Best Natural Supplements for Treating 9 Common Menopause Symptoms
When I expressed to you all that I was experiencing symptoms of menopause, the outpouring of support and resources that I received from this community was incredible! I was so overwhelmed by all the emails and support that I received, that I felt it was too valuable not to share all this information with you. So in this post, I am sharing the wealth of info I have received about natural remedies for menopause.
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What I’m Doing
I am so grateful to have received so much support about dealing with menopausal symptoms, and it shows how willing everyone is to talk about this topic that frankly, is rarely discussed openly. That being said, I am not a doctor, and I don’t know fully how effective each of these supplements are for menopause symptoms and hormone levels. I can, however, speak about my own experience, so before we dive into the supplements I’ve learned about, I’m going to give you a quick rundown of what I have been doing for my own symptoms.
Weight Gain
For my belly and my weight gain (I gained about 10 pounds), I have made some important dietary changes. This includes giving up dairy, giving up meat (aside from fish and eggs), and giving up heavy carbohydrates. I also do not eat anything with added sugar.
Exercise
I have also made changes to my exercise routine. I was doing a workout program called p.volve for almost a year. It’s low impact and wonderful on your joints, but I don’t think it’s as effective as I’d like so I’m now doing my favorite… Tracy Anderson again. I am doing Tracy every single day now in quarantine and I’ve noticed a big difference in my thighs after just four weeks.
These changes have seemed to work for me. I have lost the extra pounds, but more importantly, I feel better. I feel less puffy, and can button my pants again!
Supplements
As far as women’s health supplements go, I am taking Omega-3, vitamin D, B Complex, evening primrose oil, collagen powder, dandelion root, glucosamine, and HRT like estrogen and progesterone.
Vaginal Health
I also got three ThermiVa laser treatments to help with vaginal dryness and painful intercourse. If nothing else, please take away that this treatment is a LIFE-CHANGER. DO not hesitate. Talk to your doctor and make an appointment ASAP. It’s worth EVERY SINGLE PENNY. (Yes, I’m shouting.)
Of course, this is just my routine, and the important part is finding remedies for menopause that work for YOU! There are so many options out there, and often the best place to start is the simplest… with diet and exercise.
Best Natural Supplements for Menopause Symptoms
We’re going to go through many supplements for menopausal women. However, before you change your diet or add new supplements, remember to speak with your doctor. The most important advice you can receive is from someone who can evaluate your circumstances personally, and a doctor is the best person to do that. Keep scrolling for all the details…
More Menopause Related Posts
I talk about my favorite at-home workout apps in this post if you need some inspiration.
I also just did a whole video on how to get thicker hair. You can watch that video here.
What are YOU doing to treat your peri-menopausal or menopausal symptoms?? Please share in the comments. If you haven’t already subscribed, you can sign up for my exclusive newsletter here and get a ton of resources including your wardrobe basics checklists.
Thank you so much for stopping by!
Weight Gain
Often with menopause, your metabolism slows down, and your hormones will act up, which might lead to weight gain. One of the most common fixes for this is to change your diet. The diets that most of you talked about are: ketogenic diet, a plant-based diet, intermittent fasting, paleo, and Weight Watchers. The simple fact is that with menopause, we might not be able to get away with what we did before. Finding a sustainable diet that works best for you is the ultimate approach here. Remember, this is a lifestyle, not a short-term fix. You really need to find what appeals to you, and what fits with your lifestyle. For some people, a change as simple as giving up sugar is all they need.
And of course, exercise! It’s an obvious change, but exercise is one of the best tools for weight loss. Many of you mentioned walking, running, the Peloton bike, yoga, Pilates, and weight training. Like diet, you need to find a routine that works with your lifestyle.
Many of you also mentioned to me apple cider vinegar. I'm not sure how effective it is, but it doesn’t hurt to try. I add a capful to my homemade salad dressing. Goli Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies are a good option if you really can’t stand the taste.
The next common symptom of menopause is fatigue. The most common all-natural recommendation I received for fatigue was Vitamin B12 or Vitamin B Complex. I take B-Complex daily.
Menopause can also cause hair thinning, or even loss of hair in many women. There are a few supplements that have been recommended to help with this issue including biotin, collagen, jojoba oil, and nutrafol.
For hot flashes, there is a literal laundry list of natural remedies that you can try to decide which works best for you. The first is primrose oil, which I am currently using. There is also black cohosh, sage, milk thistle, flax seed ground up, omega 3 supplements, CBD oil, soy care capsules, fenugreek, and acupuncture. There are many options and herbal supplements here, and it is all about finding the ones that work for you.
A few of you mentioned kombucha for digestion issues. I drink about half a glass a day. It's relatively low in sugar and calories. I actually enjoy the taste, but it's definitely polarizing.
It is quite common for menopausal women to have trouble sleeping. One of the most common remedies that you all recommended to me...? Magnesium. I was also told that black cherry juice works. I can’t say exactly what will work for you, but these are remedies that have worked for many of you, and that is why I wanted to pass these along. I'm hoping they will help.
Menopause will often include the loss of estrogen, so how can you go about replacing this without hormone replacement therapy? Many of you mentioned a wild yam root cream and maca. If anyone finds a way to make Maca taste okay, please let me know. I've tried it in smoothies, coffee, etc. and I can't stand the taste.
