The Effects Of Red Clover Supplement

Red clover, also known as Trifolium pratense, is a perennial herb in the pea family. The flowers are edible and are dried and used to produce extracts used in supplements. Red clover extracts contain isoflavones, coumarin, flavonoids, saponins, salicylic acid and some minerals and vitamins. Isoflavones belong to a class of chemicals, called phytoestrogens, which are structurally similar to estrogen and may act either as estrogen mimics or antagonists. Red clover supplements are widely used to relieve menopausal symptoms. As an ointment, red clover extract is used for treating skin disorders such as psoriasis and eczema, although no human studies have evaluated its effectiveness in treating skin rashes.

Menopausal Symptoms

A review of several human studies published in the February 2007 issue of Phytomedicine concludes that red clover supplements are marginally effective in treating hot flashes in menopausal women. A second review in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews concludes that red clover supplements are ineffective in treating menopausal symptoms. The scientific evidence that red clover supplements are effective in treating symptoms of menopause is conflicting and is partly related to differences in red clover supplement doses and the severity of symptoms in women that participated in the studies.

Bone Loss

Low levels of estrogen are a risk factor for osteoporosis. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center says that there is some evidence to suggest red clover supplements decrease bone loss in women, but more research is needed to determine how effective red clover is in larger trials.

Cardiovascular Health

A small study in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism says that red clover supplements decreased blood pressure and improved cardiovascular health in postmenopausal type 2 diabetic women. A review article in Breast Cancer Research says that the incidence of cardiovascular disease is reduced in women who have a high dietary intake of isoflavones. Additionally, red clover extract contains coumarin, which is a blood thinner.

Breast Cancer

The phytoestrogens in red clover could potentially inhibit breast cancer growth, and the review article in Breast Cancer Research says that breast cancer incidence is lower in women who consume high amounts of dietary isoflavones. This review also says that another study did not find any adverse activity of red clover supplements on breast density, a marker for breast cancer risk and that further research is needed to determine if red clover supplements might be effective for preventing breast cancer or treating women with breast cancer.

Prostate Cancer

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center says that a study in cells demonstrated red clover extracts increase resistance of prostate cancer cells to high-dose radiation and that men with prostate cancer who are undergoing radiotherapy should avoid red clover supplements. However, another study in Cancer Prevention Research says that red clover extracts decrease expression of prostate specific antigen, or PSA, and notes that other studies have found that red clover extracts decrease prostate cancer cell growth. Further research in humans is needed to determine the benefits of taking red clover supplements to treat and prevent prostate cancer.