Hops
Summary
Hops are rarely tested alone. Valerian-hops combinations gave modest sleep gains in a 184-person trial and about 22 more minutes of sleep in a small 2025 trial (grade D). An 8-PN-rich hop extract eased hot flushes at 6 weeks but not 12, and a matured hop drink reduced belly fat in 200 overweight adults (both grade D). The EU accepts hops as a traditional sleep aid.
Key facts
- The dried female flowers (strobiles) of Humulus lupulus; extracts contain bitter acids, xanthohumol and the phytoestrogen 8-prenylnaringenin (8-PN)[2][5][6]
- Valerian 374 mg plus hops 84 mg nightly; 100–250 µg/day of 8-PN; 35 mg/day of matured hop bitter acids[3][5][6]
- EU HMPC: traditional use to relieve mild mental stress and aid sleep; clinical trials used valerian combinations, so no firm conclusion on hops alone[2][1]
- None reported in the EU herbal monograph[1]
- The EU monograph warns hops may impair the ability to drive or use machines[1]
- 4 graded human outcomes on this page
- October 10, 2026
How it works
ProposedHops contain bitter acids, the prenylflavonoid xanthohumol and 8-prenylnaringenin (8-PN), a potent plant estrogen. Lab studies support a sedative effect, which is the basis for the EU traditional sleep use. Matured hop bitter acids are structurally similar to beer's iso-α-acids, which have been reported to reduce body fat.[2][5][6]
What the human research says
Human trials only, one row per outcome. The form column shows what each trial actually tested. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.
At a glance: strongest evidence per outcome
| Outcome | Grade | Effect | Strongest evidence | Rows |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body fat | Grade D | Improved | RCT · n = 200 · 2016 | 1 row |
| Sleep | Grade D | Mixed | RCT · n = 184 · 2005 | 2 rows |
| Menopause | Grade D | Mixed | RCT · n = 67 · 2006 | 1 row |
Every graded row
| Outcome | Effect | Grade | Best evidence | PMID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abdominal visceral and total fat area (CT) | Improved | Grade D | RCT · n = 200 · 2016 Healthy adults with BMI 25–30 (Japan) Form: Matured hop extract beverage · Dose: 35 mg/day matured hop bitter acids (350 mL drink) · Duration: 12 weeks Visceral fat area fell versus placebo at 8 and 12 weeks, and total fat area at 12 weeks, with a lower body fat ratio; no related adverse events or abnormal blood or urine findings. | 26960416 (opens PubMed)Source [6] |
| Sleep in mild insomnia (valerian-hops combination) | Mixed | Grade D | RCT · n = 184 · 2005 Adults with mild insomnia at 9 US sleep centres (mean age 44) Form: Valerian (187 mg extract) plus hops (41.9 mg extract) tablets · Dose: 2 tablets nightly (374 mg valerian + 84 mg hops extract) · Duration: 28 days Modest improvements in diary sleep measures, but few comparisons with placebo were significant; no polysomnography differences. Physical quality of life improved more than placebo at 28 days; no serious adverse events or rebound insomnia. | 16335333 (opens PubMed)Source [3] |
| Menopausal symptoms and hot flushes | Mixed | Grade D | RCT · n = 67 · 2006 Menopausal women Form: Hop extract standardized to 8-prenylnaringenin (8-PN) · Dose: 100 or 250 µg 8-PN per day · Duration: 12 weeks All groups improved, placebo included. The 100 µg dose beat placebo on the Kupperman index at 6 weeks (P=0.023) but not at 12 weeks (P=0.086); hot flush scores fell more than placebo at 6 weeks with both doses. The higher dose was less active. | 16321485 (opens PubMed)Source [5] |
| Sleep duration on a wearable tracker (valerian-hops combination) | Improved | Grade D | Pilot RCT · n = 40 · 2025 Adults with occasional sleep problems Form: Ze 91019 (valerian-hops extract combination) · Dose: Ze 91019 at the labeled dose (amount not stated in the abstract) · Duration: 21 days after a 21-day run-in Exploratory analysis: sleep duration rose by 21.7 minutes a night versus placebo (p=0.019) and the shortest night by 48.7 minutes; no effects on daytime cognition or mood. Well tolerated. | 40462685 (opens PubMed)Source [4] |
Forms
| Form | Elemental % | Absorption (human data) | GI tolerance | Studied for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valerian-hops combination tablets (e.g. Ze 91019) | Varies[3][4] | No human pharmacokinetic data in our sources.[2] | No serious adverse events, residual effects or rebound insomnia over 28 days.[3][4] | Both sleep trials |
| Hop strobile extract, powder, tincture or tea | Varies[1][2] | No human pharmacokinetic data in our sources.[1] | The EU monograph lists no known side effects but warns of possible drowsiness affecting driving.[1] | EU traditional use for mild stress and sleep |
| Hop extract standardized to 8-prenylnaringenin | Varies[5][7] | No human pharmacokinetic data in our sources.[5] | The trial abstract reports no safety concerns.[5] | Menopause trial (100–250 µg 8-PN/day) |
| Matured hop extract (oxidized hop bitter acids) in a beverage | Varies[6] | No human pharmacokinetic data in our sources.[6] | No related adverse events in 12 weeks.[6] | Body fat trial (35 mg/day bitter acids) |
Studied doses
Doses studied in human trials ranged from 0.1 mg/day (100 µg 8-PN) to 84 mg/day of hop extract within a valerian combination, for 3 to 12 weeks. A matured hop drink gave 35 mg/day of bitter acids. These are different compounds, so the numbers are not interchangeable.[3][5][6]
Interactions
Published interactions only: each row cites a source. No row means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe.
