Hops Cones for Sleep and Nerves: Dosage According to EMA
Hops cones for sleep and nerves: how to make an infusion according to EMA, what studies with valerian have shown, what the phytoestrogen 8-PN means, and who should be cautious.
Do hops cones work for sleep? The European Medicines Agency (EMA) recognizes the infusion of hops cones as a traditional aid for falling asleep and for mild stress, based on long-term use rather than clinical trials. The monograph states an infusion of 0.5-1 g of crushed hops cones in 150-200 ml of boiling water, 30-60 minutes before sleep (EMA, hops cone monograph, 2014). Better-studied established combinations of extracts from valerian and hops: EMA allows some of them for sleep disorders, although it assesses the quality of these studies as poor. From the text, you will learn how to prepare an infusion according to the monograph and what studies have shown in humans. We also explain what the phytoestrogen from hops means and who should be cautious.
KEY INFORMATION
• For sleep, EMA traditionally states an infusion of 0.5-1 g of hops cones (EMA monograph, 2014).
• According to EMA, hops alone have not been studied for insomnia; trials concerned combinations with valerian.
• In a study on young rats, the phytoestrogen 8-PN acted on reproductive organs about 20,000 times weaker than estradiol.
• We did not find studies on the smoke or vapor from hops cones in PubMed.
Do hops cones really help you fall asleep?
According to EMA, there is a lack of evidence from clinical trials for hops alone. The agency allows hops cones as a traditional herbal medicine for mild stress and as an aid for falling asleep, in adults and adolescents over 12 years old. The basis is at least 30 years of safe use, including 15 years in the EU (EMA, summary for hops cones).
The agency considered clinical studies, but they concerned combinations with valerian, so certain conclusions about hops alone could not be drawn. Trials with hops as the only ingredient for anxiety or insomnia have not been conducted (EMA, assessment report, 2014).
The EMA review from 2025 indicated as new data only one trial of the hops extract alone, but it concerned symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress, not sleep. The only drug with the hops extract alone that was on the market has not been registered since 2022 (EMA, addendum, 2025).
Does this mean that hops do not work? No. It only means that according to EMA, no one has compared hops alone with placebo for insomnia. How hops compare with lemon balm and lavender, we describe in the comparison of sleep teas.
How to prepare an infusion of hops cones according to EMA?
For sleep, the EMA monograph states an infusion of 0.5-1 g of crushed hops cones in 150-200 ml of boiling water, consumed 30-60 minutes before sleep. If symptoms last longer than 2 weeks, the monograph recommends contacting a doctor (EMA, hops cone monograph).
These are traditional doses, accepted based on long-term use, not results from a clinical trial. In children under 12 years, the monograph does not recommend use.
| Form | For mild stress | Aid for falling asleep |
|---|---|---|
| Infusion of crushed hops cones | 0.5 g in 150-200 ml of boiling water, up to 4 times a day | 0.5-1 g in 150-200 ml of boiling water, 30-60 minutes before sleep |
| Powdered hops cones | 400 mg twice a day, adolescents 200 mg | 800-2000 mg, 30-60 minutes before sleep |
| Dry extract (4-5:1) | 125 mg 2-3 times a day | 125-250 mg, 60 minutes before sleep |
How long to brew? The monograph does not specify brewing time. The EMA report also mentions pillows filled with hops cones, previously used for insomnia, but does not describe any studies on them.
For the infusion, choose a dry product that is described as suitable for brewing and drinking. Herbal raw materials can be found in the herbs category, and we write about another evening infusion in the context of cannabis tea consumed before sleep.
What in hops cones is supposed to have a calming effect?
The EMA report names 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol as the calming ingredient, a volatile compound formed from the degradation of bitter acids in hops. However, it cautions in the summary that its role or that of myrcene has not been confirmed, and no ingredient with known medicinal action has been indicated. In fresh hops cones, this compound is only present in trace amounts, and after 2 years of storage, it increases to about 0.15% of dry mass (EMA, assessment report). An older hops cone may therefore contain more than a fresh one.
According to this report, a dry hops cone contains 2-12% alpha acids, mainly humulone, and 1-10% beta acids, mainly lupulone. The essential oil constitutes 0.5-1.5% and is primarily composed of myrcene. Xanthohumol is present up to 1%, and the report mentions the hypothesis that it may also contribute to the calming effect. During beer brewing, most xanthohumol converts to isoxanthohumol, which we will return to regarding hormones.
The authors of the study with non-alcoholic beer, described below, state that hops resin increases the level of the neurotransmitter GABA. This is a description from their introduction, based on previous work, not a measurement: GABA concentrations in the participants of this study were not measured.
