Menopause & perimenopause

Red clover — References and further reading

References

1 Coon, J., et al. 2007. Trifolium pratense isoflavones in the treatment of menopausal hot flushes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Phytomedicine, 14 (2–3), 153–159. URL (abstract only): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed17239573 (accessed 03.07.2007).

  See also:

  Howes, L., et al. 2006. Isoflavone therapy for menopausal flushes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Maturitas, 55 (3), 203–211. URL (abstract): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16675169 (accessed 03.05.2008).

2 Beck, V., et al. 2005. Phytoestrogens derived from red clover: An alternative to estrogen replacement therapy? J. Steroid Biochem. Mol. Biol., 94 (5), 499–518. URL (abstract): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/pubmed/15876415 (accessed 02.11.2008).

  Atkinson, C., et al. 2004. Modest protective effects of isoflavones from a red clover-derived dietary supplement on cardiovascular disease risk factors in perimenopausal women, and evidence of an interaction with ApoE genotype in 49–65-year-old women. J. Nutr., 134 (7), 1759–1764. URL (full text): http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/134/7/1759 (accessed 02.13.2008).

  Clifton–Bligh, P. 2001. The effect of isoflavones extracted from red clover (Rimostil) on lipid and bone metabolism. Menopause, 8 (4), 259–265. URL (abstract): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/pubmed/11449083 (accessed 11.28.2007).

  Knight, D. 1999. The effect of Promensil, an isoflavone extract, on menopausal symptoms. Climacteric, 2, 79–84.

3 Philp, H. 2003. Hot flashes — A review of the literature on alternative and complementary treatment approaches. Alt. Med. Rev., 8 (3), 284–302. PDF (full text): http://www.thorne.com/altmedrev/.fulltext/8/3/284.pdf (accessed 11.13.2007).

  Weed, S. 2002. Wanderings Newsletter — February 2002. Phytoestrogens: Friend or foe? URL: http://www.susunweed.com/herbal_ezine/Weed_letter_Feb-02.htm (accessed 03.07.2007).

4 Dornstauder, E., et al. 2001. Estrogenic activity of two standardized red clover extracts (Menoflavon) intended for large scale use in hormone replacement therapy. J. Steroid Biochem. Mol. Biol., 78 (1), 67–75. URL (abstract only): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11530286 (accessed 03.07.2007).

  van de Weijer, P., & Barentsen, R. 2002. Isoflavones from red clover (Promensil) significantly reduce menopausal hot flush symptoms compared with placebo. Maturitas, 42 (3), 187–193. URL (abstract only): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed (accessed 03.07.2007).

  Knight, D., et al. 1999. The effect of Promensil, an isoflavone extract, on menopausal symptoms. Climacteric, 2 (2), 79–84. URL (abstract only): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed//11910671 (accessed 03.07.2007).

5 Ganora, L. [No date listed.] The phytochemistry of herbs. Phytoestrogens and human health: A review of the literature. URL: http://www.herbalchem.net/phytoestrogens_and_human_health.htm (accessed 02.12.2008).

6 Beck, et al. 2005:

“The higher affinity to ERbeta compared to ERalpha has been used as an explanation why red clover extracts function as food additives to treat menopausal disorders and may reduce risk of breast cancer.”

7 Booth, N., et al. 2006. Seasonal variation of red clover (Trifolium pratense L., Fabaceae) isoflavones and estrogenic activity. J. Agric. Food Chem., 54 (4): 1277–1282. URL (full text): http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pubmed&pubmedid=16478248 (accessed 02.13.2008).

8 Nestel, P., et al. 1999. Isoflavones from red clover improve systemic arterial compliance but not plasma lipids in menopausal women. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 84 (3), 895–898. URL (full text): http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/content/full/84/3/895 (accessed 11.28.2007).

9 Drugs.com. 2006. Red clover information. URL: http://www.drugs.com/npc/red-clover.html (accessed 02.13.2008).

10 Imhof, M., et al. 2006. Effects of a red clover extract (MF11RCE) on endometrium and sex hormones in postmenopausal women. Maturitas, 55 (1), 76–81. URL (abstract): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ (accessed 02.13.2008).

  Hidalgo, L., et al. 2005. The effect of red clover isoflavones on menopausal symptoms, lipids and vaginal cytology in menopausal women: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Gynecol. Endocrinol., 21 (5), 257–264. URL (abstract): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16373244 (accessed 02.13.2008).

  Atkinson, C, et al. 2004. Red-clover-derived isoflavones and mammographic breast density: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial [ISRCTN42940165]. Breast Cancer Res., 6 (3), R170–R179. URL (full access): http://breast-cancer-research.com/content/6/3/R170 (accessed 02.13.2008).

  Hale, G., et al. 2001. A double-blind randomized study on the effects of red clover isoflavones on the endometrium. Menopause, 8 (5): 338–346. URL (abstract): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11528360 (accessed 02.13.2008).

  Campbell, M., et al. 2004. Effect of red clover-derived isoflavone supplementation on insulin-like growth factor, lipid and antioxidant status in healthy female volunteers: A pilot study. Eur. J. Clin. Nutr., 58 (1), 173–179. URL (abstract): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14679383 (accessed 02.13.2008).

Further reading on red clover

  • If you are interested in learning more about phytoestrogens, we highly recommend a visit to the website of Lisa Ganora, a professional herbalist whose herbal chemistry articles and illustrations help elucidate these mechanisms with a strong emphasis on biochemistry: http://www.herbalchem.net/ (accessed 02.12.2008).
  • See our article on phytotherapy for further explanation of how plant-based medicine can restore hormonal balance in women.
  • For a tutorial describing the hormone estrogen and its receptor, as well as a presentation explaining the relationship of estrogen and its receptor to breast cancer and the risks and benefits of reducing cancer risk with drugs called antiestrogens and selective estrogen receptor molecules (SERM’s), see the National Cancer Institute website’s “Understanding Cancer Series: Estrogen Receptors/SERMs. URL: http://newscenter.cancer.gov/cancertopics/understandingcancer/estrogenreceptors (accessed 02.12.2008).
  • University of Maryland Medical Center. 2001. Red clover. URL: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/ConsHerbs/RedCloverch.html (accessed 03.06.2007).

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Red clover for menopausal symptoms

 

Original Publication Date: 04/21/2008
Last Modified: 04/21/2008
Principal Author: Marcella Sweet

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"I felt like I was going to fall apart."

As a stylist in Hollywood for many years, Dina had been exposed to the nutritional healing and holistic medicine embraced by so many stars. But at the age of 51 she had a total hysterectomy. Overnight she was plagued with symptoms of menopause - hot flashes and night sweats. At the same time, she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia.

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