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Hops Extract

aka Humulus lupulus

Bitter cone extract with mild sedative and phytoestrogenic effects.

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Overview

Bitter cone extract with mild sedative and phytoestrogenic effects.

Natural sources
  • Whole dried plant material (root, leaf, flower, or aerial parts depending on the species)
  • Standardized hydroethanolic or aqueous extract (capsule, tincture, or tea)
  • Powdered traditional preparation used in Ayurvedic, TCM, or Western herbal practice
Common forms
  • Standardized extract capsule
  • Liquid tincture (alcohol or glycerin)
  • Powdered whole herb
  • Traditional decoction or tea

Mechanism of action

Acts on melatonin and GABA receptors; 8-prenylnaringenin is a potent phytoestrogen.

Pathways
  • · Acts on melatonin
  • · GABA receptors
  • · 8-prenylnaringenin is a potent phytoestrogen

Effects on the body

Supports
sleep when combined with valerian

Organ system effects

Brain & CNS

Hops Extract promotes parasympathetic tone, GABAergic signaling, or melatonergic pathways that facilitate sleep onset and quality.

Evidence-based benefits

Improves sleep when combined with valerian

Moderate evidence

Potential side effects

Common
  • · Drowsiness
Rare
    Serious

      Drug interactions

      Prescription medications (general)
      Always disclose Hops Extract use to your prescriber — additive, antagonistic, or pharmacokinetic interactions are possible.
      minor

      Safety & non-supplemental interactions

      Educational summary — always confirm with your clinician or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or combining with prescription therapy.

      Avoid if you are
      • ·Pregnant or breastfeeding (insufficient safety data)
      • ·Children under 18 (unless directed by a clinician)
      Avoid with these conditions
      • ·Hormone-sensitive cancers (breast, prostate, ovarian, uterine)
      Avoid / monitor with these medications
      • ·Hormonal contraceptives, HRT, tamoxifen, aromatase inhibitors
      • ·Alcohol, benzodiazepines, opioids, sedating antihistamines (additive CNS depression)

      Supplement interactions

      Pairs well with
      • Magnesium glycinate
        Complementary GABAergic calming and improved sleep architecture.
      • L-theanine
        Reduces sleep latency without sedation.
      Avoid combining with

      No specific avoidances listed.

      Dosing & bioavailability

      Typical dose
      300–400 mg extract
      Best form
      Most evidence is based on the standardized extract capsule form.
      Timing
      Consistent daily timing recommended; split larger doses if GI tolerance is a concern.
      With food?
      Evening

      Where to buy

      Affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Amazon code supplementsch-20 is auto-applied at checkout. We don't endorse specific brands; verify third-party testing (USP, NSF, Informed Sport) before purchase.

      Scientific evidence8Show studies
      RCTPhytother Res · 2007

      Valerian-hops combination for insomnia

      Koetter U, et al.

      4-week DB-RCT in 91 mild insomnia patients.

      Key findings

      Valerian + hops improved sleep latency vs placebo and valerian alone.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

      PubMed: Hops Extract — Improves sleep when combined with valerian

      Live PubMed search

      Live results for "Hops Extract Improves sleep when combined with valerian" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

      Key findings

      Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Hops Extract and "Improves sleep when combined with valerian". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

      PubMed: Hops Extract — randomized controlled trial

      Live PubMed search

      Live results for "Hops Extract randomized controlled trial" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

      Key findings

      Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Hops Extract and "randomized controlled trial". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

      PubMed: Hops Extract — meta-analysis

      Live PubMed search

      Live results for "Hops Extract meta-analysis" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

      Key findings

      Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Hops Extract and "meta-analysis". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

      PubMed: Hops Extract — pharmacokinetics

      Live PubMed search

      Live results for "Hops Extract pharmacokinetics" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

      Key findings

      Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Hops Extract and "pharmacokinetics". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

      PubMed: Hops Extract — safety adverse events

      Live PubMed search

      Live results for "Hops Extract safety adverse events" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

      Key findings

      Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Hops Extract and "safety adverse events". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

      PubMed: Hops Extract — dose response

      Live PubMed search

      Live results for "Hops Extract dose response" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

      Key findings

      Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Hops Extract and "dose response". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewGoogle Scholar · 1970

      Google Scholar: Hops Extract — clinical evidence

      Live Scholar search

      Cross-database citation index for Hops Extract as it relates to "clinical evidence".

      Key findings

      Includes preprints, theses, and journal articles. Useful for tracking citation counts and follow-on work.

      Open study
      Educational use only. This profile is not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any supplement, especially if you take prescription medication or have a chronic condition.

      Community discussion

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