Fermented Red Clover
Red Clover, traditionally, was used to treat asthma, pertussis, cancer and gout. It has also been a popular stock feed for over a century. Recently Red Clover has skyrocketed due to some very interesting research in this field; primarily with respect to increasing bone mass, something which was previously thought to be almost impossible in adults.
So, how does it help rebuild bone you may ask?
According to Peta Stange’s article in Household Remedies, contains
“isoflavones which are structurally similar to estrogen, which is why most red clover bone mass or osteoporosis studies are based on menopausal women.”
She goes on to state that
“the main difference between red clover isoflavones and estrogen is that estrogen attaches to alpha-receptors which are primarily found in the breasts and ovaries, whereas red clover isoflavones attach to beta-receptors which are found in the kidneys, lungs, intestines, and most importantly, around the bones.”
This makes Red Clover one of the safer choices for bone building over.
So Red Clover (Both Trifolium medium and Trifolium pratense) increased the amount of calcium and phosphorus content in the femur and tibia of rats, but only T. pratense strengthened both the shaft of the bone (the diaphysis) as well as the growth plate (the metaphysis). Technically speaking, both species contain four aglycones: formononetin (60%), biochanin A (30%), genistein (<10%), and daidzein (<10%).
Why is fermented Red Clover better?
Research showed that the isoflavones become more bioavailable when fermented. Technically speaking, the four main isoflavones begin as glycosides, which still have numerous health benefits (especially concerning treating various menopausal symptoms), but when fermented, they turn into aglycones which bind to beta-receptors and therefore can increase bone mass.
When you have time check out more information about Red Clover written by Peta Stange in Household Remedies.