Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)

Evidence-based guide to Red Clover: benefits, dosage, safety and interactions.

Evidence

Strong: Cochrane review and multiple meta-analyses show consistent positive findings for hot flush reduction, similar in direction to soy isoflavones.

Traditional use and mechanism

Menopausal hot flush relief; bone health; skin and hair during menopause. Rich plant source of isoflavones alongside soy. Used in European and North American herbal medicine.

Safety

Generally well-tolerated in trials up to 1 year. Lambert et al. 2017 (PLOS ONE) showed enhanced efficacy when combined with probiotics (gut bacteria improve isoflavone conversion). Coumestan content warrants more caution than pure isoflavone preparations in hormone-sensitive conditions.