Black Cohosh & Red Clover are My Favorite Remedies for Menopause. Here’s Why.

Smoothing the Transition

It may come as somewhat of a shock when you enter into your menopausal years that your sleep becomes disrupted, joints swell, hair begins to thin, and skin rapidly ages. Not to mention anxiety and depression often arrive out of the blue. Add to this concerns about heart disease and bone health, weight gain, and metabolic syndrome and it can feel like an overwhelming journey. But take heart! Two powerful herbs based in traditional wisdom and modern science can smooth the transition of menopause and help you to embrace this new chapter in your life.

Black Cohosh Root

Long-used in traditional medicine, black cohosh can help to alleviate common menopause symptoms, such as: hot flashes, moodiness, night sweats, headaches, heart palpitations, vaginal dryness, and brain fog. It also can improve sleep as black cohosh has sedative properties that calm the nervous system and reduce anxiety.

Considered a phytoestrogenic plant, the beneficial effects are due to its ability to raise estrogen levels and suppress fluctuations that lead to hot flashes and night sweats. Studies have shown black cohosh is more effective than evening primrose oil for hot flashes.¹

In fact, a 2018 study of 80 menopausal women with hot flashes found that those who took black cohosh daily for eight weeks experienced fewer and less severe hot flashes than before they began taking the herb.² Likewise, research published in the Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics noted that “menopausal symptoms improved significantly” in women treated with black cohosh.³

Interestingly, another study found these beneficial effects are due to the modulation of neurotransmitter signaling pathways in the brain.⁴ Additionally, it appears black cohosh also triggers AMPK activation, which improves insulin receptor sensitivity in animal models, thereby improving glucose utilization and metabolic activity.⁵

Since poor sleep is one of the hallmark symptoms of menopause, the findings of a 2015 trial involving menopausal women is encouraging. The randomized, double-blind and placebo controlled experiment involved forty-eight postmenopausal women experiencing sleep disturbance and received either black cohosh or a placebo daily. At the conclusion of the trial, the researchers noted that in early postmenopausal women, black cohosh “effectively improved sleep.”⁶ This is an significant as poor sleep can lead to weight gain, especially during menopause and beyond as the ability to burn calories is reduced due to these hormonal changes.

Red Clover

An exceptional herb for promoting hormonal balance, red clover is also a powerhouse for reducing the symptoms of menopause. It is rich in phytoestrogens, which may help protect against bone loss since estrogen plays a key role in maintaining their strength. Recent research highlights red clover’s positive effects on estradiol levels, exercise performance, and gut microbiota as well.⁷ Thanks to its high phytoestrogen isoflavonoid content, red clover serves as an excellent natural alternative to hormone replacement therapy, effectively relieving common menopause symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats.

But that’s not all. Red clover is also helpful in maintaining cardiovascular health — an important consideration for those traveling through menopause and afterwards.⁹ Research has shown the herb helps to alleviate other common symptoms as well, including inflammation of the joints, low libido, fatigue, mood disorders, and poor sleep.^8,9 What’s more, red clover is a fantastic anti-aging beauty herb as it helps to reduce collagen loss, hair thinning, and wrinkles — particularly during and after menopause.¹⁰

Safety: People who are allergic to aspirin, have liver problems, issues with seizures, or have a high risk of blood clots or stroke should not use black cohosh. Pregnant and breastfeeding women or those with endometriosis, uterine cancer, or breast cancer should not take black cohosh. Do not use red clover if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

For a comprehensive menopause protocol — including lifestyle and dietary support for addressing hot flashes, weight gain, poor sleep, and more, see my Holistic Guide to Wellness: Herbal Protocols for Common Ailments.

Effective and Convenient: My Menopause Blend

You asked, I listened — our new Menopause Blend is here! It contains potent extracts of both black cohosh and red clover in an easy-to-use formulation. If you struggle with menopause-related hot flashes and night sweats, sleep disruptions, weight gain, low libido, thinning hair and rapid aging — or have concerns about maintaining bone and cardiovascular health — this blend is for you! Often taken before bedtime to combat night sweats, it may be used during the daytime as well.

