Which supplements can help with menopause?

The world of supplements can seem like a mine field at the best of times, firstly you have the bog standard vitamins and minerals that everyone knows about like vitamin C and calcium, but then you’ve got the fish oils, the pro and prebiotics, the amino acids, the medicinal mushrooms and then the multifaceted formulations that have been carefully curated to suit a specific ailment – most of the components of which you have no idea what they are and how they can help, but if the label says ‘women’s menopause formula’ then you’re down for it!

On top of this you need to be aware of the dosage, purity, the filler ingredients, and the form of the supplement – this is where you ask yourself ‘should I be taking magnesium citrate or magnesium glycinate?!’. Always speak to your nutritional therapist if you are unsure about any of this, as it really can make the difference between reaping some excellent benefits, or just having very expensive supplement laced wee!

As a nutritional therapist I’m afraid I do have to begin with quite a strong caveat – everybody is different and there is no one-size-fits all magic pill that is going to make that insomnia, hot flushes or mood swings disappear into a puff of smoke. The body is a complex piece of equipment, and each one needs individual attention to work out which dietary and lifestyle changes are needed first. Then a supplement regime could be implemented alongside these diet and lifestyle changes as a complementary addition.

Here's a list of some great additions to a healthy diet and lifestyle that may help ease some of those unwanted menopause symptoms. Please do remember that supplements are powerful things and do have contraindications with certain disease states, life stages, and medicines so please always speak to your nutritional therapist before taking anything.

Red Clover

This contains soy isoflavone which means it has a very similar chemical structure to oestrogen so it can function in a similar manner and alleviate certain symptoms associated with menopause. The most studied areas have been its role in slowing down bone loss and alleviating vasomotor symptoms, like hot flushes and night sweats.

Indole-3-Carbinol

This is a plant compound naturally found in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, kale and cauliflower. When eaten it is broken down and converted to DIM which is better utilised by the body. When oestrogen is broken down it is metabolised – these metabolites can either be good (anti-inflammatory, calming, antiproliferative) or bad (inflammatory, proliferative and generally unhappy). This supplement helps to reduce the unhappy oestrogen metabolites and increase the happy ones, meaning less angry symptoms and reduced risks of oestrogen related cancers.

Maca

Maca is a member of the cruciferous vegetable family (are you noticing a trend here?!) and has been used for hundreds of years for hormone imbalance. There are only a few studies, but they do suggest that maca may be useful in improving libido and psychological symptoms like mood swings and anxiety.

Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 is an important one for the brain and how we feel. It helps make serotonin, and oestrogen helps prevent serotonin from breaking down. So if your oestrogen levels are going up and down like a yoyo due to menopause, then B6 is an important bridge to help keep your serotonin levels up and prevent mood swings and depression.

Vitamin D

This is one of those supplements that most people could probably do with, especially if living in the northern hemisphere where we get more cloud and rain that I believe necessary. The reason it is so important for women is due to the bone loss that occurs during menopause due to the drop in oestrogen. Women start to lose their bone mass at age 30, then post menopause there is an even steeper decline. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium which gives strength to bones… no vitamin D, no calcium, equals weaker bones and potential fractures.

There are loads of supplemental options out there, some of which can be amazing, whereas some are gimmicks or a waste of your hard earned money. Quality is key, and as stated above you must make sure there are no contraindications, as they can be more powerful than some people think. If you would like to know which supplements could work for you, book your free nutritional consultation today.