HerWellReport
The Menopause Supplement Label Decoder
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Menopause supplement labels are long, and almost none of them tell you how much evidence sits behind each ingredient. This page is the translation: every ingredient we have found on a menopause supplement label, graded against the published research rather than the marketing. Find the ingredient, see what is actually behind it.
It is free, there is nothing to sign up for, and you are welcome to print it or share it — including with patients.
The short version: Not one of these 29 ingredients has evidence strong enough to call a clear yes for hot flushes — the best any of them manages is “unclear”. And 27 of the 29 carry a documented caution or drug interaction. “Natural” is not the same as “no side effects”.
| Ingredient | What the evidence shows | Helps hot flushes? | Caution or interaction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calcium | Moderate for bone health with vitamin D; none for hot flushes | No | Yes |
| Chasteberry | Moderate for premenstrual syndrome; very limited for hot flushes | Unclear | Yes |
| DHEA | Moderate vaginally; very limited orally | Unclear | Yes |
| Black cohosh | Limited for hot flushes | Unclear | Yes |
| Curcumin | Limited | Unclear | Yes |
| Flaxseed lignans | Limited for hot flushes | Unclear | Yes |
| Green tea extract (EGCG) | Limited for weight and cholesterol; none for menopausal symptoms | No | Yes |
| Maca | Limited for hot flushes | Unclear | Yes |
| Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) | Limited | No | Yes |
| Panax ginseng | Limited for hot flushes | No | Yes |
| Red clover | Limited for hot flushes | Unclear | Yes |
| S-equol | Limited for hot flushes | Unclear | Yes |
| Soy isoflavones | Limited for hot flushes | Unclear | Yes |
| St John's wort | Limited | Unclear | Yes |
| Valerian | Limited | Unclear | Yes |
| Vitamin E | Limited | No | Yes |
| Vitamin K2 (menaquinone) | Limited | No | Yes |
| Ashwagandha | Early | Unclear | Yes |
| Hops and 8-prenylnaringenin | Early for hot flushes | Unclear | Yes |
| Pine bark extract | Early for menopausal symptoms | Unclear | Yes |
| Rhodiola | Early for menopausal symptoms in combination with black cohosh; none alone | Unclear | Yes |
| Saffron | Early | Unclear | — |
| Sage | Early for hot flushes | Unclear | Yes |
| 5-HTP | Very limited | No | Yes |
| Dong quai | Very limited for hot flushes | No | Yes |
| Evening primrose oil | Very limited for hot flushes | No | Yes |
| Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) | Very limited | No | — |
| Melatonin | Limited for sleep; very limited in menopause | No | Yes |
| Wild yam | Very limited for hot flushes | No | Yes |
“Caution or interaction” means at least one documented interaction or restriction exists for that ingredient — not that it is unsafe for you. Several interact with common prescriptions, including blood thinners, statins and antidepressants. Follow any ingredient above for its sources, and speak to your pharmacist before starting anything.
Where these grades come from
Every grade in the table is drawn from our open supplement-ingredient database, where each entry carries the study behind it. Follow any ingredient name to read its sources, the trials that exist, and the specific interactions documented for it. The database is published under CC BY 4.0, so you are free to reuse it with attribution.
Stay current
Tell me when the evidence changes
The sheet above is a snapshot. The database behind it gains ingredients and new trials as they are published — Urox was added in September. Leave your address and we will send you the updated version when it changes.
One email when we publish something worth reading, and nothing else. Unsubscribe any time. We never sell or share your address — see our privacy policy. The symptom check, the menopause journal and the label decoder all stay free with no sign-up at all.
More from HerWellReport
- The full ingredient database — every entry, with its sources
- Menopause supplements, reviewed honestly
- Hot flushes: what actually works, ranked by evidence
- The free 7-day menopause journal — printable, for your next appointment
- Perimenopause and your bladder
This is general information, not a diagnosis and not medical advice. It cannot know your history or your medicines. Use it to work out what to ask about — then ask a qualified healthcare professional.