Last checked September 2026 against 12 sources · Editorial policy
Best tea for menopause
No tea is proven to treat menopause symptoms. Sage has the most promising early evidence: in a small open trial, a daily fresh sage tablet cut hot flash scores by 64% over 8 weeks, but without a placebo group; sage tea itself is untested. Hot drinks and caffeine are listed by the NHS as possible hot flash triggers, so iced or caffeine-free herbal tea is the safer choice.
No tea is proven for menopause. Sage has the best early evidence for hot flashes, green tea extract raised estradiol slightly, and caffeine and hot drinks can trigger flushes.
Tea for menopause: expectation vs reality
What people often expect
“An estrogen-boosting herbal tea will calm my hot flashes”
What the evidence shows
Most tea research used concentrated extracts or tablets, not a cup of tea. NCCIH says only small studies of sage exist, and the North American Menopause Society doesn't recommend herbal remedies for hot flashes. A hot, caffeinated tea may even trigger flushes. Tea can be a pleasant part of your routine, but it's not a treatment.
Best teas for menopause: what studies show
Sage tea for hot flashes
In an open trial in Switzerland, 71 postmenopausal women with at least five hot flashes a day took one fresh sage leaf tablet daily for 8 weeks. Hot flash scores fell by 50% in 4 weeks and 64% in 8 weeks. Without a placebo group, some of that may be placebo effect. NCCIH says a few small studies suggest common sage might reduce hot flash frequency.
Learn more →Is sage tea safe?
Sage is likely safe in food amounts, and larger amounts have been used safely for up to 8 weeks in studies. Common sage contains thujone, which can be toxic in large amounts, so sage may be unsafe in high doses or used for long periods. It may be unsafe in pregnancy. Check with your doctor if you take medicines.
Green tea and estrogen
In a year-long US trial, 538 postmenopausal women took 4 capsules a day of decaffeinated green tea extract and 537 took placebo. The extract raised total estradiol by 16% compared with placebo. That was a concentrated extract, not brewed tea. Green tea as a drink has no reported safety concerns in adults, but extracts have rarely been linked to liver injury.
Learn more →Red clover tea
Red clover trials used standardized extracts, mainly 80 mg of isoflavones a day, with mixed results for hot flashes. A cup of red clover tea isn't standardized, so extract results can't be assumed for tea. NCCIH says phytoestrogens may not be safe for women who shouldn't take estrogen.
Learn more →Raspberry leaf and other herbal teas
We found no trials of raspberry leaf tea, chamomile or peppermint for menopause symptoms. NCCIH says none of the dietary supplements studied for menopause has clearly been shown to help, and some interact with drugs. Caffeine-free herbal teas can still replace coffee or caffeinated tea if caffeine seems to worsen your hot flashes.
Caffeine, hot drinks and hot flashes
The NHS lists caffeine and hot drinks among possible hot flash triggers, along with spicy food, smoking and alcohol. In a Mayo Clinic survey of 1,806 women, caffeine users reported more bothersome hot flashes and night sweats. NAMS, though, says there isn't enough evidence that avoiding triggers reduces hot flashes, so test it on yourself.
Tea for menopause belly
NCCIH says catechins and caffeine in green tea may have a modest effect on body weight, depending on the product and your activity level. No tea targets belly fat. Weight gain around menopause responds to diet, activity and sleep, and some weight-loss products contain hidden drugs.
Learn more →Menopause tea by the numbers
From the studies on this page
lower hot flash scores after 8 weeks of daily sage tablets in an open trial without placebo
64%
higher estradiol after a year of green tea extract capsules vs placebo
16%
8 weeks
1,806
Most studies tested tablets or extracts, not brewed tea.
Herbal teas for menopause compared
Sage tea
Good for
Small studies suggest fewer hot flashes with sage.Watch
Tea not tested; thujone may be unsafe in high doses or long-term.Green tea
Good for
Safe as a drink; extract raised estradiol slightly.Watch
Contains caffeine; extracts rarely linked to liver injury.Red clover tea
Learn more →Good for
Contains isoflavones.Watch
Only extracts tested; mixed results.Caffeine-free herbal tea (iced)
Good for
Avoids caffeine and heat, both possible triggers.Watch
No direct effect on hot flashes proven.
