Best Supplements for Menopause

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Menopause is a personal journey, and it’s different for everyone. Figuring out which supplements might work best for you really comes down to the particular problems you’re facing.

We’re going to check out how well these supplements can help with 4 different aspects of menopause:

1. Can they ease hot flashes and night sweats?
2. Can they improve mood swings and irritability?
3. Can they tackle vaginal dryness and boost sexual health?
4. Can they help with managing weight and bloating?

How I’m ranking them

I’m diving deep into research papers that have actually tested supplements on humans. I’m skipping over theoretical studies or ones with animals or cells.

My main focus is on studies that have shown real benefits in people. That’s why I’m ranking these supplements based on solid evidence of how well they work for specific issues.

Remember, a higher ranking doesn’t automatically mean a supplement is going to be extremely effective; it just means there’s more proof it works in real life.

Also, note that this list isn’t exhaustive – I’m only highlighting the supplements I consider to show the most promise.

So, let’s start by checking out the supplements that seem to have the biggest potential for tackling menopausal symptoms.

Most useful

Soy isoflavones

Based on clinical research, adding soy protein with different levels of isoflavones to your diet might help reduce the frequency and intensity of hot flashes during menopause.

This effect is more noticeable if you usually experience a lot of hot flashes and may even be comparable to conventional hormone replacement.

Soy isoflavones could also help with improving mood swings and depression during menopause.

While there’s a chance they might also help with vaginal dryness and urogenital symptoms, the results aren’t consistent across studies.

It’s likely that consuming more soy in your diet could have more advantages due to the additional soluble fiber effects, but taking soy isoflavones or soy protein are also helpful.

Black cohosh

Black cohosh is a natural remedy made from the Actaea racemosa plant. Taking black cohosh can modestly ease menopausal symptoms and lower the frequency of hot flashes. In some cases it appears to be comparable to even hormonal therapy.

However, to get the best results, it’s probably important to use standardized commercial extracts, as non-commercial extracts or the powdered herb didn’t seem to work well in relieving symptoms.

St. John’s wort

St. John’s wort is a herbal supplement made from the Hypericum perforatum plant. People often use it for its possible antidepressant and mood-balancing effects.

Actually, several good-quality studies and clinical trials indicate that St. John’s wort extracts might work just as well as anxiety and mood medications in many situations. It might also enhance quality of life and psychological well-being.

Studies show that taking St. John’s wort by itself or with other herbs can lower the intensity and occurrence of hot flashes in menopausal individuals.

Vitex agnus-castus

Vitex agnus-castus, also called chasteberry, is a herbal supplement from the chaste tree fruit. Studies show that using vitex agnus-castus extract on its own can potentially help with certain menopausal symptoms, like hot flashes.

There’s also a bit of evidence that it might ease anxiety and other psychosocial symptoms during menopause.

Moderately useful

Now, let’s delve into supplements that can still aid in managing menopausal symptoms, but don’t have as much solid evidence as the ones I discussed earlier.

Evening primrose oil

Evening primrose oil is a supplement made from the seeds of the evening primrose plant. People often use it for potential benefits like improving skin conditions and hormonal imbalances. It’s not very clear if taking evening primrose oil by mouth helps with easing menopausal symptoms,

but there might be some positive effects in reducing psychological issues like feeling down, being irritable, feeling mentally tired, and being anxious.

Sage

Sage is a herb that’s not only used in cooking but also for its potential health benefits. It comes from the plant called Salvia officinalis.

When taken by mouth, sage appears to help with easing menopausal symptoms. People noticed improvements in things like hot flashes, trouble sleeping, achy joints, irritability, and feeling tired.

However, most of the research centers around commercial standardized extracts, so the use of regular powdered sage is unclear.

Royal jelly

Royal jelly is a nutritious substance made by worker bees and given to queen bees. People take it as a supplement for possible health benefits.

A few small studies hint that taking royal jelly by mouth might help a bit with menopausal symptoms.

Other studies that combine royal jelly and flower pollen show general improvements in how women feel overall, but we don’t have as much information about this effect compared to other symptoms.

Specialized uses

Lastly, I’d like to talk about a couple of supplements that don’t have as strong evidence for menopause or have conflicting evidence, but could still be useful in certain situations.

