Alfalfa Supplement (Medicago Sativa) Uses, Benefits & Side Effects

Alfalfa supplements are a nutrient-rich herbal extract that provide a good source of a number of vitamins, minerals and trace elements.

Alfalfa is an herb whose leaves, sprouts, and seeds have been used in traditional medicine. The alfalfa plant has been mainly considered a feed for cattle and other livestock, but it is now gaining popularity in supplement form for human use.

The health benefits of alfalfa are not well understood yet, nor are its mechanisms of biological action inside the body. However, researchers are studying the effects of this plant for a number of health conditions.

These include hypercholesterolemia (high serum cholesterol), asthma, arthritis, diabetes, kidney and bladder problems and more. More research is necessary in all cases.

This article reviews what is currently understood about alfalfa extract, its nutritional profile, background, uses, possible mechanisms and health benefits, recommended dosages, safety, side effects and interactions. [1][2]

Alfalfa

Herbal Extract

Female Health

Superfood

Cholesterol

How It Works:

• Superfood rich in vitamins & nutrients
• Supports kidney function
• Promotes healthy cholesterol & blood sugar levels
• Improves sleep and regulates appetite

Dosage:

Between 5 - 30 g per day

Safety:

Rated Possibly Safe

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Alfalfa Plant Description

Alfalfa’s scientific name is Medicago sativa. It is a perennial herbaceous plant from the legume family (Fabaceae).

It develops a taproot that can penetrate the earth for hundreds of feet. Because of this, alfalfa accumulates an array of nutrients that may be unavailable to plants with shorter roots. [3]

Alfalfa is widely distributed, growing in various climates and conditions worldwide. It reaches heights of 3-4 feet, and produces violet/blue/purple flowers between July and September. [3]

Plant Village reports the following characteristics of alfalfa plants: [4]

• Produces racemes (flower stalks), each with 10-35 tightly-clustered flowers;
• Develops spiraled seed pods, each containing 2-6 seeds;
• Primarily used as a grazing crop, or hay for livestock;
• Deeply penetrating taproot and underground stems;
• Leaves are hairy underneath and smooth on top;
• Narrow, oval/oblong, trifoliate leaves;
• Lives between 3-8 years;

Gaia Herbs states that alfalfa has “one of the highest mineral profiles of any land plant”. This plant contains nutrients including: [4]

• Vitamin E (alpha tocopherol);
• Vitamin C (ascorbic acid);
• Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine);
• Vitamin B1 (thiamine);
• Vitamin A (retinol);
• Vitamin K;

Alfalfa is also an excellent source of minerals including calcium, manganese, potassium, phosphorous, zinc and iron.

Alfalfa and Nitrogen Dixation

Nitrogen is an element that is essential for healthy plant development. Alfalfa is one of few plants that can participate in the nitrogen fixation process.

Although 78% of the atmosphere is nitrogen, most plants cannot utilize it. Instead, most plants depend on fixed derivatives of nitrogen – like nitrate and ammonia (NH3). [5]

Many large-scale farming operations use synthetic nitrogen-based fertilizers to give their crops the nitrogen they need to thrive. However, massive use of fertilizers is causing various ecological problems around the world – like dead coastal regions, for instance. [5]

Because alfalfa can fix nitrogen, it is an important crop for organic gardeners who do not wish to use any industrial fertilizers. The root nodules of alfalfa work together with beneficial microorganisms in the soil to acquire needed nitrogen. [5]

Over time, alfalfa’s nitrogen fixation begins to produce nitrogen for surrounding plants as well. This happens when alfalfa plants undergo leaf fall, root dieback and/or drop pruning. [5]

Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database (NMCD) states that alfalfa’s name comes from the Arabic term “al-fac-facah”; meaning “father of all foods”. Arabs preferred alfalfa for their horses, as they believed it to make them much stronger than they would be otherwise. [6]

In various countries, alfalfa is called “lucerne”. Other common names for this herb include Feuille de Luzerne, Grand Trèfle, Herbe aux Bisons, Herbe à Vaches, Lucerne, Luzerne, Medicago, Phytoestrogen, Phyto-oestrogène, Purple Medick, and Sainfoin. [6]

Uses for Alfalfa Supplements

The use of alfalfa as livestock forage is believed to have begun in southeast Asia. However, alfalfa has been used for many centuries in herbal medicine.

