09/24/2018 / By Janine Acero
A recently published Danish study found that red clover (Trifolium pratense), a herbaceous plant, can be used to effectively soothe hot flashes and mood swings brought about by menopause. The fermented extract is a remedy of great efficacy. In addition, the extract prevents osteoporosis or bone loss that is accelerated by menopause, which affects one in three women over the age of 50. The lifetime risk of developing osteoporosis for women is one in three.
Professor Per Bendix Jeppesen, who led the study, and the researchers at Aarhus University recruited 130 women with menopause symptoms; 60 were selected based on criteria of at least five severe hot flashes per day, plus blood tests. The participants were divided into two groups of 30 – one group drank 150 ml of red clover extract every day for 12 weeks, and the other group drank a placebo.
“After 12 weeks we tested again and were speechless about the data. There was a much greater effect than we had hoped for,” said Jeppesen’s colleague, Ph.D. Max Norman Tandrup Lambert.
The women’s hot flashes were measured using a “skin conductor,” a device that is applied to the underside of the wrist that can determine the number and severity of hot flash episodes. Additionally, the participants underwent 24-hour blood pressure monitoring, and 24-hour symptom diaries and questionnaires.
Similarly, the effect of the extract on bone health were tested via so-called DXA scans of the spine and hips. All measurements were taken in the same way before and after 12 weeks of treatment. The study lasted for three months.
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“It is the fermentation process of the red clover extract that makes the difference, as the lactic acid fermentation increases the bioavailability of the bioactive estrogen-like compounds (known as isoflavones or phytoestrogens) that red clover has in abundance,” explained Lambert.
The menopause stage is primarily characterized by the onset of hot flashes and hormonal swings. Listed below are some other symptoms that may range from mild to moderate or severe:
Other risk factors linked to menopause are cardiovascular disease and negative changes to fat metabolism and profile.
HormonesBalance.com shares other herbal remedies besides red clover extract that may help relieve the symptoms of menopause. (Related: Natural menopause treatment with herbs, food remedies and homeopathy relieves cause of symptoms.)
For hot flashes and night sweats:
For anxiety and low mood:
For heart and bone health:
For more on women’s wellness, visit WomensHealth.news.
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Tagged Under: alternative medicine, bone loss, herbal remedies, hot flashes, Menopause, menopause symptoms, natural cures, natural health, natural medicine, natural remedies, red clover, red clover extract, women's health