Clinical Trial Supports Sage for Hot Flashes

In what researchers claim is the first clinical research conducted on sage (Salvia officinalis) and menopausal hot flashes, researchers at Bioforce AG (Roggwil, Switzerland) concluded that daily sage supplementation significantly reduced hot flashes in a population of 69 menopausal women. Their research has been published in the journal Advances in Therapy.

For eight weeks, subjects were openly assigned to one daily tablet containing 280 mg of sage spissum extract (equivalent to a 3400 mg tincture of fresh sage leaves), manufactured by Bioforce AG.

Eligible patients were experiencing menopause at least 12 months prior to the study and five or more hot flashes daily.

Frequency of hot flashes was measured weekly (using patient diaries) and by a physician’s assessment with the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) at baseline and eight weeks of supplementation.

The mean number of daily hot flashes decreased each week. Mean amounts of mild, moderate, severe, and very severe hot flashes decreased by 46%, 62%, 79%, and 100% over eight weeks respectively.

MRS ratings of somato-vegetative, psychological, and urogenital subscales dropped by 43%, 43%, 47%, and 20% by week eight respectively.

The researchers reported sage supplementation as being “very well tolerated.”

“The study findings provide a scientific rationale for sage’s use in folk medicine, offering a valuable option for patients and healthcare providers seeking alternative approaches to treatment of menopausal hot flushes and climacteric complaints. Further rigorous research to confirm the findings is suggested.”