For some people, menopause can seriously disrupt their lives. But not all menopause supplements are effective — or safe — to manage those issues, experts warn. More traditional treatments, like hormone therapy, are available and proven to ease some of those symptoms.
But not everyone wants to or can take those medications, opening the door for unproven and potentially dangerous supplements sold online. Companies advertise their menopause supplements as a solution for , night sweats, brain fog, mood changes, sleep problems and more. They may not be upfront about the actual ingredients in those supplements or the possible side effects, which pose unique risks for certain breast and .
Experts tell TODAY.com that the rising popularity of menopause supplements highlights a lack of access to evidence-based options, rampant misinformation about hormone therapy and gaps in our knowledge about menopause — even among specialists. "The primary treatment — and the first-line treatment — should be hormone (estrogen) therapy, especially for moderate-to-severe menopause symptoms," Dr.
Anna Barbieri, assistant clinical professor in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, tells TODAY.com. "There is just nothing as effective and nothing that has as wide-ranging effects and benefits as hormone therapy," Barbieri adds.
Effectively managing hot flashes, most often through hormone therapy, may have , too, Dr. Lauren Streicher, medical director of th.