Feeling bloated and puffy is a common symptom of being menopausal. Often, simple changes in your diet work best, especially cutting down on foods containing sugar. Some of you also mentioned dandelion root for this issue. Sage was a recommendation as well.
For combating vaginal dryness, many of you recommended water-based lubricants, soy, black cohosh, coconut oil, evening primrose supplements, and wild yam root cream. I'm ordering wild yam root cream ASAP.
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4 thoughts on “Best Natural Supplements for Treating 9 Common Menopause Symptoms”
I bought collagen powder based off your recommendation and I am so glad I did. I have had knee pain for over 20 years and after taking collagen powder for a few days my knee pain has totally disappeared. I use it religiously in my coffee every morning and stir some into my yogurt everyday. Thank you so much for recommending this wonderful product.
Thanks so much for sharing that, Stacey!! I’m SOOOO happy it’s helping with your joint pain. It helps my joints too!! Probably don’t even need glucosamine anymore… Erin xo
Erin,
I love you!! I have been following you for several years now and your advice is always spot on! I began following you for the style advice: what to wear, how to edit/organize my closet, wardrobe essentials, etc. within 6 months i had friends coming up to me asking me to help them with their closets, outfits, etc. about 2 years ago i started going through menopause and it was horrible. i did not feel like myself at all, became depressed, gained almost 20 pounds and didn’t know what to do. i started going to a holistic/md doctor that put me on progesterone, estrogen, testosterone and a million expensive supplements, but after a year i had gained about 5 more pounds and was feeling hopeless. (i’m 5’7″ and had always been able to keep my weight around 120-25. i was weighing 141, mostly belly fat and hips/back and felt bloated all the time.)
thank you, thank you, thank you for speaking out about menopause and telling us your experience!! it’s nice to know that i’m not alone in this. i am going to try a lot of the things that you say are working for you. i have some hope now that this isn’t my new normal.
fingers crossed!
thanks again & you rock!
shelley
thanks so much, Shelley! I am SO sorry for your struggles and … you are NOT alone. Our body stops producing hormones so in response our body thinks it needs to hold onto fat. Here’s a great explanation I read online about belly fat:
The fat in this area, called visceral fat, isn’t the subcutaneous (under the skin) fat you feel when you poke your stomach.
It’s found deeper in the abdomen, filling the space between the vital organs and the fat-covered membrane that lines your abdominal cavity.
Unlike other fat on your body, visceral fat produces hormones and other substances such as cytokines that can:
cause blood vessels to narrow and blood pressure to rise
increase insulin resistance, which reduces your body’s ability to use insulin effectively
trigger inflammation, which is linked to a range of conditions, including heart disease
contribute to sexual dysfunction
increase your risk of getting some cancers
After menopause, your cells store more fat and are slower to release it. Also, you have less muscle mass, so your body doesn’t burn calories as effectively as it once did.
I think the combo of HRT, supplements, healthy diet (restricted) and exercise ( building muscle ) is what can really make a difference and fight that fat.
Erin xo
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I bought collagen powder based off your recommendation and I am so glad I did. I have had knee pain for over 20 years and after taking collagen powder for a few days my knee pain has totally disappeared. I use it religiously in my coffee every morning and stir some into my yogurt everyday. Thank you so much for recommending this wonderful product.
Thanks so much for sharing that, Stacey!! I’m SOOOO happy it’s helping with your joint pain. It helps my joints too!! Probably don’t even need glucosamine anymore… Erin xo
Erin,
I love you!! I have been following you for several years now and your advice is always spot on! I began following you for the style advice: what to wear, how to edit/organize my closet, wardrobe essentials, etc. within 6 months i had friends coming up to me asking me to help them with their closets, outfits, etc. about 2 years ago i started going through menopause and it was horrible. i did not feel like myself at all, became depressed, gained almost 20 pounds and didn’t know what to do. i started going to a holistic/md doctor that put me on progesterone, estrogen, testosterone and a million expensive supplements, but after a year i had gained about 5 more pounds and was feeling hopeless. (i’m 5’7″ and had always been able to keep my weight around 120-25. i was weighing 141, mostly belly fat and hips/back and felt bloated all the time.)
thank you, thank you, thank you for speaking out about menopause and telling us your experience!! it’s nice to know that i’m not alone in this. i am going to try a lot of the things that you say are working for you. i have some hope now that this isn’t my new normal.
fingers crossed!
thanks again & you rock!
shelley
thanks so much, Shelley! I am SO sorry for your struggles and … you are NOT alone. Our body stops producing hormones so in response our body thinks it needs to hold onto fat. Here’s a great explanation I read online about belly fat:
The fat in this area, called visceral fat, isn’t the subcutaneous (under the skin) fat you feel when you poke your stomach.
It’s found deeper in the abdomen, filling the space between the vital organs and the fat-covered membrane that lines your abdominal cavity.
Unlike other fat on your body, visceral fat produces hormones and other substances such as cytokines that can:
cause blood vessels to narrow and blood pressure to rise
increase insulin resistance, which reduces your body’s ability to use insulin effectively
trigger inflammation, which is linked to a range of conditions, including heart disease
contribute to sexual dysfunction
increase your risk of getting some cancers
After menopause, your cells store more fat and are slower to release it. Also, you have less muscle mass, so your body doesn’t burn calories as effectively as it once did.
I think the combo of HRT, supplements, healthy diet (restricted) and exercise ( building muscle ) is what can really make a difference and fight that fat.
Erin xo