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Red Clover : Safety and Interactions
(Page 2 of 2) Safety Allergies People with known allergies or reactions to products containing red clover or isoflavones should avoid taking red clover. Side Effects and Warnings A small number of human studies using red clover extracts have all reported good tolerance, without serious side effects after up to one year of treatment. In theory, based on the estrogen-like action of red clover seen in laboratory studies, side effects may include weight gain or breast tenderness, although these have not been reported clearly in humans. In theory, menstrual changes and increased uterus cell growth (endometrial hyperplasia) may also occur, although preliminary short-term studies (less than 6 months) have found no increases in uterus wall (endometrial) thickness with red clover. Red clover may affect hormonal levels of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GrH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and leutinizing hormone (LH), although early research has not found significant change in FSH or LH levels. | ||||||||
In theory, red clover may increase the risk of bleeding. However, there are no reliable human reports of bleeding with red clover. Caution is advised in patients with bleeding disorders or taking drugs that may increase the risk of bleeding. Dosing adjustments may be necessary. Red clover has been studied for lowering blood sugar with inconclusive results. Caution is warranted until further research is available. Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Red clover is not recommended during pregnancy and breastfeeding due to its estrogen-like activity. Red clover has been reported as a possible cause of infertility and abortion in grazing livestock. Interactions Interactions with Drugs Based on laboratory studies, red clover may interfere with the way the liver processes some drugs using an enzyme called cytochrome P450 3A4. As a result, the levels of these drugs may be increased in the blood, and may cause increased effects or potentially serious adverse reactions. If you are using any medications, check the package insert and speak with your healthcare professional or pharmacist about possible interactions. In theory, red clover may increase the risk of bleeding when taken with drugs that increase the risk of bleeding. Some examples include aspirin, anticoagulants ("blood thinners") such as warfarin (Coumadin®) or heparin, anti-platelet drugs such as clopidogrel (Plavix®), and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen (Motrin®, Advil®) or naproxen (Naprosyn®, Aleve®). Because red clover contains estrogen-like chemicals, the effects of drugs with estrogen or estrogen-like properties may be altered, such as birth control pills or hormone replacement therapies like Premarin® and Provera®. Red clover has been studied for lowering blood sugar with inconclusive results. Caution is warranted if you are diabetic or taking other medications that me lower blood sugar until further research is available. Interactions with Herbs and Dietary Supplements Based on laboratory studies, red clover may interfere with the way the liver processes some drugs using an enzyme called cytochrome P450 3A4. As a result, red clover may cause the levels of other herbs or supplements to be too high in the blood. It may also alter the effects that other herbs or supplements possibly have on the P450 system, such as bloodroot, cat's claw, chamomile, chaparral, chasteberry, damiana, Echinacea angustifolia , goldenseal, grapefruit juice, licorice, oregano, St. John's wort, wild cherry, and yucca. If you are using any herbs or supplements, check the package insert and speak with your healthcare professional or pharmacist about possible interactions. In theory, red clover may increase the risk of bleeding when taken with herbs or supplements that increase the risk of bleeding. Multiple cases of bleeding have been reported with the use of Ginkgo biloba , fewer cases with garlic, and two cases with saw palmetto. Numerous other agents may theoretically increase the risk of bleeding, although this has not been proven in most cases. Some examples include: alfalfa, American ginseng, angelica, anise, Arnica montana , asafetida, aspen bark, bilberry, birch, black cohosh, bladderwrack, bogbean, boldo, borage seed oil, bromelain, capsicum, cat's claw, celery, chamomile, chaparral, clove, coleus, cordyceps, danshen, devil's claw, dong quai, evening primrose, fenugreek, feverfew, flaxseed/flax powder (not a concern with flaxseed oil), ginger, grapefruit juice, grapeseed, green tea, guggul, gymnestra, horse chestnut, horseradish, licorice root, lovage root, male fern, meadowsweet, nordihydroguairetic acid (NDGA), onion, papain, Panax ginseng, parsley, passionflower, poplar, prickly Ash, propolis, quassia, reishi, Siberian ginseng, sweet clover, rue, sweet birch, sweet clover, turmeric , vitamin E, white willow, wild carrot, wild lettuce, willow, wintergreen, yucca. Because red clover contains estrogen-like chemicals, the effects of other agents believed to have estrogen-like properties may be altered. Possible examples include alfalfa, black cohosh, bloodroot, burdock, hops, kudzu, licorice, pomegranate, soy, thyme, white horehound, and yucca. Red clover has been studied for lowering blood sugar with inconclusive results. Caution is warranted if you are diabetic or taking other herbs or supplements that may lower blood sugar until further research is available. Interactions with Foods Red clover has been on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration GRAS ("generally recognized as safe") list, and is included in many beverages and teas. It is believed that the amounts found in these beverages may be too small to have significant effects in the body.
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