Menopause supplements cost hundreds yet offer no advantage over cheap multivitamins

A Which? investigation of 26 supplements marketed to perimenopausal and menopausal women revealed that none met the nutritional standards needed for this life stage, even though many are sold for hundreds of pounds annually. Researchers cross-checked more than 78 active ingredients against current scientific evidence and found that most formulas lacked adequate calcium, vitamin D, and other minerals essential for bone health as estrogen declines.

By contrast, a low-cost multivitamin like Asda’s A-Z Multivitamins & Minerals, costing roughly 6p per day, provides the necessary vitamins plus 200 mg of calcium and 100 mg of magnesium. The study also noted that many products contain botanical ingredients such as black cohosh, soy, or red clover at doses far below those used in clinical research, rendering their efficacy doubtful. Which? described the supplement market as a “wild west” with insufficient regulation of health claims. The watchdog urged shoppers to scrutinise ingredient lists and consider affordable multivitamins rather than premium “all-in-one” menopause blends.