Hops (Humulus lupulus L.) Dry Extract May Help Alleviate Anxiety, Depression, and Stress

by | Nov 7, 2017 | 2017, Botanicals, Brain Health, Depression, Hops

Written by Angeline A. De Leon, Staff Writer. This randomized cross-over study demonstrated that a four week supplementation with hops significantly improved anxiety, depression and stress levels in the 26 participating subjects.

depressionToday, anxiety and depressive disorders, commonly associated with chronic stress, represent the most prevalent of mental health conditions affecting the general population 1. According to the World Health Organization, depression is the leading cause of disability globally 2, and stress-related disorders are now recognized for their negative impact on younger population groups. With the growing dissatisfaction with conventional pharmaceutical practices for the treatment of mood disorders, alternative and complementary therapies, including the use of herbal medicinal therapies, are becoming increasingly popular 3. Hops are the flowers of the hop plant, Humulus lupulus L., which in addition to their role as a bittering agent in beer brewing, have a long history of use in the alleviation of anxiety, restless, and sleep disturbance 4. Studies show that through their interaction with serotonin and melatonin receptor subtypes, hops exert significant antidepressant effects, which lead to dampened stress levels and improved relaxation and sleep patterns 5,6. In a study published in Hormones (2017), researchers in Athens, Greece explored the efficacy of a commercially available hops dry extract in reducing stress-related symptomology in healthy young adults.

A total of 36 healthy volunteers (mean age = 24.7 years) were recruited to participate in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study. Participants were randomly assigned to begin a 4-week intervention period with either hops dry extract (0.40 g daily) or placebo. This was followed by a 2-week washout period and then enrollment in the second/alternate arm of the study for another 4 weeks, followed by another 2-week washout period. At the beginning and end of each 4-week treatment period, anthropometric measurements (body weight, body mass index, body fat mass, etc.) were collected and assessments of self-reported depression, anxiety, and stress symptomology were performed (Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21, DASS-21). Morning cortisol plasma levels were also measured based on venous blood samples.

Although no significant effects were observed in relation to body weight, body composition, or circulating levels of cortisol, treatment with hops extract was associated with significantly greater reductions in DASS-21 scores on anxiety (9.2 +/- 7.3 vs. 5.1 +/- 5.9), depression (11.9 +/- 7.9 vs. 9.2 +/- 7.4), and stress (19.1 +/- 8.1 vs. 11.6 +/- 8.1), relative to placebo (all p-values < 0.05).

In all, preliminary results support the clinical efficacy of hops as a mood-enhancing herbal medicinal product, demonstrating positive effects on subjective measures of anxiety, depression, and stress in young adults. It would be important to further investigate the long-term safety and efficacy of using sedative plant extracts, as well as understanding the underlying mechanisms involved in hops’ modulation of the central nervous system. Given the non-significant effect of hops on cortisol levels, future studies are also needed to verify the mood-enhancing impact of hops at the physiological level.

Source: Kyrou I, Christou A, Panagiotakos D, et al. Effects of a hops (Humulus lupulus L.) dryextract supplement on self-reported depression, anxiety and stress levels in apparently healthy young adults: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover pilot study. Hormones. 2017; 16(2): 171-180. DOI: 10.14310/horm.2002.1738. 

Click here to read the full text study.

Posted November 7, 2017.

Angeline A. De Leon, MA, graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2010, completing a bachelor’s degree in psychology, with a concentration in neuroscience. She received her master’s degree from The Ohio State University in 2013, where she studied clinical neuroscience within an integrative health program. Her specialized area of research involves the complementary use of neuroimaging and neuropsychology-based methodologies to examine how lifestyle factors, such as physical activity and meditation, can influence brain plasticity and enhance overall connectivity.

References:

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