Menopause supplements: what do you actually need?
Walk into any chemist or scroll through social media and you’ll find no shortage of products promising to support women through perimenopause and menopause. There are powders for energy, capsules for sleep, gummies for hair and skin, blends for hormones and all-in-one “menopause support” products containing long lists of vitamins, minerals and herbal ingredients.
But do we actually need them?
A recent Which? investigation looked at 26 supplements marketed specifically at women over 45*, looking at the scientific evidence behind more than 80 active ingredients. It found that many were considerably more expensive than a standard multivitamin, while some contained relatively small amounts of nutrients important for midlife health.
None of the products assessed met the criteria for a Which? Best Buy, as Which? concluded that none contained the right combination of nutrients at appropriate doses to support their use specifically for menopause.
The most expensive product reviewed cost £1.33 a day - around £485 a year - compared with around £22 a year for a standard supermarket multivitamin.
That doesn’t mean supplements are useless. Far from it.
But it does highlight something I talk about a lot with clients: the word “menopause” on the front of the packet doesn’t necessarily tell you whether a product is right for you.
Why are menopause supplements so appealing?
Perimenopause and menopause can bring a wide range of changes, including fatigue, poor sleep, brain fog, hot flushes, mood changes and changes to muscle, body composition and bone health. When a product promises to help with several of these things in one convenient capsule, it’s easy to see the appeal.
The problem is that menopause itself isn’t a nutritional deficiency. There isn’t one combination of vitamins and minerals that everyone suddenly needs in midlife.
What is useful for one person may be unnecessary for another. Nutritional needs depend on diet, health, lifestyle, medications, symptoms and, in some cases, blood test results.
So which nutrients do matter in midlife?
There are some areas of nutrition that deserve particular attention during and after menopause.
Calcium
Falling oestrogen levels are associated with accelerated bone loss around menopause, so protecting bone health becomes increasingly important.
UK guidance recommends around 700mg of calcium a day for most adults*, and this can often be achieved through food. Sources include dairy foods, calcium-fortified plant milks and yoghurts, tofu, some green vegetables, nuts and fish where the bones are eaten (e.g. sardines).
A calcium supplement isn’t automatically necessary simply because you are menopausal.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and is important for healthy bones and muscles.
In the UK, the NHS advises adults to consider taking 10 micrograms of vitamin D a day during autumn and winter*, because sunlight isn’t strong enough for us to make sufficient vitamin D during those months. Some people are advised to take it throughout the year.
This is a good example of a supplement that may genuinely be useful - but it doesn’t need “menopause” written on the packet.
Protein
Protein becomes increasingly important as we get older because we naturally lose muscle mass with age. Rather than relying on a specialist supplement, I encourage my clients to look first at how protein is distributed across the day.
Including a good source of protein at breakfast, lunch and dinner - such as fish, eggs, tofu, beans, lentils, yoghurt, nuts and seeds - can make a real difference.
Strength and resistance exercise matter too and are important for maintaining muscle and supporting bone health.
Iron
Iron is another nutrient often included in supplements, but it demonstrates why a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t necessarily work. Someone who is still having heavy periods may have very different iron needs from someone several years post-menopause.
Most people should be able to obtain enough iron through a varied diet and high-dose iron supplements shouldn’t routinely be taken unless there is a reason to do so, and they should be taken under medical guidance.
Omega-3 and fibre
Omega-3 fats are important for general health and can be obtained from oily fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel and trout. For people who don’t eat fish, a supplement may sometimes be worth considering, but again, that’s an individual decision.
And while fibre is less glamorous than many of the ingredients advertised on menopause supplements, it matters. Vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds support digestive health and can help with heart health and blood sugar management - while providing a whole package of nutrients at the same time.
What about herbal menopause supplements?
This is another area where it pays to be cautious.
“Natural” doesn’t automatically mean safe, and herbal products can interact with medicines or be unsuitable for some health conditions.
Before buying a menopause supplement, turn the packet over
The front of the packet is marketing. The useful information is usually on the back.
Ask yourself:
What nutrients does it actually contain?
How much of each nutrient is there?
Do I have a reason to think I need them?
Could I get them through food?
Could a simpler, cheaper supplement provide the same thing?
Could any of the ingredients interact with medication I take?
The Which? investigation is a useful reminder that a long ingredients list doesn’t necessarily mean a better product - and paying a menopause premium doesn’t guarantee you’re getting something more appropriate for your needs.
Food first, supplements where useful
I’m not anti-supplement, but I am very much in favour of knowing why you are taking something. Supplements can be extremely useful when there is a genuine need - I’m currently taking iron tablets myself, under guidance from my GP.
For most people, the foundations of good menopause nutrition are much less exciting than the supplement adverts suggest: enough protein, plenty of plants and fibre, calcium-rich foods, vitamin D, healthy fats, regular activity and strength exercise.
Those things may not come in a beautifully branded menopause box, but they matter.
Not sure where to start?
Menopause nutrition doesn’t need to mean buying a cupboard full of supplements.
If you’re struggling with low energy, changing weight or body composition, digestive symptoms, bone health or simply feel confused by conflicting menopause nutrition advice, I can help you work out what is actually relevant to you.
Download my free Menopause Symptom Tracker
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