Menopause Supplements Labeled 'Marketing Hype' in New Investigation
An investigation found that many menopause supplements are overpriced and offer no significant benefits over cheaper multivitamins.
Supplements marketed to alleviate menopause symptoms are largely ineffective and represent "marketing hype" with little scientific backing, according to a new investigation.
Researchers from consumer group Which? analyzed 26 supplements aimed at women experiencing perimenopause, menopause, or those over 45. They found that many of these products, some costing up to £95 per month, contain key nutrients in doses too low to be effective or omit essential vitamins and minerals altogether. The analysis concluded that not a single product reviewed contained the optimal combination of nutrients at appropriate dosages specifically for menopause support.
"Despite these big claims, the vast majority of these products lack the nutritional basics to cover the deficiencies most likely to happen with menopause," said Shefalee Loth, a nutritionist at Which?.
Many supplements sold by major retailers claim to address bone health issues, which can arise from declining estrogen levels during menopause. However, the investigation found that only one product contained beneficial amounts of calcium and vitamin D, nutrients known to strengthen bones. The amount of these nutrients in Vitabiotics' Menopace Max, for example, was found to be identical to that in a supermarket multivitamin costing 15 times less. The British Menopause Society recommends a daily 10mcg or 400IU vitamin D supplement for women of menopausal age, while the International Menopause Society emphasizes the importance of adequate calcium for preventing osteoporosis, a condition common after menopause.
Other high-priced products, such as Wild Nutrition's Women's 45+ Daily Multi Nutrient, which costs approximately £1.27 daily and is advertised as "menopause-friendly," were found to contain significantly lower levels of calcium and magnesium than recommended by the NHS.
The findings follow warnings from UK experts about some menopause supplements containing potentially toxic ingredients that could pose risks if taken in high doses. Researchers from University College London have previously cautioned that women are falling victim to a "menopause gold rush," spending considerable sums on products lacking scientific evidence. The Which? experts described the supplement industry as operating like the "wild west," with regulators failing to adequately protect consumers from dubious marketing and unchecked medical claims.
Menopause typically occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, marking the cessation of a woman's menstrual periods due to lower hormone levels. In the UK, an estimated 13 million women are currently experiencing perimenopause or menopause. Common symptoms include hot flushes, palpitations, sleep difficulties, brain fog, and mood changes, affecting approximately 80 percent of women.