Is Sage Tea Good for Menopause?

Partly: sage tea may be worth trying for menopausal hot flushes if you want a soothing drink, but whether sage affects sweating or temperature control is unproven. The available clinical evidence concerns a sage tablet, not sage tea, so it cannot establish that the drink works.

Can sage tea help with menopause symptoms?

Sage has traditionally been used for sweating and hot flushes. That history makes it relevant to menopause symptoms, but traditional use alone does not show that sage tea reduces them.

You can enjoy sage tea for its flavor and as a source of fluid if it suits you. If hot flushes are frequent, disturb your sleep or interfere with daily life, a healthcare professional can help you consider treatments with stronger evidence.

For broader context on drinks and symptoms, see the guide to the best drinks for menopause.

How might sage work?

Hot flushes involve changes in the body's temperature regulation. Researchers have studied whether sage might influence sweating or related processes, but the mechanism is not established, and it is not clear whether any such effect occurs when sage is brewed as tea.

A tea and a tablet are also different preparations. They may contain different amounts of sage compounds, and the amount extracted into water can vary with the leaves and preparation. You cannot use the results of a tablet trial to calculate an effective amount of sage tea.

What does the evidence show?

In a 2011 clinical trial of a fresh sage tablet, 69 menopausal participants were included in the main analysis. They took a tablet daily for 8 weeks and recorded their hot flushes. Their combined frequency-and-severity score decreased by 50% after 4 weeks and 64% after 8 weeks.

Those results are encouraging, but the trial was open-label and did not include a placebo group. Symptoms can change over time, and participants' expectations may influence what they report, so the study cannot establish how much of the improvement was caused by sage.

Importantly, the trial tested a particular fresh sage tablet, not sage tea. Its findings do not tell us whether sage tea helps, how much someone would need to drink or how long an effect might last. Stronger controlled research on the drink would be needed to answer those questions.

How can you use sage tea?

If you want to try sage tea, think of it as a drink for enjoyment rather than a proven treatment. There is no established tea dose for menopausal hot flushes. Use culinary common sage, also called Salvia officinalis, and avoid adding sage essential oil or concentrated extracts to the drink.

This cold-infused version makes a mild, chilled sage tea. The amount of sage is a flavoring suggestion, not a dose shown to relieve symptoms.

Ingredients

• 1 liter water (about 4¼ cups)
• About 5 g fresh sage (8–12 leaves or 2 sprigs)

Steps

1. Rinse the sage under running water.
2. Place the sage and water in a clean, covered container.
3. Refrigerate and steep for 2–4 hours.
4. Strain the sage, keep the drink refrigerated and drink it within 24 hours for best flavor.

Discard the drink sooner if it becomes cloudy, slimy or sour-smelling. If you try it, notice whether it feels comfortable for you, but do not assume a change in symptoms proves that sage caused it.

Who should be careful with sage tea?

Sage contains thujone, a compound that can be harmful in high amounts. Concentrated sage products and essential oils are not interchangeable with a culinary infusion; avoid ingesting sage essential oil. The safety of repeated medicinal amounts of sage tea is not well established.

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, ask a healthcare professional before using sage tea medicinally. Also check before using it regularly if you have a history of seizures or take medicines for seizures or diabetes. Do not stop or change prescribed medication to try sage tea.

See a healthcare professional if hot flushes disrupt sleep or daily activities, or if night sweats occur with fever or unexplained weight loss. Seek prompt medical assessment for any vaginal bleeding after menopause. Menopausal hormone therapy and nonhormonal treatments are options a clinician can discuss with you based on your health and preferences.