Red clover is a native plant of Europe, central Asia, and northern Africa. The red clover flower head is the part of the plant used in herbal remedies. Scientists have identified estrogen-like substances called isoflavones and anticoagulant chemicals called coumarins in red clover flower. Most, but not all, studies show red clover flower extract reduces the severity of hot flashes.

Red Clover Blossom, Nature's Way, 100 Capsules, 430 mg

Certified Organically Grown Red Clover Blossom Herb
In Europe, red clover herb (Trifolium pratense) is widely cultivated and used as a salad herb and as a tonic. The globular heads of reddish-purple flowers have long been prized by herbalists. This red clover herb supplement contains only full clover blossoms and their accompanying leaves.

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This red clover supplement is organically grown by Trout Lake Farm , Washington, and certified organically processed in accordance with Oregon Tilth standards and the California Organic Foods Act of 1990.

Red Clover Supplement Facts
Amount Per capsule
Red Clover -  430 mg *
   (stem, leaf, flower)

Red Clover Flower Research
To investigate the effectiveness and safety of a red clover isoflavone dietary supplement (Promensil) versus placebo on the change in hot flush frequency in postmenopausal women, a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial was done at Vrije University Medical Center in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Women with more than 12 months without periods and experiencing more than five flushes per day were enrolled. All received placebo tablets for 4 weeks and were subsequently randomized to either placebo or 80 mg isoflavones from red clover for a further 12 weeks. Improvement was measured by the decrease in number of hot flushes per day. During the first 4 weeks of placebo the frequency of hot flushes decreased by 16%. During the subsequent double blind phase, a further, statistically significant decrease of 44% was seen in the red clover isoflavone group, whereas no further reduction occurred within the placebo group.
    Comments: In this study, treatment with 80 mg red clover isoflavones per day resulted in a significant reduction in hot flushes from baseline. Since long-term hormone replacement with Premarin and synthetic progestins now appears to increase the risk for cancer, heart disease and blood clots, more women are searching for herbal alternatives to treating menopausal and postmenopausal symptoms. The research with red clover is still early and not all studies have shown that it reduces hot flashes in any significant way, but it does seem to have a mild effect.

Red Clover and Fertility
It's difficult to say what the role of red clover is in fertility. One study shows excess red clover may reduce fertility while another one says fertility was restored after grazing on red clover. Perhaps the role of red clover depends on the amount of the herb consumer.

Plant oestrogens; the cause of decreased fertility in cows. A case report.
Nord Vet Med. 1984 Mar-Apr;36(3-4):124-9.
During the stall feeding period 1982-1983, it was established that serious fertility disturbances, indicating oestrogenic stimulation, had occurred in a herd of cattle in an area supported by the College of Veterinary Medicine's ambulatory clinic. Whilst investigating the cause of these disturbances it was proven that the silage administered during this period was prepared almost entirely from pure red clover aftergrowth. The oestrogenic isoflavone content of the silage (liquid chromatograph examination) and the oestrogenic strength (bioassay) were considerably great. When feeding with the fodder was subsequently discontinued the disturbances ceased to occur and the cows became pregnant more easily. On the basis of the aforementioned incidences it was ascertained that plant oestrogens from red clover were almost certainly the cause of the fertility disturbances.

Recovery of normal fertility after grazing on oestrogenic red clover. Aust Vet J. 1966 Jun;42(6):204-6.

Red Clover and Skin
A study in rodents indicates red clover isoflavones may be beneficial for skin health.

Effects of isoflavones from red clover (Trifolium pratense) on skin changes induced by ovariectomy in rats.
Phytother Res. 2006 Nov 1; Pharmaco-Biological Department, School of Pharmacy, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
Estrogens have a profound influence on skin. The relative hypoestrogenism that accompanies menopause exacerbates the deleterious effects of both intrinsic and environmental aging. Estrogens improve skin in many ways. Among these, they increase collagen content, skin thickness and improve skin moisture. There is evidence that diets with high levels of phytoestrogenic isoflavones are associated with a low incidence of menopausal symptoms and osteoporosis. Plant extracts such as red clover, which contain high levels of isoflavones, have been used to reduce menopausal symptoms and have been shown to reduce bone loss in healthy women. In this study to investigate the effects of red clover isoflavones on skin aging, the histology of the skin, skin thickness and the amount of total collagen determined by a colorimetric method, were studied in ovariectomized rats after treatment for 14 weeks with a red clover extract standardized to contain 11% isoflavones determined by HPLC. In ovariectomized rats the thickness and keratinization of the epidermis were reduced; glands were less in number and vascularity was poor; the distribution and morphology of the collagen bundles and elastic fibers were altered. Whereas the skin of the ovariectomized rats treated with red clover isoflavones (20 and 40 mg of total isoflavones daily for 14 weeks) appeared well organized with a normal epidermis with uniform thickness and regular keratinization; vascularity, collagen and elastic fibers were well developed. The amount of collagen significantly increased in the treated group in comparison with the control group. These findings suggest that red clover isoflavones are effective in reducing skin aging induced by estrogen.

Red Clover Flower
Red clover is an herb that commonly grows wild in meadows throughout Europe and Asia, and now also grows in North America. The red red clover flower at the end of the branched stems is believed to be the source of its medicinal properties.