Red clover

Trifolium pratense

Herbs & Roots. Western & European and Dr. Sebi's list.

Also called Cow clover, Meadow clover, Purple clover, Trefoil

Spanish: Trébol rojo

Estrogen-like effects

Red clover is a purple flower with plant estrogens called isoflavones, studied mostly for hot flashes.

Did you know? Red clover is a legume, and its roots host bacteria that pull nitrogen from the air into the soil, so farmers plant it to enrich fields.

What it may help, and how strong the proof is

Women's health. Pooled trials suggest a small drop in hot flashes, but results conflict and the studies are small.
Early proof
Cholesterol. Trials on cholesterol show mixed results, with no clear proof of benefit.
Early proof
Skin. Folk use for eczema and skin problems, with little good human testing.
Traditional proof

Parts of the body

Hormones & reproduction, Heart & vessels, Liver, Skin & hair

Traditional use

European folk medicine used red clover for coughs, skin problems, and sore throats. Modern herbalists mainly use it for menopause symptoms.

How it is classified

Herbal actions: Hormone balancer, Alterative, Expectorant. Energy: neutral.

How people take it

Dried flower heads are steeped as tea, or extracts are taken as capsules or tablets. Hot flash studies used about 40 to 80 mg of isoflavones a day.

Tea, capsule, tincture and powder.

Where to get it

Grows wild in meadows and roadsides across Europe, Asia, and North America, and is grown as a forage crop. Sold as tea, capsules, tinctures, and standardized extracts.

Be careful

Can cause mild stomach upset, and it is not advised during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Its estrogen-like effects make it unsafe for people with hormone-sensitive cancers. It may slow blood clotting, so people on blood thinners should check with a doctor first.

Avoid if: pregnancy; breastfeeding; hormone-sensitive cancer; bleeding disorders; before surgery.

Mixing with other things

Works well together
A common menopause blend partner. Red clover trials are also mixed.
Works well together
Common together in women's hormone blends.
Works well together
Both appear in some menopause blends.
Use caution
Blood thinners (warfarin, Eliquis, Xarelto, Plavix, daily aspirin)
Contains compounds that may slow blood clotting, adding to blood thinner effects.
Worth knowing
Birth control (the pill and other hormonal birth control)
Plant estrogens may change how hormone medicines work, and the effect is not well studied.

Adds up with others that may slow blood clotting: , , , , , , , , , , , , , and 40 more.

The honest take

Red clover contains real plant estrogens, and pooled studies suggest a small drop in hot flashes. Trials conflict, and long-term safety is not well studied. Claims that it prevents bone loss or heart disease are not proven.