What did the study with non-alcoholic beer show?
Shorter time to fall asleep, but in a small group and without placebo. In the study by Franco et al., 17 nurses working shifts drank 333 ml of non-alcoholic beer with hops for dinner for 14 days. The time to fall asleep measured by actigraphy decreased from 20.5 to 12.0 minutes (Franco et al., PLoS ONE, 2012).
Nighttime physical activity decreased from 7259 to 5285 impulses, and the STAI anxiety questionnaire score dropped from 20.69 to 18.09 points.
The limitations weigh as much as the result. The control group consisted of the same women in a week without beer, and no one was blinded, so it is impossible to separate hops from the evening ritual and expectations. EMA considered this study anecdotal because the authors assumed that the beer contained 0.3% hops, but this was not demonstrated (EMA report).
Does hop water or another drink with hops work the same way? It is unknown. The result pertains to one beer with unproven hop content and a comparison with a week without beer, not with beer without hops.
Does hops with valerian work better than valerian alone?
It is unknown, although one trial on 30 patients suggests so. EMA allows two types of established combinations of dry extracts from valerian and hops for sleep disorders based on well-established use, and the others as a traditional aid for falling asleep and for mild stress. At the same time, it states that it is unknown whether hops work alone or enhance valerian (EMA, summary for valerian with hops).
The quality and results of these studies are assessed by the agency as poor according to current guidelines, but there are no new data that would change the assessment of benefits and risks (EMA, report for valerian with hops).
For both of these combinations, the monograph states 1-2 doses half an hour to an hour before sleep, totaling no more than 500 mg of valerian extract. The effect builds up gradually, so the combination is not suitable for immediate use, and it is recommended to use it for 4 weeks (EMA, monograph for valerian with hops).
In the trial by Koetter et al., patients with insomnia received placebo, 500 mg of valerian extract, or the same dose of valerian with 120 mg of hops extract for 4 weeks, with 10 people in each group. The combination significantly shortened the time to fall asleep compared to placebo, while valerian alone, although it improved this result, did not achieve significant superiority (Koetter et al., 2007). According to the EMA report, this was a pilot trial with groups of 10 people, so a significance threshold of p = 0.10 was adopted. The first author provides the affiliation of the company that produces the tested combination.
An older review by Salter and Brownie included 16 studies. In 12 of them, valerian, alone or with hops, was associated with improvement in some sleep parameters, and the authors called for further trials (Salter and Brownie, 2010). Both variants were counted together, so the summary does not resolve whether hops adds anything.
What studies with hops have been conducted in humans?
Mainly trials of combinations of hops with valerian. According to the EMA report from 2014, at least 7 trials of established combinations of extracts from hops and valerian with a placebo or comparative drug were conducted. One of these trials involved 184 adults with mild insomnia (Morin et al., Sleep, 2005).
We compiled trials with hops in humans described in EMA reports and in PubMed. In this compilation, each sleep trial with a placebo or comparative drug administered hops in combination with other ingredients, most often with valerian. Aside from trials in menopause, the only controlled trial of the hops extract alone is a study on symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress, not sleep.
| Study | Who and for how long | What was compared | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schmitz and Jäckel, 1998 | 46 patients with sleep disorders, 2 weeks | valerian with hops versus 3 mg bromazepam | similar sleep quality, withdrawal symptoms only after bromazepam |
| Morin et al., 2005 | 184 adults with mild insomnia, 28 days | valerian with hops versus placebo | moderate improvement, few significant results |
| Koetter et al., 2007 | 30 patients with insomnia, 10 in each group, 4 weeks | valerian with hops, valerian alone, or placebo | only the combination significantly shortened time to fall asleep compared to placebo, with a threshold of p = 0.10 |
| Kyrou et al., 2017 | 42 young adults (36 completed), 2 periods of 4 weeks | hops extract alone versus placebo | greater reduction in symptoms on the DASS-21 scale |
| Scholey et al., 2017 | 171 people with mild insomnia, 2 weeks | mix with hops versus placebo | no difference in the main outcome |
| Schicktanz et al., 2025 | 40 people with occasional insomnia, 21 days | valerian with hops versus placebo | sleep longer by 21.7 minutes per day in exploratory analysis, funded by the producer |
Does hops affect hormones?
Yes, although weaker than estradiol. This is due to 8-prenylnaringenin (8-PN), which the EMA report from 2014 calls the strongest known phytoestrogen. In a study on young rats, it acted on the uterus and vagina about 20,000 times weaker than estradiol, and in hops cones, there are 25-60 mg per kilogram (EMA, assessment report).
