After five years of an unsuccessful mental‑health drug treatment program, my daughter was encouraged to try the dietary supplement Chasteberry (Vitex). At the time, we knew very little about supplements—only that they might help her feel better, or they might do nothing at all. Her healthcare provider explained that Chasteberry was often used for premenstrual symptoms and might help stabilize her mood. With that hope in mind, my daughter, Nikki, agreed to give it a try.

The instructions she was given were simple: purchase Chasteberry Vitex capsules, open one, and take just a small amount each day.

But each time Nikki took the supplement, she became extremely buzzed—far more than what anyone would consider a normal reaction. The intensity of that feeling, combined with the complete lack of any positive effect, led her to stop taking it after a month.

Still struggling with her mental health and receiving no meaningful support, she once again changed healthcare providers. When she told her new provider that she had been advised to take Chasteberry Vitex, she was immediately encouraged not to continue with it, especially since supplements like this are not FDA‑regulated.