a safe and effective dose of black cohosh for any other condition (other than for symptoms of
menopause).