The compound was indicated by Milligan et al. They suggest it may explain menstrual disorders reported among hops gatherers, and the concentrations in beer are low and not concerning (Milligan et al., 1999).
How to reconcile this? In a yeast test with a human receptor, half of the maximum response of estradiol was achieved at 0.3 nM, 8-PN at 40 nM, and genistein from soy at 1200 nM. In vitro, 8-PN was therefore 30 times stronger than genistein and over 100 times weaker than estradiol (EMA report).
We checked what the sources of this text say about the amount of 8-PN in the infusion. In hops, there are 25-60 mg per kilogram, which is 25-60 micrograms per gram (EMA report). How much passes into boiling water has not been measured by any of them. The same report states that during the brewing of beer wort, desmethylxanthohumol from hops converts to 8-PN. Whether this also happens in the infusion has not been investigated by these sources. It is therefore unknown whether less 8-PN reaches the cup than is in the dry hops cone or more.
The second unknown is the gut. There is very little 8-PN in hops, but isoxanthohumol is present in extracts 10-20 times more, and gut bacteria can convert it into 8-PN and increase exposure by up to 10 times (Possemiers and Verstraete, 2009). Among 50 postmenopausal women who took hops supplements, 60% poorly converted isoxanthohumol into 8-PN, and 15% strongly (Bolca et al., 2007). According to EMA, significant amounts of 8-PN are only found in preparations made from old hops that have undergone special enrichment.
Does hops alleviate hot flashes in menopause?
The evidence is ambiguous. In a trial of 36 women, the hops extract with 100 µg of 8-PN per day did not differ from placebo in overall assessment, and an advantage was suggested only in the second period of the study (Erkkola et al., 2010). EMA considered the available data at that time insufficient.
In the trial by Heyerick et al. on 67 women, the extract with 100 µg of 8-PN was better than placebo after 6 weeks, but not after 12, and the 250 µg dose worked weaker than the smaller one (EMA report). After the report, a trial on 120 women appeared, in which hops tablets for 12 weeks reduced the number of hot flashes more than placebo (Aghamiri et al., 2016).
How does it work? This was tested on rats after ovariectomy, where the tail skin temperature rises. 8-PN lowered it after 2 days of subcutaneous administration and after 3 days of oral administration in feed, 7.5 mg per day. When administered subcutaneously, an estrogen receptor antagonist abolished this effect (Bowe et al., 2006).
In postmenopausal women, a single oral dose of 750 mg of synthetic 8-PN reduced the level of LH hormone by 16.7% (Rad et al., 2006). For menopausal symptoms, discuss hops with your gynecologist.
Who should be cautious with hops?
Primarily drivers, as well as pregnant women or those with hormone-dependent tumors. Both EMA monographs warn that hops may impair the ability to drive, and anyone feeling drowsy should not drive. In healthy volunteers, tablets with valerian and hops slowed complex information processing 1-2 hours after ingestion, although performance in the morning was unchanged (Gerhard et al., 1996).
The monograph does not report interactions with medications. However, the EMA report considers it theoretically possible that hops may enhance drowsiness after sedative medications and alcohol. It also mentions a suggestion from a secondary source that people with depression should avoid it. We write more broadly about combining herbs with medications in the table which herbs not to combine.
People with hormone-dependent tumors or those undergoing hormonal treatment should discuss hops with their doctor. EMA states that it is unknown how the use of extracts for more than 3 months affects breast, uterine, or prostate cancer. In 2000, Milligan et al. expressed concerns about the uncontrolled use of hops in preparations for women. A review on 8-PN advises against phytoestrogens for alleviating side effects of breast cancer treatment (Štulíková et al., 2018).
In pregnancy and during breastfeeding, safety has not been established, so the hops monograph does not recommend use. The report adds that some preparations contain a lot of alcohol and should be avoided during pregnancy.
What about allergies? It has mainly been reported among hops gatherers, and no cases after therapeutic use have been published according to the EMA report. In a preliminary laboratory study from Poznań, hops proteins cross-reacted with allergens from birch, mugwort, and timothy pollen (Piasecka-Kwiatkowska et al., 2024). The authors concluded that hops may sensitize individuals sensitive to pollen. The American database LiverTox does not associate hops with liver damage.
Can you smoke or vaporize hops cones?
It is unknown what is released from hops cones in smoke or vapor. We did not find any work on smoking or vaporizing hops cones in PubMed (search conducted on September 16, 2026). The only inhalation data we found relate to dust in the workplace: in Washington state, from 1995 to 2011, 57 cases of respiratory diseases were reported, of which 61% were diagnosed as work-related asthma (Reeb-Whitaker and Bonauto, 2014).
