Study finds menopause supplements lack evidence and cost up to 20 times more
A study of 26 popular menopause supplements found little evidence beyond calcium and vitamin D, and some cost up to 20 times more than standard multivitamins.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
A consumer study of menopause supplements has found little evidence to support most ingredients and large price gaps compared with standard multivitamins. The research was led by nutritionist Shefalee Loth.
The study examined 26 popular products marketed for menopause, perimenopause or women over 45. It analysed more than 80 active ingredients and looked at the evidence for each one in relation to menopause. It found that beyond calcium and vitamin D, the evidence for other vitamins, minerals and botanical ingredients "really doesn't exist".
The researchers also compared costs. A decent daily multivitamin can cost six or seven pence a day, while menopause supplements can cost up to 20 times as much. The study said those products probably offer no extra benefit.
Loth said calcium requirements rise for women after menopause, and for men after 55, and that osteoporosis is a real risk for women post-menopause. The Menopace supplement contained a decent dose of calcium, she said. But she added that all the supplements also contain lots of botanical ingredients, where evidence is less compelling.
The study raised concerns about "fairy dusting", where small amounts of an ingredient are included so a product can make a claim or list it on packaging, even though the dose is too low to produce the benefit seen in research.
All brands in the study were contacted for comment. Menopace was the only one that responded. It said Menopace Max was rated highest in the study, with a good mix of vitamins and minerals. The company said it is supported by research and has supported women's nutritional requirements at this time for over three decades.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 |
|---|---|
| A study examined 26 popular supplements marketed for menopause, perimenopause or women over 45. | |
| Menopause supplements can cost up to 20 times more than a standard multivitamin and may offer no extra benefit. | |
| The study found little evidence supporting vitamins, minerals and botanical ingredients other than calcium and vitamin D for menopause. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The channel covered the story as a consumer warning, built around a studio interview with the nutritionist who led the study. It focused on the lack of evidence for most ingredients, the price premium and the low-dose 'fairy dusting' practice. It also gave space to Menopace's response as the only brand that replied.
- “there really isn't a lot of evidence to support their use specifically for the menopause”
- “you could be paying up to 20 times as much for a menopause supplement that really probably doesn't offer you any additional benefit”
- “So we call that fairy dusting where they'll put a little bit of an ingredient in and that enables them to make a claim or have it on their packaging”
Who was on air
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- 17:24 BST
Shefalee Loth, nutritionist who led the study
“Okay, so what we did is we saw that this was a huge market and a growing market.”
5 News with Dan Walker · Wed 30 Sept
Broadcast Timeline
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