This effect is believed to be due to possible immune-stimulating effects of the amino acid L-cavanine, which is found in alfalfa ( 17). There have been reported cases of alfalfa supplements causing the reactivation of lupus in some people ( 17). Therefore, it’s important for people taking these medications to avoid big changes in their vitamin K intake ( 17). High doses of vitamin K can cause blood-thinning medications such as warfarin to be less effective. Although this benefits most people, it can be dangerous for others. If you take blood thinnersĪlfalfa and alfalfa sprouts are high in vitamin K. coli, salmonella, and listeria), pregnant people should avoid these products ( 15, 16). If you are pregnantīecause raw alfalfa sprouts and supplement products derived from alfalfa seeds come with potential food safety risks (such as serving as a reservoir for the foodborne pathogens like E. It may benefit metabolic health, menopause symptoms, and antioxidant status, but more human studies are needed.Īlthough alfalfa is probably safe for most people, it may cause harmful side effects for some individuals. SummaryĪlfalfa has many potential health benefits, but only a few have been scientifically evaluated. More research is necessary to find out whether alfalfa would have the same effects in human participants ( 11, 12, 13, 14). However, these results have occurred in test-tube cell studies in rats or in live rats, mice, and chickens.
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It does this by both lowering the production of free radicals and improving the body’s ability to fight them.
Specifically, alfalfa has the ability to reduce cell death and DNA damage caused by free radicals. Indeed, alfalfa has some powerful antioxidant properties, as some animal studies have noted that it prevents oxidative stress damage caused by free radicals ( 10). Antioxidant effectsĪlfalfa has a long history of use in Ayurvedic medicine to treat conditions caused by inflammation and oxidative damage.
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It’s important to speak with a healthcare professional if you are considering using it to treat those symptoms ( 9).
However, there are also some potential risks. The effects of alfalfa on menopausal symptoms have not been extensively researched, but there is some evidence to support its use in reducing hot flashes. Phytoestrogens are controversial, but they may have several benefits, including easing menopausal symptoms that are caused by decreased levels of estrogen. This means that they can cause some of the same effects in the body as estrogen. Menopause symptom reliefĪlfalfa is high in plant compounds called phytoestrogens, which are chemically similar to the hormone estrogen ( 8). However, while these findings are promising, more studies are needed to determine whether alfalfa would have the same effects in humans. Several animal studies have found that alfalfa appears to improve cardiometabolic health by decreasing blood fat and blood sugar levels ( 3, 4, 6, 7). One traditional use of alfalfa is as an antidiabetic, or blood sugar-lowering, agent. However, a few of them have been studied to some extent. Most of these proposed health benefits have not yet been researched. They include lowering blood pressure, acting as a diuretic, increasing breast milk production, treating arthritis, and getting rid of kidney stones. There is a long list of traditional uses of alfalfa as a medicinal herb. It is also high in many bioactive plant compounds. SummaryĪlfalfa contains vitamin K and small amounts of many other vitamins and minerals. It also contains the following ( 2):Ī cup also contains 1 gram of protein and 1 gram of carbs, which comes from fiber.Īlfalfa also has a high content of bioactive plant compounds, including saponins, coumarins, flavonoids, phytosterols, phytoestrogens, and alkaloids ( 1). However, they are typically a fair source of vitamin K and also contain many other nutrients, including vitamin C, copper, manganese, and folate.Īlfalfa sprouts contain the same nutrients and are also very low in calories.įor example, 1 cup (33 grams) of alfalfa sprouts contains a mere 8 calories. People typically consume alfalfa as an herbal supplement or in the form of alfalfa sprouts.īecause the leaves or seeds are sold as herbal supplements and not as foods, no standard nutrition information is available.
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