Researchers at UCL's EGA Institute for Women's Health, working with Queen Mary University of London and the University of Oxford, analysed 201 menopause supplements sold by nine major UK retailers and online sellers, publishing their findings in the journal Climacteric on 11 September 2026. The products ranged in price from £1.50 to £95 a month. The team found no single ingredient common across all products, with 80% containing herbs, 77% containing vitamins and 74% containing phytoestrogens, plant compounds with a structure similar to human oestrogen. Vitamin B6 was the most common vitamin, and clover and sage the most common herbs. Half of the products did not contain vitamin D supplements, and fewer than a quarter, 23.9%, contained calcium. Professor Joyce Harper, who led the study, said "the menopause gold rush is growing as companies realise that mid-life women are an important consumer market."
Doses vary widely, researchers say
Co-author Poppy Sullivan said "the huge variation in vitamin and mineral doses is also a cause for concern," noting that most ingredients used are not specifically recommended by any major menopause society. The researchers flagged that some botanical ingredients carry their own risks: black cohosh, they said, "is known to carry a potential risk of liver toxicity." The study was a cross-sectional survey of product labels and prices rather than a clinical trial, so it did not test whether any of the products relieved symptoms. No funding source was disclosed in the reporting reviewed for this article.
What this means for your supplement routine
The study is a reminder that "menopause supplement" covers a huge range of formulations, doses and price points, with no standard ingredient list and, in many cases, no vitamin D or calcium at all. Shoppers comparing products can check the label for what is actually included rather than assuming a higher price means a more complete formula, and the full range of vitamins and minerals stocked across Perqen's full catalogue lists ingredient content on every product page.
How Perqen members save
Perqen members pay £4.99 a month or £29.99 a year for member pricing across the catalogue, which can offset the cost of comparing several formulations. Details are on the membership page.
This article reports published news and research and is for information only. Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied diet or medical care, and no product mentioned is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Speak to your GP or pharmacist before changing what you take, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking prescribed medicines.