You’ve likely seen them advertised on your Facebook feed. Products like “menoshakes” that promise to make all of your menopause symptoms go away with a refreshing drink each morning. Other products seem too good to be true or even too strange to work.
On the other hand, there are some outstanding products available that can effectively target the symptoms you do have and offer real relief.
So, how are you supposed to know what’s reality and what’s just hype?
Women have been misled about menopause for years – it was often thought you were in the clear until the age of 50, and then the only symptom you would experience would be an occasional hot flash or mood swing. If you’re not sure what’s fact and what’s fiction, to help you out, we've created a list of menopause facts and myths to offer a better level of insight.
Remember, too, that research and educational information is always available. Before you jump on any one product bandwagon and put your “lack-of-a-sex life” into the hands of a random pill, do your due diligence to find out what’s in the product, how it works, and why exactly it may offer benefits.
Menopause Facts You Need to Know
Before you dive into your next menopause symptom solution, there are a few facts to remember about the menopause transition that can help you make better decisions about any product you are considering.
Menopause is Due to a Decline of Hormones
When choosing a treatment option, recognize that menopause symptoms occur due to a shift and eventual decline in hormones, such as estrogen and progesterone.1 That’s why many people achieve significant benefits from the use of hormone replacement therapy (also known as menopausal hormone therapy.
This means that not all over-the-counter products will work to directly improve the underlying cause of your symptoms tied to hormonal changes of menopause, unless they have been specifically designed and studied to work through non-hormonal pathways in the body.
Supplements Are Not All Research-Based
Before you choose any type of dietary supplement or product “designed” for menopausal symptom management, learn more about what’s in it. Obscure ingredients with limited clinical data may be risky because these supplements may be untested and unregulated, as stated by the Cleveland Clinic.2
That’s not to say all are bad. But you must be careful in choosing the right ones.
The difference lies in your ability to know the difference between the good and bad, as well as those that are backed by clinical data or not. The only way to do this is through conducting your own research:
- Learn what’s in the supplement
- Determine if the key ingredients are going to improve your health and quality of life based on third-party studies and clinical research
- If there’s something in them you don’t recognize, do your best to find out what it is. Don’t randomly choose a supplement without doing some homework.
- Consider reaching out to the manufacturer if you’re unsure about a product or have questions regarding the ingredients.
- Be sure to talk with your healthcare provider before incorporating anything new
Realize that Marketing Claims Aren’t Always Backed by Research
Many companies are targeting a growing population of women who are looking for relief from common perimenopause and menopause symptoms. Just remember, there’s no FDA approval for supplements,3 and that means without the appropriate study data to back them up, they may not all be safe (or effective) to use.
There are, however, specific classifications around ingredients, such as GRAS (generally regarded as safe), to help qualify safety. GRAS ingredients are substances that have undergone safety evaluations by scientific experts who aren’t affiliated with the government. GRAS ingredients have been determined to be safe, when used as directed and intended.4
Remember, if you find a product you’re interested in, talk to your healthcare provider about how it may offer relief in your situation. Don’t believe that all products are going to be beneficial to you in the long term just because they promise to do so.
Women Mislead About Menopause and Symptom Solutions Could Be at Risk
For women who may be struggling with menopause symptoms and are looking for ways to address them, there are a few myths you need to be aware of.
Myth 1: You Don’t Need Tailored Treatment
That’s not the case for all women looking to manage their menopause symptoms. While hormonal therapy works for many women, it’s not the only option, nor is it the best option for absolutely everyone. Exploring treatments that are more directed at your specific symptoms can make a huge difference in your health. More so, there are strategies and solutions that can work to reduce symptoms that don’t solely rely on hormone replacement or prescription therapy.
Myth 2: All Menopause Products Are Created Equal
This is a huge myth that is leading the way through what is called "menowashing"5 – a practice of offering "customized" solutions for menopause symptoms without any substantiated benefits targeted to that specific phase of life.
When choosing products to manage your symptoms, including supplements, here are some general guidelines to consider:
- Seek out healthcare provider recommendations (especially from your provider)
- Choose products that have clinical research to back them up
- Find products that are tested to meet FDA + DSHEA guidelines (even if they’re not FDA-approved, supplements should still follow these guidelines
Myth 3: You’ll Always Have Menopause Symptoms
Another way women are misled about menopause is that they’re sometimes told, no matter what, they’ll never have a sex life, they have to deal with hot flashes forever, and they will drive their significant other away with uncontrollable mood swings.
This is false!
You don’t have to accept a life filled with frustration or disruptive symptoms. It’s absolutely possible to find viable management options for your symptoms that can improve your quality of life in the long term.
The truth about menopause is that it’s a very unique journey for each person who transitions through it.6 There’s lots of information out there that just is not accurate, and yet, there are a lot of innovative and clinically validated products available working to improve the menopausal woman’s quality of life and overall health.
Before you choose any product or treatment plan, get the menopause facts that substantiate the product's effectiveness. Talk to your healthcare provider about them, too. Do whatever you can to make informed decisions about symptom solutions that you feel good about using.
Resources
- https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/menopause/what-menopause
- https://health.clevelandclinic.org/menopause-supplements
- https://www.fda.gov/news-events/rumor-control/facts-about-dietary-supplements#:~:text=Fact%3A%20Vitamins%2C%20minerals%2C%20herbs,dietary%20supplements%20for%20any%20purpose.
- https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/gras-what-are-gras-ingredients
- https://www.vitafoodsinsights.com/womens-health/misunderstanding-and-misogyny-fuelling-marketing-menowashing
- https://magazine.medlineplus.gov/article/what-we-know-and-still-dont-know-about-menopause
