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Menopause Supplements Offer No Advantage Over Basic Multivitamins, Which? Finds
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Findings of the Which? Review
The consumer watchdog Which? examined 26 menopause-targeted supplements sold by retailers such as Holland & Barrett, Boots and Amazon. The analysis showed that many products cost up to 20 times more than a standard multivitamin yet fail to provide adequate levels of key nutrients. For example, Asda’s A-Z Multivitamins & Minerals costs about £22 a year and supplies the recommended daily amounts of calcium (200 mg) and magnesium (100 mg). In contrast, the premium brand Love Mushrooms’ Empower (£485 a year) contains no menopause-specific calcium or magnesium, while Wild Nutrition’s Women’s 45+ Daily Multi Nutrient (£468 a year) provides only 1.5 µg of vitamin D, 60 mg of calcium and 30 mg of magnesium—far below NHS daily recommendations. The highest-scoring product, Vitabiotics’ Menopace Max (£340 a year), still costs more than 15 times the price of the Asda multivitamin. Which? concluded that a high-quality multivitamin combined with targeted supplements, when needed, is often cheaper and potentially more effective than “all-in-one” menopause blends.
Market Context
The global menopause-supplement market is valued at nearly $17 billion and is projected to reach $25 billion by 2030, reflecting growing consumer interest in managing symptoms such as hot flushes, sleep disturbances and mood swings. Despite this expansion, the Which? review found that many products either omit essential nutrients or contain them in doses too low to be beneficial.
Official Statements & Responses
Shefalee Loth, a public health nutritionist who co-led the Which? research, warned: “Which? 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.” — Shefalee Loth
Industry reaction was mixed. Martin Last, director general of the Health Food Manufacturers’ Association, argued that supplements can meet increased nutritional demands during menopause and should be formulated in line with food-supplement regulations: “We 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.” “Every year our annual spending on menopause supplements is hundreds of times more than our spending on menopause research. There is no persuasive evidence that menopause supplements have a significant effect on women’s symptoms, some of them are dangerous, and the pricing and marketing is exploitative and confusing. They are a massive rip-off for consumers who desperately want to be well.” — Martin Last, the director general of the Health Food Manufacturers’ Association
Implications for Consumers
The findings suggest that women seeking to alleviate menopause symptoms may achieve comparable nutritional support by choosing an inexpensive, well-balanced multivitamin and, where necessary, adding specific nutrients such as calcium or vitamin D. Given the substantial price disparity, consumers are encouraged to scrutinize ingredient lists and dosage levels rather than rely on marketing claims of “menopause-specific” blends.