Red clover supplement helps with menopause

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Menopause is often associated with symptoms like depression, anxiety and hot flashes. Although hormone replacement therapy can help, there are concerns over the long term impact of such treatment on women’s health. A recent study suggested that red clover may be a viable alternative for treating the symptoms of menopause.

Researchers at the General Teaching Hospital, Korneuberg, Austria, gave either red clover extract or placebo to a group of 109 menopausal women. The supplement reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety by around 80% and also significantly reduced the frequency of hot flashes.

The active ingredient in the red clover extract are plant isoflavones, which can mimic the natural female hormone estrogen The isoflavones seem to make up for the estrogen which is lacking after menopause. Red clover is well known as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy and is believed to be safe, with no adverse effects upon the breast, womb or liver. There are also no known interactions between red clover extract and other medications a woman may be taking.