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Avlimil Safety

Avlimil is an herbal supplement intended for relieving symptoms of hormonal imbalances and menopause, such as hot flashes and night sweats. As an herbal supplement, Avlimil is not evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration for safety or effectiveness, and some of its ingredients pose risks for side effects and complications.

  1. Ingredients

    • The primary ingredients of Avlimil as reported by the makers of the herbs include soy, black cohosh, red raspberry leaf and sage.

    Types of Side Effects

    • Soy has the potential to cause constipation, bloating and nausea, while side effects of black cohosh include stomach cramps, headaches and vaginal spotting. Some patients who take sage as a dietary supplement report nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness, agitation and wheezing, reports RxList.

    Drug Interactions

    • Soy should not be used with MAOI antidepressants as the chemicals in soy increase the risk and severity of side effects from MAOIs, such as severe hypertension, explains RxList. Sage may decrease the effectiveness of some seizure medications like carbamazepine or phenytoin, while black cohosh can make chemotherapy treatments for cancer using cisplatin less effective.

    Risks

    • Both black cohosh and sage pose a risk for liver damage in some patients, warns RxList. Some doctors fear that chemicals in soy may increase the risk of developing estrogen-dependent tumors like breast, ovarian or uterine cancers, according to Breastcancer.org.

    Considerations

    • The soy, sage and black cohosh contained in Avlimil are not safe for use while pregnant or nursing. If you have a history of cancer, diabetes, seizure disorders, kidney or liver disease, uterine fibroids or protein S deficiency, it may not be safe for you to take Avlimil due to its ingredients, warns RxList.

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