Menopause misinformation drives women to seek care from unverifiable sources

Experts warn of a sharp increase in services for women seeking menopausal relief, with concerns about their reliability and potential bias. Their publication in The BMJ warns against commercial hormone testing and unverified supplements, as they do not improve care. They flag the commercialization of women’s health that may drive this concerning trend.

The authors highlight that this trend promotes routine hormone panel testing for evaluating menopausal symptoms, costing hundreds of dollars. These are marketed as necessary for “individualizing” hormone therapy and are sold to patients and clinicians.

The BMJ experts underscore that symptoms should be assessed based on extensive clinical history, and treatments should factor in patient preferences with clinical response.

The proliferating tests have limited applicability in clinical settings, because there is no clearly defined therapeutic window for menopausal hormone therapy, say the experts. Some tests are neither accurate nor precise.

Additionally, the tests do not provide trustworthy methods for determining who benefits from treatment, when the last menstrual cycle occurs, or whether stopping contraception is safe, add the authors.

Trend moving away from clinical guidelines

Despite clinical guidelines from the British Menopause Society, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists advising against such tests, many women buy hormone panels from wellness providers or online services.

The authors argue against taking custom hormone remedies or supplements based on minor deviations from hormone thresholds, which are not supported by science. They claim that such testing gives a false sense of accuracy. 

Custom-made hormone offerings, known as compounded hormone regimens, are not regulated in the same way as menopausal hormone therapy and have not been tested for safety and efficacy.

The experts warn of serious cancer concerns, as inconsistencies of estrogen or progestogen quantities in these offerings can spark abnormal cell growth in the uterus lining.

“Although innovation is needed, the normalization of hormone panel testing could be a symptom of a larger problem: the commercialization of women’s health and a movement away from evidence-based practice,” reads the publication. 

“For middle-aged women, effective treatment begins not with numbers, but with listening.”

Nutritional solutions to menopausal symptoms

Industry has been innovating to better women’s health, with an increased focus on overall well-being when targeting menopausal symptoms.

Nutrition Insight recently spoke to the chief business officer at Kaneka Probiotics, about the company’s work in developing targeted probiotic solutions for women’s health, including a probiotic for menopause that supports hormone balance and gut microbiome stability.

We spoke to ADM and Gnosis by Lesaffre about better sleep and reduced stress to stronger bones and fewer hot flashes, and science-backed postbiotics and nutrients like Lactobacillus gasseri CP2305, Quatrefolic folate, and vitamin K2.

Along with Novonesis, we explored the evolving menopause nutrition market, with a strong focus on heart and bone health, mood, and cognitive support.

Furthermore, ADM, Gnosis by Lesaffre, Sirio Pharma, and Finzelberg discussed the latest in cycle-smoothing chocolates, menopause-soothing rhubarb, dissolvable mood-lifting films, and effective forms of folate for fertility.