Cancer: Red Clover Can Help Maintain A Healthy Prostate, Ease Menopause Symptoms And Even Protect Against Cancer

Extracts from red clover (Trifolium pratense) a plant that grows in Europe and North America have long been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western folk medicine as a diuretic, cough expectorant (it helps clear mucus from the respiratory passages) and remedy for skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema.

Modern research has recently uncovered additional therapeutic actions linked to red clover, including an ability to help overcome symptoms associated with the menopause and prostate problems and even help in the fight against cancer.

Oestrogen-blocking action helps protect against cancer
Scientists have found that red clovers ability to help in these areas is mainly due to the high levels of plant chemicals called isoflavones it contains these include geneistein, daidzein, formononetin and biochanin. Isoflavones are what are known as phytooestrogens (plant derived substances that resemble human oestrogen in their make up but which are weaker).

The action of isoflavones as weak oestrogens allows them to bind to oestrogen receptors in the body and block some of the detrimental effects of naturally-occurring oestrogen, which is far stronger and linked to promoting cancer cell growth. In particular they have been found to lower the risk of breast, prostate and colon cancer.

Geneistin is probably the most extensively studied phytooestrogen and boasts an impressive array of anti-cancer properties. It has been found to revert breast and prostate cancer cells back to their pre-cancerous states and delay the growth of new blood vessels within tumours, which helps prevent them from spreading (Prostate 1993;22:335-345; J Nutr Biochem 1995;6:481-485).

Red clover gets to work quickly to kill cancerous prostate cells
In terms of prostate cancer, Australian researchers have found that a supplement derived from red clover, called Trinovin, helps prevent prostate cells from advancing to cancerous stages (Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, Dec 2002).

This news is extremely promising, particularly as the disease is responsible for the deaths of over 10,000 men each year in Britain. Although prostate cancer can strike at any age, it is most prevalent in men over the age of 50.

The study was carried out by researchers at Monash University in Victoria, Australia, and involved 20 prostate cancer patients who received Trinovin and 18 patients who made up the control group and received no treatment. The former were given 160mg of Trinovin for between one to eight weeks, before undergoing prostate surgery.

Before and after treatment, researchers measured the patients serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels excess levels can indicate prostate cancer; Gleason score (grade of cancer); serum testosterone; incidence of cancer cell death, and excreted isoflavone levels.

The researchers found that among those patients taking Trinovin, cancerous cells were killed off up to five times more frequently than was the case for the control group. Trinovin was found to be particularly effective in fighting early-stage cancerous cells.

Numerous studies in the past have suggested an important link between a diet rich in isoflavones and the maintenance of good health, particularly in terms of good prostate health. For example, the incidence of prostate cancer is far lower in Asian countries (where the typical diet is high in isoflavone-rich foods like red clover, lentils, chickpeas and a range of beans) than it is in the West. Men in Asia consume approximately 20-50mg of isoflavone-rich foods each day, which is a great deal more than the typical British diet that only provides around 1-2mg.

In addition, studies have revealed that red clover isoflavones can also help combat benign prostatic hyperplasia enlargement of the prostate gland. One 3-month study showed that red clover helped reduce prostate size and obstruction to the urinary passage and improved urinary flow by 10 per cent. Patients also reported improvements in their overall quality of life and no side-effects were experienced (Urology 1998;51:1003-1007).

Red clover can provide much-needed relief for menopausal and post-menopausal women
Recent research findings have found that red clover isoflavones weak oestrogen-like action can also help in the treatment of menopause symptoms. In January 2004 the North American Menopause Society recommended the use of red clover isoflavones to help alleviate night sweats and hot flushes in menopausal women (Menopause 2004;11:11-33).

In Japan, where the dietary isoflavone content is very high, menopause symptoms like hot flushes are rarely reported.

Red clover has also been found to improve cardiovascular function in menopausal women (J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1999;84:895-8).

Another area where red clover has been found to help women is vaginal function. In a double blind placebo-controlled crossover study involving post-menopausal women carried out at Kings College, London, red clover was found to improve vaginal atrophy (thinning and dryness of the vagina, which can make sex difficult and painful) without effecting the inner lining of the uterus like many synthetic oestrogens (JBMS2003;9 (suppl 2):23).

What to take for best results
Obviously it is a good idea to include more isoflavone-rich foods in your diet to help ward off prostate cancer. However, another option is to supplement with Trinovin which, as mentioned earlier, contains red clover. The recommended dosage for Trinovin is one 40mg tablet a day.

Contraindications: There are no known contraindications associated with Trinovin. However, it should not be taken by pregnant or breast-feeding women.