Herb Profile
Hops
Humulus lupulus
Hops (Humulus lupulus) carries a Grade C rating — limited evidence.
Last reviewed: •5 sources citedReport a correctionProfile-wide ·C Limited
Use extra caution — CNS active potential; avoid stacking with sedatives, alcohol, sleep aids, antidepressants, or other psychoactive supplements without clinician review. Details
- Evidence
- Limited Evidence
- Typical onset
- Varies by prep
- Safety rating
- High caution
- Best for
- Sleep, Stress
- Avoid / review if
- Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Without Guidance, Severe Depression, Hormone Sensitive Conditions Without Review
Safety
Safety & Cautions
CNS active potential; avoid stacking with sedatives, alcohol, sleep aids, antidepressants, or other psychoactive supplements without clinician review. Avoid pregnancy/breastfeeding use unless supervised.
High caution
Caution level: High. Multiple caution categories apply, or the record uses avoid/contraindication language.
- Hormonal Activity ContextHormone-adjacent wording is present and should be interpreted carefully.
- Pregnancy/Breastfeeding CautionPregnancy or breastfeeding caution language is present.
Detailed safety fields
Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and contraindications
- Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Without Guidance
- Severe Depression
- Hormone Sensitive Conditions Without Review
- May Potentiate Sedatives
- Alcohol
- Sleep Medications
- And Other CNS Depressants.
Safety classifications
- Hormonal Activity Context: Hormone-adjacent wording is present and should be interpreted carefully.
- Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Caution: Pregnancy or breastfeeding caution language is present.
Full safety note
- CNS active potential; avoid stacking with sedatives, alcohol, sleep aids, antidepressants, or other psychoactive supplements without clinician review. Avoid pregnancy/breastfeeding use unless supervised.
Safety labels
- Hormonal Activity Context
- Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Caution
Evidence-based safety
Caution when combined
Severity and certainty are shown separately. A high-priority caution can still be theoretical: these pairings are screened from shared contraindication mechanisms and are not automatically documented clinical interactions. Provenance identifies the source fields that produced each flag; it does not upgrade the certainty of the pairwise claim.
Moderate Caution
68 flagged pairingsSedation / CNS depression
Moderate Caution
68 flagged pairingsSedation / CNS depression
Representative pairings are shown below. Large mechanism groups are intentionally summarized to keep profiles focused and crawl-efficient.
Sedation / CNS depressionCertainty: Theoretical
Data provenance recorded for 68 of 68 pairings in this mechanism group.
- American Yellow Lotus — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Artemisia Absinthium — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Bacopa — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Black Seed — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Black Tea — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Blue Lotus — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Calamus — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Catuba — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Celastrus Paniculatus — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Chamomile — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Chinese Skullcap — Theoretical interaction certainty
+56 more pairings share this mechanism. Use the Safety Checker to review a specific combination.
Evidence
Evidence Summary
Evidence lens
Read as directional context, not settled clinical proof.
LimitedLimited Evidence
Human clinical evidence: Present in source signals
Mechanistic / preclinical: Mechanism mapped — Stress Response Modulation
Research maturity: Emerging research — Long Term Human Evidence May Be Limited.
Safety boundary: Safety note available — CNS active potential; avoid stacking with sedatives, alcohol, sleep aids, antidepressants, or other psychoactive supplements without clinician review.
This profile cites 5 human studies.
Study design details
Evidence Grade
Grade C: Limited Evidence
Evaluation of methodological rigor, population reach, and evidence alignment.
- Design Match
- Systematic review
- Risk of Bias
- Low
- Consistency
- Not assessed
Strongest recorded design is a systematic review, drawn from 4 recorded studies, 1 in people.
How evidence grades work
Each grade reflects the strength and consistency of published human evidence — not marketing claims. Grades are based on study count, design quality, effect size, consistency, and recency.
- Strong
- Multiple RCTs, consistent direction, adequate effect size
- Moderate
- Some RCTs or consistent observational data in humans
- Preliminary / Mixed
- Animal or in-vitro only, or conflicting human data
- Traditional / Theoretical
- Traditional use only; no controlled human trials
Clinical Study Summaries (4)1 human evidence source · 0 human trials · Participant totals not consistently reported · Consistency not yet classifiable
Filter by study class
Showing 4 of 4 studies.
What the evidence actually shows
This table contains 4 structured sources, including 1 human evidence source; 0 are human trials.
| Study | Design | N | Dose | Duration | Population | Outcome | Result & magnitude | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Background | Systematic review Uses a predefined method to find and evaluate relevant studies, but may or may not pool their results statistically. | — | — | — | — | — | — | Source → |
Herbal Products Used in Menopause and for Gynecological Disorders Kenda M et al. · Molecules · 2021 Background | Narrative review Summarizes selected literature without the full prespecified search and selection methods of a systematic review. | — | — | — | — | — | — | PubMed → |
Medicinal Plants Used for Anxiety, Depression, or Stress Treatment: An Update Kenda M et al. · Molecules · 2022 Background | Narrative review Summarizes selected literature without the full prespecified search and selection methods of a systematic review. | — | — | — | — | — | — | PubMed → |
Botanicals and Their Bioactive Phytochemicals for Women's Health Dietz BM et al. · Pharmacol Rev · 2016 Background | Narrative review Summarizes selected literature without the full prespecified search and selection methods of a systematic review. | — | — | — | — | — | — | PubMed → |
Dosing & Timing
- No standardized dose
- Preparation specific; use standardized product label for Strobile tea/tincture/extract and require source backed dosage review before therapeutic claims.
How Hops works
Simplified mechanism pathway based on preclinical and pharmacological evidence. Does not confirm clinical efficacy.
Mechanism Pathway — How Hops Works
CompoundTarget / ReceptorMechanismEffect / Outcome
Mechanisms & biological pathways (preclinical)
- Stress Response Modulation
Compare related active botanicals
Explore botanicals with similar chemistry, effects, or safety considerations in the Botanical Activity Atlas.
Compare & Sourcing
Compare side-by-side tradeoffs or verify active marker guidelines.
Sourcing options
Hops (Humulus lupulus) product picks
Recommendation status
Product recommendations are not shown for this profile because the current site safety and monetization policy does not permit them.
Product form & quality guidelines
When sourcing Hops, verify the label for:
- Standardized extract: Confirm active content percentages on the supplement facts panel (e.g. standardized to specific marker compounds) rather than simple raw herb weights.
- Third-party testing: Look for independent purity labels (USP, NSF, ConsumerLab, or Eurofins) to ensure the product is free from heavy metals, solvents, and contaminants.
- Form bioavailability: Ensure the form matches evidence-supported configurations (e.g. standardized active extracts like bacosides, withanolides, or curcuminoids) for optimal onset and digestion tolerance.
Safety first · Harm reduction
This information is educational and not medical advice. Start low, avoid risky combinations, and consult a licensed clinician before making health decisions—especially if you use medications, have diagnosed conditions, or are pregnant/breastfeeding.
Learn how we evaluate confidence, safety, and intensity on the methodology page.
Founder & Head Researcher · Oak Ridge, TN · Last reviewed August 2026
Editorial Review
Checked against primary sources, cited evidence, and contraindication language before publication. Evidence claims, safety language, and affiliate modules are reviewed independently. Not personal medical advice.
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