Red clover

Red clover is an herb that contains isoflavones, similar to soy or black cohosh. But when it comes to the research on red clover, things get a bit complicated. It seems to have a mild effect on hot flashes.

This effect is more noticeable for those who had a lot of hot flashes to begin with and when they took higher doses of red clover isoflavones.

Using standardized commercial extracts seems to be more effective than non-commercial extracts. However, the studies are not of great quality and they’re funded by the companies that make the supplements.

On the other hand, studies done independently and funded by different sources didn’t show big benefits from red clover isoflavones when taken over a year.

So red clover may be more useful if used in combination with other supplements, rather than by itself.

Flaxseed

Flaxseed, especially the flaxseed mucilage, may help menopausal women who are overweight or obese to lose some weight. However, when it comes to other menopausal symptoms, the evidence isn’t very strong.

Some studies showed that eating flaxseed or a certain type of flaxseed extract every day might reduce menopausal issues like hot flashes and night sweats.

However, similar improvements were seen in people taking other grains, like wheat germ. So we’re not sure if taking other whole grains may also impart these benefits.

Panax ginseng

Panax ginseng, particularly Korean red ginseng, might be helpful for improving sexual arousal and satisfaction in postmenopausal women or those with sexual issues.

Taking around 3 grams per day or a combo product for about 4 weeks showed positive effects on sexual satisfaction.

Panax ginseng has also been looked into for helping with other menopausal symptoms, but the results are a bit all over the place.

What supplements should you take?

So, which supplements are right for you during menopause? Well, it really depends on the symptoms you’re facing, if any.

If you’re fortunate not to be experiencing many menopausal issues, you probably don’t need to bother with any of them, although I’d still recommend vitamin D and calcium to keep your bones healthy. But if you’re dealing with specific menopausal symptoms, there are options to consider.

Most of these supplements are quite effective at addressing hot flashes and night sweats. So, if that’s your main concern, you likely don’t need more than 1 or 2 supplements. Trying soy isoflavones along with perhaps black cohosh or Vitex should be good enough.

Remember, the rankings I’ve given aren’t about how much a supplement can help you, but rather about the amount and quality of research supporting its use.

So, taking a ton of them at once doesn’t mean it’ll be more effective, and it’s a better idea to choose 2 or 3 supplements based on their proven effects for the specific aspects you want to address during menopause.

For instance, if mood swings and hot flashes are your focus, combining soy isoflavones with St. John’s wort might be helpful.

Or if you’re dealing with vaginal dryness and want to enhance your sexual health, adding Panax ginseng as part of your supplement regimen could be useful.

Also, keep in mind that supplements aren’t the only solution for menopause and its related symptoms. A balanced diet and regular exercise play a significant role too, especially for weight management. Relying only on supplements to manage your menopause isn’t the best approach.

However, I hope this review has provided you with a solid starting point based on evidence to help you choose the right supplements for managing menopause in a way that suits you.

Top supplement choices

• Black cohosh (generic) – 1 to 3 caps / day
• Black cohosh (Remifemin) – 2 caps / day
• Evening primrose oil – 2 to 6 caps / day
• Flaxseed (ground) – 1 to 3 tsp w/ meals
• Flaxseed (whole) – 1 to 3 tsp w/ meals
• Panax ginseng – 2 to 6 caps / day
• Red clover (generic) – 2 caps / day
• Red clover (Promensil) – 1 cap / day
• Royal jelly (caps) – 1 to 2 caps / day
• Sage – 2 cap / day
• Soy isoflavones (Estroven) – 1 cap / day
• Soy isoflavones (generic) – 1 to 2 caps / day
• St. John’s Wort – 2 to 3 caps / day
• Vitex agnus-castus – 1 to 3 caps / day

Learn more about

• Soy: an overview
• Weight loss supplements

See also

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  Green Tea for Weight Loss: 2023 Update
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• 
  Best Supplements for Osteoarthritis
  Although things like glucosamine and chondroitin can help with osteoarthritis, the specific form and quality impacts their effectiveness.
• 
  Best Supplements for Menopause
  Soy, black cohosh, and vitex are useful for managing hot flashes, but other supplements can be more useful depending on what you experience.