This is dust, not smoke. The incidence of respiratory diseases among hops workers was 30 times higher than in vegetable cultivation, but the authors have not yet confirmed a causal role of the dust. Among 23 hops growers studied by a team from Lublin, 21.7% reported work-related symptoms, with spirometry within normal limits (Skórska et al., 2003). EMA anticipates only oral administration for hops.
If someone adds hops to a joint instead of tobacco, they remove nicotine from it, but not smoke. In a laboratory test, a herbal cigarette with mugwort produced 2 times more carbon monoxide than a tobacco one with the same declared tar (Bak et al., 2015). We write more broadly about this in the text what to smoke instead of tobacco. Cannabis material with a total delta-9-THC and THCA above 0.3% is a narcotic in Poland (art. 4 pkt 37 u.p.n.).
Does a vaporizer change anything here? It does not burn the material, but we do not provide temperatures for hops: we have not found measurements of what is released from the cones in the chamber. The ranges for lavender or lemon balm are collected in our herb vaporization guide; these are values from device instructions, not from measurements. You can find devices with temperature control for herbs in the vaporizers category.
What does this mean in practice?
An infusion of hops cones is a traditional remedy with a dose described by EMA: 0.5-1 g in 150-200 ml of boiling water, 30-60 minutes before sleep (EMA monograph). Is it a drug with proven action? No: according to EMA, no one has compared hops alone with placebo for insomnia. Better-studied are combinations of extracts with valerian, but EMA assesses these studies as poor, and according to the monograph, their effect builds up gradually, so they are not suitable for immediate use.
If you feel drowsy after the infusion, do not drive. If symptoms last longer than 2 weeks or worsen, the monograph directs you to a doctor. For hormone-dependent tumors, during pregnancy, or with sedative medications, discuss hops with your doctor beforehand. How much phytoestrogen 8-PN passes from the cones to the infusion has not been measured in the cited sources.
We found no data on the smoke and vapor from hops cones, and any burning of the plant produces carbon monoxide. A joint with hops does not become safe just because it does not contain tobacco.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do hops cones help with sleep?
According to EMA, hops alone have not been studied for insomnia. The agency considers an infusion of hops cones as a traditional aid for falling asleep. Two types of combinations of dry extracts from valerian and hops have a status of well-established use. In a trial of 184 adults, one of them showed moderate improvement, but few results differed significantly from placebo (Morin et al., 2005).
How to make an infusion of hops cones?
The EMA monograph states for sleep 0.5-1 g of crushed hops cones in 150-200 ml of boiling water, 30-60 minutes before sleep, and for stress 0.5 g up to 4 times a day. The brewing time is not specified. It does not recommend the infusion for children under 12 years, and for symptoms lasting longer than 2 weeks, it refers to a doctor. These are traditional doses, not results from clinical trials.
Does hop water or non-alcoholic beer help with sleep?
It is unknown. In a study of 17 nurses who drank non-alcoholic beer with dinner for 14 days, the time to fall asleep was shorter than in the week without beer: 12.0 versus 20.5 minutes (Franco et al., 2012), but without placebo and blinding. EMA considered this study anecdotal because the hop content in the beer was not demonstrated. This work did not study hop water.
Does hops act like estrogen?
Yes. It contains 8-prenylnaringenin, which the EMA report calls the strongest known phytoestrogen. In a study on young rats, it acted on the reproductive organs about 20,000 times weaker than estradiol. In hops cones, there are 25-60 mg per kilogram, and according to EMA, significant amounts are only found in preparations made from old hops that are specially enriched.
Can you drive after consuming hops?
It is better not to if you feel drowsy. EMA monographs warn that hops may impair the ability to drive. In a study by Gerhard et al. (1996), tablets with valerian and hops slowed complex information processing 1-2 hours after ingestion, although the performance of healthy volunteers was unchanged in the morning.
Can you smoke hops cones?
We did not find studies on the smoke or vapor from hops cones in PubMed, and EMA only anticipates oral administration. The only inhalation data we found relate to dust in the workplace: in Washington state, 57 cases of respiratory diseases were reported among hops workers, with 61% classified as work-related asthma (Reeb-Whitaker and Bonauto, 2014).
This article is for informational and educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice. Before starting supplementation, consult your doctor, especially if you are taking medications regularly, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have chronic illnesses.
Author: Michał Waluk · Published: 2026-05-29 · Updated: 2026-09-17
