A few years ago, someone posted a message on a cluster headache forum about getting some relief from a hops extract. This statement was roundly ridiculed. But recent research shows that hops may mimic or increase the activity of melatonin; melatonin is widely accepted as a therapy that helps some people with cluster headache.

The study was published in 2007 in the Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology. It found that hops decreased body temperature in mice (as does melatonin), and that the melatonin-blocking substance luzindole blocked the effect of hops. (PMID 17430638 (cache)) Hops has traditionally been used to treat insomnia and other sleep disorders by herbalists.

Another 2007 study found that hops extract reduces the release of histamine and improves vascular function. (PMID 17587695 (cache)) Water extracts of hops have been shown to affect calcium channel activity. (PMD 17951040 (cache))

Most hops are grown for beer production. A large percent of people with cluster headaches react very poorly to any alcohol - alcohol is one of the most common triggers. There are a number of 'alcohol-free' beers on the market, including O'Douls (beer-like, with <0.5% alcohol) and Malta (a sweeter, pre-fermented malt beverage with hops).