A few months ago, my pharmacy moved the supplement aisle from the middle of the store to the back wall. Now, it takes up the entire wall. From vitamin A to zinc, it’s an alphabet soup of possibilities back there. You can spend hours perusing blends that promise better health and, most recently, menopause support. The menopause supplement market has grown over the past year and shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon.
Supplements are intended to give your body important things such as vitamins, minerals, botanicals or amino acids. So, products marketed as menopause supplements may contain substances you might need during menopause and other ingredients said to ease symptoms of menopause.
Of course, it would be great to shop online or stop at the store, pick out a supplement, and say bye-bye to the nights of hot, sweaty sleep and days of mind-boggling brain fog (two of the most disruptive menopause symptoms on our list). But it’s more complicated than that, and there are important things to consider before taking a supplement.
Read: From Hot Flashes to Night Sweats, a Rundown of Vasomotor Symptoms During Menopause >>
What are supplements?
Dietary supplements are products designed to add to, or supplement, your diet or and can include things like omega-3 fatty acids, calcium and phytoestrogens.
Supplements are available in many different forms such as tablets, powders, liquid and gummies. You have to ingest supplements, but they’re not “conventional” foods.
Depending on the product, you can buy a supplement that has one ingredient or many ingredients, like a multivitamin.
Some of the different types of dietary supplements include:
- Vitamins
- Minerals
- Botanicals or herbs
- Botanical compounds
- Amino acids
- Probiotics (live microbials)
Depending on the type, supplements can work by boosting levels of a substance missing or depleted in your body. Or, in the case of botanicals, herbs, amino acids or probiotics/prebiotics, they can work by creating an interaction between the supplement, and your body.
Supplements for menopause
Products marketed as menopause supplements are typically blends of vitamins, minerals and herbs associated with easing symptoms of menopause.
“The most common reason for women turning to supplements is to make them feel better in perimenopause or menopause. Many of these women are having hot flashes, night sweats and insomnia,” said Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., a clinical professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at the Yale University School of Medicine and a member of HealthyWomen’s Women’s Health Advisory Council.
Minkin said hormone therapy is one of the first lines of treatment to help ease symptoms of menopause. And although hormone therapy is safe for most people, it’s not an option for everyone. “Some women cannot take [hormone therapy], such as certain breast cancer patients,” Minkin said. “And some women are too anxious [about] or prefer just not to take [prescription] medications.”
Menopause supplement research
Research is ongoing regarding the pros and cons of supplements for menopause symptoms. There is some data that shows certain supplements may help with specific symptoms of menopause. These can include:
- Black cohosh: A recent review of 22 studies of black cohosh supplements and products containing black cohosh with other herbs found that they were potentially beneficial for overall menopause symptoms and hot flashes.
- Melatonin: One analysis of 24 studies found that melatonin helped sleep quality in postmenopausal women with preexisting sleep problems.
- Turmeric (curcumin) and vitamin E: One small study found taking curcumin and vitamin E reduced hot flashes in postmenopausal women.
- Valerian and lemon balm: One small study found taking lemon balm and valerian combined capsules improved sleep in postmenopausal women.
It’s important to talk to your healthcare provider before trying anything new.
Currently, The Menopause Society does not recommend any dietary supplements for vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes and night sweats) due to a lack of strong evidence.
Supplements can cause allergic reactions and serious health problems and interact with other medications and supplements you’re taking.
Supplements and regulation
Dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA but not in the same way prescription drugs are. It’s the responsibility of the supplement companies to evaluate the safety and efficacy of dietary supplements before the product is sold to the public to make sure it meets all the requirements.
After the product enters the marketplace, the FDA has the authority to review the product and its advertising and labeling to make sure there are no safety concerns, false claims or promises that the supplement will treat, diagnose, cure or prevent disease (which would make it a drug and subject to different guidelines).
Dietary supplement labels are also required to list supplement information, including serving size, number of servings per product and all dietary ingredients in the product.
While many of the supplement companies out there sell safe products that follow FDA guidelines, it’s possible that a company or product may be too good to be true, so it’s always best to do your own research and speak to your healthcare provider.
The Council for Responsible Nutrition, a dietary supplement trade organization, has a list of member companies who comply with regulations and also adhere to their own self-regulatory practices. You can also look for products marked with USP or GMP supplement certifications, which means the supplement has been verified by a third party.
Talk to your healthcare provider
With the amount of products popping up these days, menopause supplements aren’t going anywhere. So take the time to talk to your healthcare provider before taking supplements for symptoms of menopause.
This educational resource was created with support from Kenvue, a HealthyWomen Corporate Advisory Council member.
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