HWN Suggests

Menopause supplements: Effective relief or empty promises?

Dozens of over-the-counter supplements are now being advertised to menopausal women as part of a $17 billion global market that's expected to grow more than 5% each year until at least 2030. The phenomenon has been dubbed "menowashing" for its propensity to convince consumers that menopause relief is as simple as popping a pill. But the growing market for "natural" therapies skirts over the fact that supplements don't require FDA approval, Harvard experts say. Many supplements also haven't undergone rigorous testing. That means there's no evidence they actually work — or even that they're safe. "These products are touted by movie stars, but every woman who swallows them needs to know who's making…

read full article

Featured

 Inside the £16bn menopause market: money spinner or scam?

As the menopause market grows, hundreds of products are cropping up online and in supermarkets. But just how trustworthy are they? And do rogue operators risk creating a backlash?

 Menopause Without HRT? Why Muscle, Mindset & Lifestyle Are the Real Game Changers

Many recommend herbs, supplements or dietary changes to ease symptoms. But here’s the problem: it’s still only surface-level support. A supplement won’t rebuild lost muscle. A herbal tonic won’t rewire your habits. A meal plan won’t fix the emotional eating caused by burnout or lack of structure. Even the most well-intentioned naturopath doesn’t give you the ongoing support, structure and coaching needed to shift your identity and lifestyle long-term. This is where most approaches fall short.

 Millions exploited by ‘menopause gold rush’ amid lack of reliable information, say UK experts

Women’s health academics at UCL call for national education programme to combat misinformation and unregulated advice.

Articles of Interest

Is the Menopause Aisle Scam or Salvation?

With an entire “menopause aisle” popping up overnight, how do you know which products actually help and which are just cashing in?

A Menopause Expert on the 1 Menopause 'Treatment' She’d Never Take

Menopause has been historically under-researched and under-treated, leaving many women in the dark when searching for solutions for their symptoms. The wellness industry has tried to meet that need with a growing array of dietary supplements for brain fog, hot flashes and more. There can be a place for supplements in treating menopause symptoms, she says — for example, magnesium to combat trouble sleeping — but don't do so without consulting your doctor first.

Can supplements help women through perimenopause?

These pills and creams claim to help with hot flashes, bone loss, and other symptoms of the transitional phase before menopause—but do they? We asked experts.

Can we talk about how some “experts” are using menopause to sell snake oil?

I’m so tired of it. Menopause is finally getting attention and instead of real science, we are getting a tidal wave of snake oil dressed up as empowerment. Every time I scroll, there’s another “menopause founder” selling me a supplement, a gummy, a wearable, or a “clinically formulated” shake that promises to balance my hormones, fix my sleep, restore my libido, and make me feel like myself again.

Menopause Scams to Watch Out For

And these days, entrepreneurs are cashing in. A huge influx of products targeted at menopausal women have hit the market in recent years: You can now, for instance, buy clothing specially designed to relieve hot flashes and other menopause symptoms, or you can shop for beauty brands focused on menopausal health.

Menopause supplements: Should women take them?

Several over-the-counter medications are touted as being able to help with some or all of these symptoms. But women should be cautious before believing these claims. “In general, a lot of the at-home remedies are marketed very well. They are promoted as cure-alls or things that will work for the most common complaints, like hot flashes,” Dr. Sands said. “However, we’ve discovered that most of them don’t work, and there’s often no data that shows they work.

Supplements for Menopause: Do They Work?

Can chasteberry or black cohosh cool your hot flashes? Might a little maca heat up your sex drive? The idea that the right combination of herbs, vitamins or extracts might be non-hormonal routes to relief from menopausal symptoms isn’t new. But these days, endorsements from celebrities and marketing by telehealth companies and other online sellers have raised the profile of supplements promising to fix everything from hot flashes to problems with sleep and sex.

The Supplements You Should Try If You’re Going Through Menopause

When it comes to treating symptoms, one has options—and thankfully, they’re expanding. HRT (hormone replacement therapy), regular exercise, and diet can all keep symptoms in check, and several solutions are available in stores and online. Naturally, making the right product selections is key, so Vogue tapped the experts to share their recommendations on the dietary choices to make, and the best menopause supplements to take.

What are menopause supplements, do they work, and are they safe?

Professor Davis said while it was possible to cherrypick data supporting menopause supplement ingredients, reputable large-scale reviews haven't found them to be effective.