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According to the American Menopause Society, women typically go through menopause between the ages of 40 and 58. Approximately 6,000 American women start going through menopause each day and there is an estimated 50 million who have already gone through it.

Rapid loss of estrogen during this stage results in typical menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, heart discomfort, sleep disturbances, joint and muscular discomfort, irritability, anxiety, nervousness, mood swings, depression, mental and physical exhaustion, memory loss, uro-genital sexual problems, bladder problems, and vaginal dryness.The decline in estrogen also makes women more susceptible to osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease.

Given the positive relationship between the number of post-menopausal women and life expectancies, now is an opportune time for supplement business owners to introduce markets into the market that help women manage their menopausal symptoms.


Awareness Leads to Growth in the Menopause Market

Menopause is no longer a taboo word in today’s society. Armed with awareness of the changes that take place in their bodies during this stage and the innumerable options for relief, women are embracing this season of life with a more positive attitude. A 2008 study featured in Menopause shows that 80 percent of women use natural or alternative medicine for combating symptoms of menopause.1According to SPINS, a market research firm based in Schaumburg, Ill., vitamins, supplements, herbs and homeopathic ingredients specifically targeting menopausal symptoms, raked in just over $32 million in the conventional channel during the 52-week period ending May 5, 2012. This was a 19.3 percent increase from the previous year.2

One reason why more women are seeking natural supplements is because of the well-known side effects associated with synthetic hormone therapy, including increased risk of breast cancer and heart disease.Reports from IMS Health, a research firm based in Connecticut, states that sales of synthetic estrogen plunged in 2009 while the sale of menopause supplements grew by 4 percent annually from 2000 to 2008, according to the Nutrition Business Journal.3

Popular Ingredients for Alleviating Symptoms of Menopause

About 80 percent of menopausal women experience hot flashes.4Research suggests that the following ingredients may help to alleviate them:

Black cohosh – This herb is typically used for hot flashes, sweating, anxiety and sleep problems.5It is derived from a plant that grows perennially in North America. According to SPINS, sales of black cohosh amounted to $22,905,500 in the 52-week period ending May 5, 2012 through the conventional channel. This was an 8.9-percent increase from the previous year.6

Soy isoflavones–This is also a popular natural supplement option for hot flashes. Researchers analyzed the results of 19 trialsinvolving 1,200 women. It was observed that women who ate 54 milligrams of soy isoflavones every day for a period of six to twelve months had a 20.6 percent reduction in the frequency of hot flashes and a 26.2 percent reduction in the severity of hot flashes.7Studies have also shown soy isoflavonesto have bone protective effects and may help reduce the risk of breast cancer.8

According to SPINS, isoflavonessales were $5,063,032 in the conventional channel for the 52-week period ending May 5, 2012,marking a 35.8 percent increase against the previous year.9

Other ingredients

Pomegranate extract may help promote joint functions because of their anti-inflammatory effects.10A recent study shows that pomegranate extracts may inhibit the proliferation of breast cancer cells.11

Vitamin D and calcium. The rapid loss of estrogen affects bone density and it is imperative that peri- and post menopausal receive Vitamin D, calcium, manganese and magnesium supplementation. The prevalence of inadequate levels of Vitamin D appears to be high in post menopausal women.12

According to SPINS, the sale of multi-vitamins targeting menopausal symptoms grew by 16.4 percent in the conventional channel for the 52-week ending May 5, 2012 against the previous year. The total amount of multi-vitamin sales for that period was $942,566.13

Sea buckthorn contains fatty acids and some research suggests it may help increase bone density in post menopausal women.14It may also help prevent age-related vaginal dryness.

Red clover is similar in chemical structure to soy, but has a distinct profile. While the evidence is limited, red clover may be beneficial in preventing osteoporosis, improving lipid profiles and cognition. Botanicals such as evening primrose, gingko biloba, ginseng, valerian, licorice root and St. John’s Wort are also used for menopausal symptoms. Gingko biloba may help with memory loss; ginseng may help cope with stress and promote immunity; valerian is known to lessen nervousness and promote sleep; and St. John’s Wort may alleviate depression. French maritime pine bark is used for promoting a healthy libido.15

Overwhelming evidence from science and evolving technology are giving rise to more efficacious supplements for menopause. Conventional methods are on the decline and more and more women are choosing menopause supplements for improving their quality of life as they go through menopause.

