Limited evidenceSleep & relaxation

Hops Extract

Hops appears in nearly every herbal sleep formula, almost always alongside valerian, and the standalone human evidence is a couple of tiny pilot studies. There is no adequately powered trial showing hops improves sleep on its own.

What the science says

Improves sleep Limited evidence
The most-cited human data come from a study of 17 healthy female nurses in whom non-alcoholic beer with dinner modestly shortened actigraphy-measured sleep latency and reduced anxiety scores. That is an uncontrolled-for-many-variables pilot in a tiny sample using beer, not a standardised hops extract, and it cannot support a sleep claim.
Reduces self-reported anxiety, depression and stress Limited evidence
A randomised, placebo-controlled crossover pilot in 36 apparently healthy young adults found that 4 weeks of a hops dry extract supplement lowered DASS-21 depression, anxiety and stress subscale scores versus placebo. Participants had only mild subclinical symptoms, the sample was small, and the result has not been replicated.
Works synergistically with valerian Limited evidence
Most positive sleep trials test fixed valerian-hops combinations, which makes the individual contribution of hops unrecoverable. Combination products have generally performed no better than valerian alone, and both perform close to placebo on objective measures.

Dosage & safety

Studied doseThere is no established effective dose. Commercial sleep formulas typically supply 100-300 mg of hops dry extract (strobiles) with 300-600 mg valerian, taken 30-60 minutes before bed. The hops-only pilot trial used a low-dose standardised hop dry extract supplement twice daily for 4 weeks; the beer study used roughly 330 mL of non-alcoholic beer with the evening meal. Products are rarely standardised to any specific constituent.

SafetyHops contain 8-prenylnaringenin, one of the most potent phytoestrogens identified in plants, which is why hops extracts are also sold for menopausal hot flushes. Anyone with a hormone-sensitive condition — breast, uterine or ovarian cancer, endometriosis, uterine fibroids — should avoid concentrated extracts, and they may interfere with hormonal therapies including tamoxifen. Sedation is additive with alcohol, benzodiazepines and other CNS depressants. Hops may worsen depressive symptoms in some people, and contact dermatitis occurs in hop handlers. Avoid in pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Scientific references

Effects of a hops (Humulus lupulus L.) dry extract supplement on self-reported depression, anxiety and stress levels in apparently healthy young adults: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover pilot study
Kyrou I, Christou A, Panagiotakos D, et al. — Hormones (Athens), 2017
The sedative effect of non-alcoholic beer in healthy female nurses
Franco L, Sánchez C, Bravo R, et al. — PLoS One, 2012

Where to buy

Swanson Vitamins, Estro8PN™ Hop Extract, Women's Health, 60 Veggie Caps (10 mg per Capsule)

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