None found in our sources.
Who should be careful
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Safety has not been established; the EU monograph advises against use.[1]
- Children under 12
- Use has not been established because of a lack of data.[1]
- Driving or operating machinery
- Hops may impair the ability to drive or use machines.[1]
Talk to your pharmacist or clinician before starting a supplement, especially if you take prescription medicines.
Safety
Hops have a clean record in short trials and EU traditional use.
How to read the label
- Label dose vs clinical doseMost sleep data come from valerian-hops combinations (about 84 mg hop extract nightly with 374 mg valerian). A hops-only product has no comparable trial.[3][2]
- Check what is standardizedMenopause products standardize to 8-PN in micrograms; weight products use matured hop bitter acids in milligrams; sleep products list extract weight. They are different preparations.[5][6][3]
- CombinationsA hops plus omega-3 sleep supplement did no better than olive-oil placebo in a month-long trial.[8]
Cost per studied dose, without the sales pitch
Compare any product you already have by the amount it delivers, not by capsule count or front-of-pack weight.
Cost per studied dose
Enter the price, servings and the amount per serving from your label.
Frequently asked questions
Do hops help you sleep?
Only modestly, and almost always studied with valerian: a 184-person trial found small, mostly non-significant gains, and a 40-person trial found about 22 more minutes of sleep a night.[3][4]
Are hops approved for sleep in Europe?
The EU accepts hop strobile as a traditional herbal medicine for mild stress and sleep, based on long use rather than trial proof.[2]
Do hops help menopause hot flushes?
An extract with 100 µg/day of 8-PN eased hot flushes at 6 weeks but not significantly at 12; results across trials are conflicting.[5][7]
Can hops reduce belly fat?
A 12-week trial of a matured hop drink (35 mg/day bitter acids) found less visceral fat than placebo in 200 overweight adults. It was run by the beverage company.[6]
Are hops safe?
The EU lists no known side effects but warns about drowsiness when driving, and advises against use in pregnancy and under 12.[1]
Sources
- [1]Community herbal monograph on Humulus lupulus L., flos (Revision 1, adopted 6 May 2014). European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products, 2014. guideline
- [2]Lupuli flos (hop strobile): summary of HMPC conclusions. European Medicines Agency, 2016. fact-sheet
- [3]Valerian-hops combination and diphenhydramine for treating insomnia: a randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial.. Sleep, 2005. RCT
- [4]Effects of a Valerian-Hops Extract Combination (Ze 91019) on Sleep Duration and Daytime Cognitive and Psychological Parameters in Occasional Insomnia: A Randomized Controlled Feasibility Trial.. Brain Behav, 2025. pilot-RCT
- [5]A first prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study on the use of a standardized hop extract to alleviate menopausal discomforts.. Maturitas, 2006. RCT
- [6]Matured hop extract reduces body fat in healthy overweight humans: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel group study.. Nutr J, 2016. RCT
- [7]Herbal preparations for the menopause: beyond isoflavones and black cohosh.. Maturitas, 2014. review
- [8]A dietary supplement to improve the quality of sleep: a randomized placebo controlled trial.. BMC Complement Altern Med, 2010. RCT
What changed
- First draft. Every PMID checked against NCBI E-utilities esummary (title and year taken from the record) and abstracts read for the cited rows.
- Adversarial review pass: every evidence row re-read against its PubMed abstract. Official sources opened before citing: EMA HMPC community herbal monograph on Humulus lupulus L., flos (Revision 1, May 2014) and the HMPC summary page. No NIH ODS or NCCIH fact sheet covers hops. Industry ties: Max Zeller Söhne AG funded the 2025 trial (PMC12134488); Kirin sponsored the matured hop extract trial (PMC4784395); funding for the 2005 and 2006 trials is not stated in PubMed. Retraction, expression-of-concern, erratum and withdrawn checks on all 6 PMIDs: none flagged. Page set indexable. Independent browser review (4 parallel reviewers, every evidence row checked against its abstract on the Vercel preview) found: no factual issues (feasibility trial shown as pilot RCT).