January 14, 2021
What are the best menopause brand supplements?
When it comes to perimenopause and menopause, I have tried many brands over the years that claim to combat common menopausal symptoms like fatigue and hot flashes. Most of these brands use the same ingredients and thus fall short on the science of women’s health. They don’t understand how our bodies function and respond to hormones because most brands are owned by men. Heck, I didn’t even know exactly what was going on with my body except that I did not feel like myself. So, it has been trial and error to say the least. My periods were always normal so an over-the-counter vitamin seemed like an obvious choice. But then, irregular periods became my new norm. When I turned 45, I noticed that I could not keep the weight off, even when I ate healthy and exercised. Then I turned 50 and insomnia, night sweats and irritability kicked it all up a notch.
Throughout this process, I have become an expert on supplements that work best to get relief from menopause and the belly fat that comes with it. Here are the top 3 popular brands that I have tried and why they work or why they don’t work for relieving menopause symptoms. (Hint: It’s all about Black Cohosh!!) I hope my experience can help you decide which one will work best for you.
1. Estroven
The main ingredients in all Estroven brand products are black cohosh root and soy. Research shows black cohosh may alleviate night sweats and hot flashes, as well as lowering anxiety. However, soy contains estrogen-like compounds called isoflavones that promote the growth of some cancer cells, impair female fertility, and mess with thyroid function. When our thyroid does not function well, we gain weight. Overall, soy is safe for most people and may offer health benefits but it is not recommended for menopausal women. So, for these reasons, I found that taking a black cohosh root supplement alone worked better than this brand for menopausal relief.
2. Menolabs
This brand supplement, by far, has worked the least for me. There is no soy, hormones, dairy, shellfish, sugar or MSG but there is also no black cohosh! I found that after one week of using this brand of supplements, my energy increased, as did my night sweats and thus I was miserable. This brand uses probiotics to combat menopausal symptoms. Probiotics contain good bacteria which fight bad bacteria for improved gut health. Probiotics are especially helpful for vaginal and urinary health issues as well as digestive issues but did not do a thing for my menopause symptoms! It does contain beauty enhancers like R-alpha-lipoic acid, an anti-aging amino acid. So, at least I was a pretty hot mess when I was bathed in sweat.
3. Moody Bird
Moody Bird contains natural ingredients that relieve PMS symptoms but does not hit the mark on battling menopausal symptoms. It is supposed to help normalize estrogen and progesterone levels so therefore this brand is not a good choice for menopausal symptoms but I do recommend it for PMS. The two main ingredients in this brand are Dong Quai Root and Chaste Berry– both ingredients help maintain a healthy hormonal balance. It fails miserably at combating hot flashes, weight gain and fatigue, though. Dong Quai Root is especially helpful as a “blood purifier” and for managing joint pain and ulcers. Chaste tree berries help stimulate progesterone which is the female hormone that rises two weeks before menstruation.
Share this:
Leave a Reply