Hops has a long history of use in herbal medicine as a sedative. It also has oestrogenic properties, and clinical trials have shown it is useful for alleviating menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes, mood swings and insomnia. I often add tincture of hops into sleep mixes and relax mixes for my peri menopausal and menopausal patients.
Menopause is often accompanied by weight gain and elevated triglycerides (fats in the blood and liver) without any changes in diet and exercise habits. Excess body fat, particularly body fat around the tummy, has pro-inflammatory properties and is associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases such as type II diabetes, cancer and arthritis.
A recent study on mice, who had their ovaries removed, showed that hops extract protected against increased body fat and raised liver triglycerides. This was likely due to its oestrogenic and antioxidant properties. It would be great to see some human trials carried out to investigate the potential benefits of hops for weight loss in menopausal women.
Ref: The Effect of Hops (Humulus lupulus L.) Extract Supplementation on Weight Gain, Adiposity and Intestinal Function in Ovariectomized Mice. By Alison Hamm et al.
