Research

Sage for Menopause: Evidence, Interactions and Cautions

By Andreea · Last reviewed September 2026 · 2 min read

Sage is an ingredient used in menopause supplements marketed to women. Below is what it has actually been studied for, how strong that evidence is, the drug interactions and cautions on record, and the primary source our grade rests on — all drawn from the HerWellReport ingredient dataset.

HerWellReport Evidence Gradeearly for hot flushes; none for stress incontinence

Studied forhot flushes and night sweats; excessive sweating; menopausal symptom scores and sleep quality

Used inMenopause supplements

Helps stress leaks?No

Helps hot flushes?Unclear

Also sold as: Salvia officinalis; common sage; garden sage

What the evidence says about Sage

The strongest study is a four-week double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial in 80 women aged 48 to 65 taking a fresh sage leaf extract, reporting a 39.2% fall in the Menopause Rating Scale (P=0.002) and a 55.3% fall in hot flush severity by week three (P=0.028). That is one short trial of one proprietary extract, and the other commonly quoted sage study was an open-label trial in 69 women with no placebo group, which cannot separate a real effect from the large placebo response typical of hot flush trials. Sage's European regulatory standing is traditional use for the relief of excessive sweating, which rests on long-standing use rather than clinical trials. Sage is not mentioned anywhere in the Menopause Society's 2023 nonhormone therapy position statement, so it was not assessed.

The grade "early for hot flushes; none for stress incontinence" means: early — Pilot or preliminary human data only; not enough to rely on. none — No human trial evidence we could find for this use. Grades are explained in full on our methodology page.

Read the primary source this grade rests on (opens in a new tab).

Sage drug interactions

No documented drug interactions in the sources we checked. That is not the same as proof of safety alongside your medication — it usually means the question has not been studied. Ask a pharmacist before combining it with prescription drugs.

Who should be careful with Sage

Sage leaf contains thujone
EU herbal guidance caps intake at 5 mg of thujone a day and limits traditional use for sweating to two weeks
thujone acts on GABA-A receptors and high exposure has been linked to seizures, so avoid high-dose or prolonged sage preparations and do not take sage essential oil internally

Products we have researched that contain Sage

MenoRescue — marketed for hot flushes, night sweats and broken sleep. 180-day money-back guarantee.

We have read the label and the research behind every ingredient. We have not tested the product and we publish no ratings. Full ingredient breakdown

Read our MenoRescue review →

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