Don’t struggle through your menopausal years. Visit the apothecary today to learn more about this powerful herbal blend!

Nicole Apelian

Nicole’s Apothecary Products in this Post

References

1. Kawamoto, Y., Ueno, Y., Nakahashi, E., Obayashi, M., Sugihara, K., Qiao, S., Iida, M., Kumasaka, M. Y., Yajima, I., Goto, Y., Ohgami, N., Kato, M., & Takeda, K. (2016). Prevention of allergic rhinitis by ginger and the molecular basis of immunosuppression by 6-gingerol through T cell inactivation. The Journal of nutritional biochemistry, 27, 112–122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnutbio.2015.08.025. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26403321/
2. Palacio, C., Masri, G., & Mooradian, A. D. (2009). Black cohosh for the management of menopausal symptoms: a systematic review of clinical trials. Drugs & aging, 26(1), 23–36. https://doi.org/10.2165/0002512-200926010-00002
3. Mehrpooya, M., Rabiee, S., Larki-Harchegani, A., Fallahian, A. M., Moradi, A., Ataei, S., & Javad, M. T. (2018). A comparative study on the effect of “black cohosh” and “evening primrose oil” on menopausal hot flashes. Journal of education and health promotion, 7, 36. https://doi.org/10.4103/jehp.jehp_81_17
4. Friederichsen, L., Nebel, S., Zahner, C., Bütikofer, L., & Stute, P. (2020). Effect of CIMicifuga racemosa on metaBOLIC parameters in women with menopausal symptoms: a retrospective observational study (CIMBOLIC). Archives of gynecology and obstetrics, 301(2), 517–523. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-019-05366-8
5. Oktem M, Eroglu D, Karahan HB, Taskintuna N, Kuscu E, Zeyneloglu HB. Black cohosh and fluoxetine in the treatment of postmenopausal symptoms: a prospective, randomized trial. Adv Ther. 2007;24(2):448–461. doi: 10.1007/BF02849914
6. Moser C, Vickers SP, Brammer R, Cheetham SC, Drewe J. Antidiabetic effects of the Cimicifuga racemosa extract Ze 450 in vitro and in vivo in ob/ob mice. Phytomedicine. 2014;21(11):1382–1389. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2014.06.002.
7. Jiang, K., Jin, Y., Huang, L., Feng, S., Hou, X., Du, B., Zheng, J., & Li, L. (2015). Black cohosh improves objective sleep in postmenopausal women with sleep disturbance. Climacteric : the journal of the International Menopause Society, 18(4), 559–567. https://doi.org/10.3109/13697137.2015.1042450
8. Chen, Y. M., Wang, I. L., Zhu, X. Y., Chiu, W. C., & Chiu, Y. S. (2021). Red Clover Iso- flavones Influence Estradiol Concentration, Exercise Performance, and Gut Microbiota in Female Mice. Frontiers in nutrition, 8, 623698. https://doi.org/10.3389/ fnut.2021.623698
9. Lipovac, M., Chedraui, P., Gruenhut, C., Gocan, A., Kurz, C., Neuber, B., & Imhof, M. (2011). Effect of Red Clover Isoflavones over Skin, Appendages, and Mucosal Status in Postmenopausal Women. Obstetrics and gynecology international, 2011, 949302. https://doi.org/10.1155/2011/949302
10. Hidalgo, L. A., Chedraui, P. A., Morocho, N., Ross, S., & San Miguel, G. (2005). The effect of red clover isoflavones on menopausal symptoms, lipids and vaginal cytology in menopausal women: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Gynecological endocrinology : the official journal of the International Society of Gynecological Endocrinology, 21(5), 257–264. https://doi.org/10.1080/09513590500361192
11. Lipovac M, Chedraui P, Gruenhut C, et al. Effect of red clover isoflavones over skin, appendages, and mucosal status in postmenopausal women. Obstetrics and Gynecology International. 2011;2011:1-6. doi:10.1155/2011/949302