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Though rare, potential side effects include vaginal spotting, prolonged menstruation, skin irritation, nausea, and headache. Additionally, there have been a few case reports of rare but dangerous side effects of red clover.
A 2007 report noted a 53-year-old woman had a subarachnoid hemorrhage — a type of stroke — after taking a supplement containing 250 mg of red clover, as well as eight other herbs, to treat hot flashes. That said, the hemorrhage could not be directly linked to red clover.
A 52-year-old woman reported severe stomach pain and vomiting after taking 430 mg of red clover for 3 days. The doctors believe red clover interfered with a psoriasis medication known as methotrexate. After stopping the red clover, she made a full recovery.
At-risk populations
Those with hormone-sensitive conditions, such as breast cancer, ovarian cancer, or endometriosis, should speak to their healthcare provider before taking red clover due to its estrogenic activity.
Still, a 3-year, double-blind study found taking 40 mg of red clover daily to be safe for women with a family history of breast cancer. Compared with the placebo group, there was not an increased risk of breast cancer, endometrial thickness, or hormonal changes.
Despite this study, it’s important to speak with your healthcare provider before taking red clover to ensure that it’s safe and right for you.
Additionally, no safety data on red clover among children or women who are pregnant or breastfeeding is available. Therefore, it should be avoided.
Finally, red clover may slow blood clotting and should be avoided by those with bleeding disorders. Further, always be sure to tell your healthcare provider about any medications or herbal remedies you’re taking if you’re going to have surgery.
Drug interactions
Many natural herbs can interfere with the effectiveness of medications.
In particular, red clover may interact with oral contraceptives, methotrexate, hormone replacement therapy medications, tamoxifen, blood thinners like aspirin or Plavix, among others.
A recent study in 88 women taking the breast cancer medication tamoxifen found red clover did not result in any drug interactions or serious side effects, suggesting it does not interfere with anti-estrogen medications.
Despite this, great caution should be used when taking red clover and tamoxifen until there’s more clinical safety data available.
Due to the wide range of potential drug interactions with red clover and limited data on the subject, always speak with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplements. *