In TCM (traditional Chinese medicine), it was used to alleviate coughing, and to improve problems stemming from the GI (gastrointestinal) tract. [6]

In Ayurveda (a natural healing system from India), healers recommended alfalfa for boils, poor digestion, edema (fluid retention), and arthritis. [6]

Native America used alfalfa for promoting blood clotting, and for reversing jaundice (yellowing of the skin). [6]

Alfalfa has also been traditionally for menstrual irregularities, diabetes, prostate problems and bladder problems. [6]

NMCD states that alfalfa is still used as it has been traditionally. It is also used today for RA (rheumatoid arthritis), osteoporosis (brittle, fragile bones), and a bruising/bleeding condition called thrombocytopenic purpura. [6]

How does Alfalfa Work Inside the Body?

Aside from the vitamins and minerals that alfalfa contains (listed above), it also contains beneficial phytochemicals (plant chemicals) including flavones, isoflavones, coumarin derivatives, protein, fiber and plant sterols. [3]

Alfalfa contains a plant estrogen called coumestrol that might serve as an antioxidant to LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol. Lipoproteins are used to transport fatty acids like cholesterol and triglycerides thought the body. [6]

Alfalfa saponins and fiber are proposed to reduce the absorption of cholesterol. High amounts of manganese are thought to possibly lower blood glucose levels. [6]

Alfalfa is known to contain significant amounts of an unnamed hormone-like substance that releases thyrotropin, which is known to promote thyroid gland growth, and upregulate thyroid hormone synthesis. [6]

Alfalfa is proposed as an anticancer agent because it binds to carcinogen called 1,2-dimethylhydrazine at colonic pH levels between 10.5-12. Because of this, researchers think that alfalfa might protect against chemically-induced colon cancer. [6]

However, more research is needed for this claimed anti-cancer benefit to be validated. The FDA has not approved the use of Alfalfa for the prevention of cancer.

Cholesterol Lowering Effects:

In placebo-controlled animal studies using moneys, alfalfa saponins are attributed with decreased cholesterol, with no changes noted in LDL. Alfalfa also prevented expected serum cholesterol spikes in monkeys fed high-cholesterol diets. [6]

In rats, alfalfa saponins reduced the amount of cholesterol absorbed in the intestines, and increased fecal excretion of cholesterol. [6]

NMCD states, “Alfalfa reduces lipid levels in plasma and tissues more effectively than D-thyroxine and pyrimidine, but not as effectively as cholestyramine or diets completely void of cholesterol.”. [6]

In rabbits with ileal bypasses, less alfalfa was needed to prevent hypercholesterolemia (high serum cholesterol) that was needed in rabbits with normal intestinal lengths. [6]

In rabbits that were fed cholesterol, alfalfa in the diet prevented expected elevations in serum cholesterol. In rabbits with induced hyperlipidemia (high blood fats), those given alfalfa showed lower cholesterol, triglycerides and nonesterified fatty acids; relative to hyperlipidemic rabbits that were not given alfalfa. [6]

In a study with 72 monkeys, alfalfa and cholesterol added to the diet lowered serum cholesterol, and reduced the formation of atherosclerotic plaques that are associated with clogged arteries, CAD (coronary artery disease, and cardiovascular disease in general. [6]

Hypoglycemic Effects:

In mice with diabetes induced by streptozotocin, alfalfa has been shown to significantly decrease basal plasma glucose concentrations. [6]

Alfalfa is believed to regulate blood glucose levels by potentiating the secretion of insulin from the pancreas, and/or by improving the action of insulin inside the cells. [6]

Immune system effects:

Alfalfa contains an amino acid called L-canavanine, which has been associated, in both animals and humans, with worsening of an autoimmune disease called SLE (systemic lupus erythematosus), and development of an unnamed syndrome with similar symptoms as SLE.

L-canavanine may also affect mononuclear cells. However, the mechanisms of action here are undefined. [6]

In in-vitro (cultured cell) studies, alfalfa seemed to affect activities of CD8 (-) Leu8 (+) T cells by regulating synthesis and proliferation of unspecified antibodies. [6]

NMCD reports an unspecified substance in alfalfa that seems to improve skin health after radiotherapy damage. It also seems to help gums heal after orthodontic surgeries.

Although it lacks a name, this substance is known to contain cycloartenol, sitosterol, campestrol, and stigmasterol. [6]

Antimicrobial effects:

Alfalfa roots contain G2 (2-beta-hydroxy-3-beta-O- (beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-delta 12-oleanene-23, 28-dionic acid), which has demonstrated strong action against a pathogenic yeast called Cryptococcus neoformans in in-vitro studies. [6]

NMCD states, “G2 exhibits activity against a wide range of yeast strains, and appears to induce lethal ion leakage from yeast cells.”. [6]

Soyasapogenols, hederagenin glycosides and medicagenic acid in alfalfa might contribute to its antifungal activities. It has demonstrated action against strains including Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis and Aspergillus niger, to name a few. [6]