Supplements for menopause can be manufactured as a pill, capsule, tablet, liquid or powders. Choosing the right supplement manufacturer is very vital to the success of any supplement. With stringent regulations that are being carefully monitored by the FDA, owners of nutraceutical companies would benefit from partnering with a reputable nutrition supplement manufacturer who offers turnkey services and that has an award-winning history.

References:
 

1. Supplements to Manage Menopause Naturally, October 5, 2010, Natural Foods Merchandiser, New Hope 360. www.newhope360.com/ingredients/supplements-manage-menopause-naturally
2. Advancements in the Menopause Market, Natural Products Insider, Vol. 17 No. 8 August 2012. www.naturalproductsinsider.com/lib/download/asset-advancements-in-the-menopause-market.ashx?item_id={528AB3D1-E4AC-46FE-AF0D-96BC1B4DB04F}&item_name=library_asset-advancements-in-the-menopause-market
3. Ibid.
4. Menopause, University of Maryland Medical Center. www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/menopause-000107.htm
5. Black cohosh: an alternative therapy for menopause? NutrClin Care. 2002 Nov-Dec;5(6):283-9. PMID: 12557811 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12557811
6. Advancements in the Menopause Market, Natural Products Insider, Vol. 17 No. 8 August 2012. www.naturalproductsinsider.com/lib/download/asset-advancements-in-the-menopause-market.ashx?item_id={528AB3D1-E4AC-46FE-AF0D-96BC1B4DB04F}&item_name=library_asset-advancements-in-the-menopause-market
7. Extracted or synthesized soybean isoflavones reduce menopausal hot flash
   frequency and severity: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized
   controlled trials, Menopause. 2012 Jul;19(7):776-90. doi: 10.1097/gme.0b013e3182410159. PMID: 22433977. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22433977).
8. Clinical outcomes of a 2-y soy isoflavone supplementation in menopausal women, Am J ClinNutr. 2011 February; 93(2): 356–367. PMCID: PMC3021428. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3021428/
9. Advancements in the Menopause Market, Natural Products Insider, Vol. 17 No. 8 August 2012. www.naturalproductsinsider.com/lib/download/asset-advancements-in-the-menopause-market.ashx?item_id={528AB3D1-E4AC-46FE-AF0D-96BC1B4DB04F}&item_name=library_asset-advancements-in-the-menopause-market
10. Polyphenol-rich pomegranate fruit extract (POMx) suppresses PMACI-induced expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines by inhibiting the activation of MAP Kinases and NF-?B in human KU812 cells, J Inflamm (Lond). 2009; 6: 1. PMCID: PMC2625340. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2625340/
11. Antiproliferative effects of pomegranate extract in MCF-7 breast cancer cells are associated with reduced DNA repair gene expression and induction of double strand breaks. MolCarcinog. 2013 Jan 28. doi: 10.1002/mc.21995. PMID: 23359482. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23359482
    Effect of supplementation of calcium and vitamin D on bone mineral density and bone mineral content in peri- and post-menopause women; a double-blind, randomized, controlled trial. Pharmacol Res. 2004 Dec;50(6):637-41. PMID: 15501704. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15501704
12. Advancements in the Menopause Market, Natural Products Insider, Vol. 17 No. 8 August 2012. www.naturalproductsinsider.com/lib/download/asset-advancements-in-the-menopause-market.ashx?item_id={528AB3D1-E4AC-46FE-AF0D-96BC1B4DB04F}&item_name=library_asset-advancements-in-the-menopause-market
13. Experimental study on the effect of tianguigengnian capsule on the aged female ratsostepoprosis. Zhong Yao Cai. 2006 Aug;29(8):803-6. PMID: 17076239. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17076239.
14. Botanical and Dietary Supplements for Menopausal Symptoms: What Works, What Doesn’t, J Womens Health (Larchmt). Author manuscript; available in PMC 2007 January 8. PMCID: PMC1764641. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1764641/