How to use tea for menopause symptoms
- Drink tea cool or iced if hot drinks set off your flushes.
- Keep sage to normal amounts and avoid long-term high doses.
- Choose brewed green tea over extract capsules.
- Check herbal teas with your doctor if you take medicines, including raloxifene, statins or beta-blockers.
When tea isn't enough for menopause symptoms
Hot flashes disrupting sleep or work
Ask about HRT or prescription non-hormonal medicines.
More →Dark urine, yellow skin or eyes after green tea extract
Stop the product and see a doctor.
History of breast cancer
Check teas and supplements with phytoestrogens with your oncology team.
Tea for menopause: questions women ask
What is the best tea for menopause?
No tea is proven. Sage has the most promising early evidence for hot flashes, though studies used tablets. Iced, caffeine-free herbal teas avoid two possible triggers.
Does sage tea help hot flashes?
Maybe. A few small studies suggest sage reduces hot flash frequency, but sage tea itself hasn't been tested in trials.
Does green tea increase estrogen?
A high-dose green tea extract raised estradiol by 16% after a year in postmenopausal women. Brewed tea wasn't tested.
Is there a tea that increases estrogen?
No tea is shown to raise estrogen meaningfully. Red clover contains isoflavones, but isoflavone trials found no significant rise in estradiol.
Does raspberry leaf tea help menopause?
We found no trials of raspberry leaf tea for menopause symptoms.
Can caffeine make hot flashes worse?
It may. The NHS lists caffeine as a possible trigger, and caffeine users reported more bothersome hot flashes in a Mayo Clinic survey.
Is sage tea safe every day?
Food amounts are likely safe. Larger amounts were safe for up to 8 weeks, but thujone in common sage can be toxic in large or long-term doses.
Sources
- Bommer S, Klein P, Suter A. First time proof of sage's tolerability and efficacy in menopausal women with hot flushes. Adv Ther. 2011;28(6):490-500.
- NCCIH. Sage: usefulness and safety.
- Myers SP, Vigar V. Effects of a standardised extract of Trifolium pratense (Promensil) at a dosage of 80mg in the treatment of menopausal hot flushes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Phytomedicine. 2017;24:141-147.
- NHS. Things you can do to help menopause and perimenopause symptoms.
- The North American Menopause Society. The 2023 nonhormone therapy position statement of The North American Menopause Society. Menopause. 2023;30(6):573-590.
- Samavat H, Wu AH, Ursin G, et al. Green Tea Catechin Extract Supplementation Does Not Influence Circulating Sex Hormones and Insulin-Like Growth Factor Axis Proteins in a Randomized Controlled Trial of Postmenopausal Women at High Risk of Breast Cancer. J Nutr. 2019;149(4):619-627.
- NCCIH. Green tea: usefulness and safety.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Red clover: usefulness and safety.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Menopausal symptoms: in depth.
- Faubion SS, Sood R, Thielen JM, et al. Caffeine and menopausal symptoms: what is the association? Menopause. 2015;22(2):155-8.
- US Food and Drug Administration. Tainted weight loss products (weight loss product notifications).
- Viscardi G, Back S, Ahmed A, et al. Effect of Soy Isoflavones on Measures of Estrogenicity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Adv Nutr. 2025;16(1):100327.
See our editorial policy.
Related guides
Herbs for menopause
Black cohosh, soy and red clover isoflavones, sage, dong quai and vitex rated by evidence for menopause sympto…
Red clover for menopause
Red clover isoflavones have conflicting results for hot flashes: one analysis of Promensil found benefit, Coch…
Natural remedies for hot flash relief
CBT, clinical hypnosis and weight loss have the best evidence for natural hot flash relief. Soy and black coho…
Foods high in estrogen (phytoestrogens)
Soy, flaxseed and sesame are the richest sources of phytoestrogens, plant compounds similar in structure to es…