Alfalfa Supplement Health Benefits

Drugs.com states that alfalfa is anecdotally associated with diuretic effects that might benefit prostate, kidney and urinary bladder disorders. [3]

Preparations made from alfalfa leaf are purported to be effective against arthritis, dyspepsia, asthma and diabetes. [3]

According to NMCD, “Basic science, animal research, and preliminary human studies of alfalfa have demonstrated reductions in cholesterol and atherosclerotic plaque formation.”. [6]

Preliminary evidence suggests that alfalfa possesses antifungal and hypoglycemic properties. However, there is currently no evidence from clinical trials to support these claims. [6]

According to Gaia Herbs, alfalfa may: [3]

• Promote the healthy growth of hair, skin and nail tissue;
• Provide a solid source of antioxidants;
• Support healthy lactation in women;
• Optimize female hormonal balance;
• Maintain healthy cholesterol levels;

Research on alfalfa’s effects in health conditions is in preliminary states. Much more research is needed to validate or disprove its purported effects. NMCD states, “There is currently insufficient information from clinical trials to adequately evaluate the safety or efficacy of alfalfa for any indication.”. [6]

Alfalfa Supplement Dosage

MedlinePlus states that one typical alfalfa dose for reducing serum cholesterol is 5-10 grams dried herb, consumed orally 3 times daily.

It can also be used as a steeped tea up to 3 times daily. Additionally, a 25% alcohol 1:1 tincture can be used thrice daily. [7]

NMCD states that two 1-gram Cholestaid® estrin processed alfalfa tablets have been taken 3 times daily for up to 2 months for reducing cholesterol. After 2 months, the dose was decreased to one tablet, 3 times daily. [6]

40 grams of heated alfalfa seeds have been used 3 times daily, with food, for treating hyperlipidemia. [6]

There is no evidence to rate the safety or effectiveness of alfalfa in children. Usage is not generally recommended in those under 18 years of age. [6]

NMCD reports no well-known standardizations for alfalfa supplements. [6]

Alfalfa in Foods

Plant Village asserts that alfalfa leaves are edible and may be included in many foods. They can be used like any green leafy vegetable. [4]

Drugs.com states, “Alfalfa extracts are used in baked goods, beverages, and prepared foods, and the plant serves as a commercial source of chlorophyll and carotene.”. [3]

Alfalfa Supplements

There are 1441 different dietary supplement products available that contain alfalfa. Most alfalfa crops are genetically modified, and not organic. It pays to shop for non-GMO, organic and contaminant-free supplements from well-reputed manufacturers.

Alfalfa Supplement Safety and Side Effects

The US FDA issued an advisory stating that children and elderly people with compromised immunity should not consume alfalfa sprouts due to concerns of bacterial contamination. [3]

Alfalfa has documented effects of uterine stimulation. It is not recommended for use in pregnant women until more is understood about how it works in the body. [3]

Vitamin K is found in alfalfa in appreciable amounts, and is known to affect the anticoagulant effects of the common drug warfarin. Using these together might affect clotting time by decreasing the anticoagulant activities of warfarin and other blood-thinning medications. [3]

Alfalfa is also thought to possibly interfere with immunosuppressive drugs – like corticosteroids including prednisone and cyclosporine. [3]

Rats fed alfalfa in high doses developed changes in the cellular structure of their intestines. Alfalfa tablet usage has been associated with reactivation of SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus). [3]

NMCD reports that there is little data from human research on alfalfa available. Although it seems well-tolerated in most people, there are some concerns for serious side effects.

For instance, there are a few reports of exacerbated SLE symptoms, and development of a lupus-like syndrome attributed to the L-Canavanine constituent. [3]

Alfalfa Supplement Interactions

Seek medical advice and be cautious if using an alfalfa supplement, or increasing dietary consumption of this oroduct along with:

Antidiabetes medications like glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), and others.

Immunosuppressant drugs like azathioprine (Imuran), basiliximab (Simulect), cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), daclizumab (Zenapax), muromonab-CD3 (OKT3, Orthoclone OKT3), mycophenolate (CellCept), tacrolimus (FK506, Prograf), sirolimus (Rapamune), prednisone (Deltasone, Orasone), corticosteroids (glucocorticoids), and others.

Supplements and herbs with blood glucose-lowering potentials – including devil’s claw, fenugreek, guar gum, Panax ginseng, Siberian ginseng, and others.

Also be cautious mixing alfalfa or alfalfa supplements with contraceptive drugs, estrogen replacement therapies, vitamin E and iron.

Alfalfa is not known to interact with laboratory tests or foods.

Alfalfa extract may interact with health conditions including diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, hyperlipidemia, hormone-sensitive cancers and other conditions, and various autoimmune diseases.

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