A highly critical study from Which? and University College London has suggested many menopause supplements are overpriced and lack meaningful doses of key nutrients.
The investigation saw Which? nutrition experts review 26 supplements aimed at women going through the perimenopause, menopause or over the age of 45, from retailers including Holland & Barrett, Boots and Amazon, analysing scientific evidence behind over 78 active ingredients. It said that none of the products assessed met the quality standards required to be named a Which? Best Buy as none contained the right combination of nutrients at appropriate doses to support their use specifically for menopause.
However, responding to the study, Martin Last, Director General, Health Food Manufacturers’ Association (HFMA), pointed out: “The HFMA encourage industry manufacturers to formulate and recommend supplements as required by the many food regulations that apply to food supplements. Many life stages, including the menopause, may create increased nutritional demands on an individual and these may be met by supplementation as an addition to a healthy diet.
“The GB Nutrition and Health Claims Register states the claims that can legally be made for a number of nutrients on pack and we encourage our members and the industry to use these appropriately, as many of these featured products have done. When considering a product, we encourage consumers to look at the active ingredients and relevant co-factors in the total formulation. It is important not to look solely at the amounts but to consider additional ingredients, manufacturing processes and how the supplement fits the user’s lifestyle and diet. The HFMA firmly believe that supplementation has an important role to play in the health of the nation, particularly in line with NHS recommendations around vitamin D supplementation and various life stages such as pregnancy and the menopause. By purchasing from reputable manufacturers, consumers can be assured of the safety and quality of products.”
Which? named a number of products in the study, including what it said was the most expensive, Love Mushrooms Empower, which costs £1.33 a day for a two-tablet dose (£485.45 over the course of a year). Which? said it found it has a good mix of well-dosed ingredients, but it is lacking in the menopause-specific nutrients like magnesium and calcium. It also includes lion’s mane extract – which has some evidence for menopausal mood symptoms – however the dose is too low to be effective. Which? also highlighted Wild Nutrition Women’s 45+ Daily Multi Nutrient, which costs £1.27 a day (£468 per year). Which? said it contains just 1.5µg of vitamin D, 60mg of calcium and 30mg of magnesium, finding this is way under the daily dose recommended by the NHS.
Beyond price, Which? said many of the menopause supplements contain key nutrients in doses too low to be beneficial, known as ‘fairy-dusting’, while others omit important vitamins and minerals altogether. For example, My Vitamins Menosure, which includes the word ‘wellness’ on the label, costs 63p per daily dose yet every vitamin, mineral, and botanical ingredient is severely underdosed according to Which?’s standards.
More broadly, Which? says it is concerned that the supplements industry has become a ‘wild west’ and regulators are not doing enough to get a grip on dubious marketing and unchecked quasi-medical claims from firms apparently seeking to cash in on people’s health anxiety and insecurities. The organisation believes responsible regulators need to “up their game” when it comes to monitoring the market for “dodgy claims including holding online marketplaces to account for allowing their sellers to seemingly mislead consumers”.
Shefalee Loth, Which? Nutritionist, commented: “Navigating mid-life is tricky enough but with so many products making big claims about how they can help, finding what actually works can be completely overwhelming and costs can spiral. Our research shows that despite these big claims, the vast majority of these products lack the nutritional basics to cover the deficiencies most likely to happen with menopause despite some costing hundreds and hundreds of pounds a year.”
