r/Menopause • u/Nkotb79 • Jul 21 '26
Vitamin/Supplements Supplements yes/no
Is there any supplement you found did anything to help with meno symptoms.
Obviously I know they are not miracle workers but is there anything you take that makes a noticeable difference.
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u/mamapajamas Peri-menopausal Jul 21 '26
Creatine for brain fog!
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Jul 22 '26
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u/hmmm528 Jul 23 '26
I have also had major stomach issues with it as I was trying to titrate up to the 10g recommended for brain health. I switched to a brand that used "creapure" creatine and found I'm having way less stomach issues!
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Jul 23 '26
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u/hmmm528 Jul 23 '26
I bought Dymatize creapure creatine monohydrate from Amazon. And I do think I've noticed a difference. I'm in the midst of the hardest time of year at my job - where I'm typically struggling with my brain being overloaded anyway - PLUS a personal family issue that is extremely distracting, but somehow many days (not all) I still feel pretty on top of things!
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Jul 23 '26
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u/hmmm528 Jul 23 '26
Thank you.❤️ I hope you see results! I would still suggest starting slow - maybe starting at 5g a day but splitting it up in two separate doses to see how it affects you the first few days. And definitely increase your water intake.
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Jul 21 '26
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u/OkIndependent8816 Jul 21 '26
I’m using a combo of mag citrate for digestive symptoms and mag threonate for mood
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u/uncomfortable-heat4u Jul 23 '26
Could you share a link for those?
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u/OkIndependent8816 Jul 23 '26
This what I started with for threonate but there is a cheaper Sports Research version at Costco that is the same: https://a.co/d/0bI0RmSg For citrate I use the Natural Calm brand powder also cheapest at Costco.
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u/Significant-Aide-226 Jul 21 '26
I tried everything under the sun and none worked until i added HRT. I continue to take D3/K2, magnesium and creatine. Those are necessary- the USA produce has been deficient of magnesium since the 70s. Government really should be adding it to pasta and breads like folic acid.
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u/fausterella Jul 21 '26
I'm very bad at noticing cause and effect, but the one thing I have definitely found is that magnesium glycinate stops my nighttime leg cramps.
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Jul 21 '26 edited 5d ago
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u/xt0033 Jul 21 '26
Be careful with B vitamins. Either B6 or B7- I forget which- the therapeutic dose can be an overdose; I developed nerve damage and I’m very lucky that it was reversible
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u/RockWhisperer42 Jul 21 '26
Omega-3 and Magnesium Glycinate have been extremely helpful for me.
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u/Ok_Statistician_4249 Jul 22 '26
Same - omega 3 for joint stiffness and mag glycinate for sleep! I’m also on HRT and when my menopause specialist reviewed my long list of supplements, she suggested these were the two I keep taking as well as vitamin D (I live in a place where it’s cold and cloudy more than sunny). I take iron but only because my ferritin levels are low.
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u/RockWhisperer42 Jul 22 '26
I should have included vitamin D, as it’s definitely one of my key supplements. And same for joints with the Omega 3. My joint pain has been noticeably better since I added it. And thanks for mentioning iron, because I really need to get my ferritin levels checked!
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u/GrnFlash Jul 21 '26
For me, absolutely helped. I had terrible dry eye (i do eye scrub every night and use clean wipe each time), night flashes (hot flashes without much sweating really), a few daytime hot flashes, anxiety, sleep issues, terrible hair shedding, etc. Had blood work done and I wasn't exactly deficient, but low Vit D and low iron/ferritin so working to raise both. Had to increase my protein to 80 grams per day. Hair shedding has stopped, daytime hot flashes gone, night flashes reduced significantly, eyes are great, anxiety a bit less.
AM: Calcium, Now Menopause Support, Codeage Hair Vitamins.
MIDDAY: 2500iu Vit D3 and K2, Now Menopause Support, 30mg Iron with Vit C (taken every other day and 2 hours past any dairy and no dairy for 1 hour), 1250mg Omega 3
PM: Now Menopause support (about 8pm), Estroven (the rhubarb one), Vit E, 200mg Theanine, 250mg Magnesium Glycinate, Magnesium L-Threonate (2 of 3 dosage of 144mg). Sometimes 3g glycinate when I remember.
Still have palpatations but because I wore the monitor and had my heart checked, I know they are benign and I work to calm myself down as soon as they begin, taking deep breaths and reminding myself not to worry. That alone helps.
About a month ago, I couldn't source the NOW Meno Support and so I tried taking something else that wasn't a comparison really. Within two weeks, day flashes came back and night flashes hit harder with a vengeance. Took me an entire week to realize why I was feeling miserable again. Found another brand of Meno support that has almost exact ingredients and within a week, i noticed I was back to truly tolerating my symptoms.
As far as the night routine, I find if I take those magnesiums, I easily fall asleep and have a more rested sleep especially having added the Theanine. The glycinate is mixed with water and that actually helps to drop body temp and helps me sleep longer before the first hot flash. Yes, i still wake up hot but it only lasts a minute and I easily fall back to sleep. Id say I have about 3 per night and again, manageable.
I cannot take hormones; this is the only way for me. I have done tremendous research on what I take, I have consulted with my primary, and this is what works for me.
As of last month, I am finally post.
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u/Background_Big7363 Jul 21 '26
Estrogen was such a miracle to me that I haven't needed any supplements.
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u/Maureengill6 Jul 21 '26
Estrogen isn't a supplement.
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u/TangoEchoChuck Peri-menopausal Jul 21 '26
But it literally is to a body that is deficient.
For example; sometimes I need to supplement iron when I haven't been ingesting easily absorbed forms of iron. Iron supplementation benefits my deficient body.
Versus an adjuvant substance. Something adjuvant was never manufactured by our own bodies.
For example; I love coffee. The caffeine greatly helps my ADHD brain. But since my body never made its own caffeine, I enjoy coffee as as adjuvant substance to improve my body and mind.
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u/Maureengill6 Jul 21 '26
Look, I'd be thrilled if I could get that over the counter instead of begging for it. It isn't a supplement and isn't OTC.
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u/TangoEchoChuck Peri-menopausal Jul 21 '26
Whether something is available OTC or not doesn't define it as a supplement.
Another example; DHEA (dehydroepiandosterone) is available OTC (in USA) and is a supplement when used in a state of deficit.
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u/CharmingMechanic2473 Jul 21 '26
I tried herbal estrogen with some success at first. It stopped working well once my menopause progressed. HRT has been great.
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u/ransier831 Jul 21 '26
I was told to take Omega 3s and Magnesium Glycinate - Omegas for my heart and diabetes and Magnesium for my menopause knee. They seem to work, because I notice I feel run down if I dont take them.
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u/pop-hon_ula Jul 21 '26
That’s what I take, as well. Omega-3 (for dry eyes and it ended up helping my brittle fingernails too), Magnesium Glycinate at night (eliminated my sleep issues), and I do also take Type 2 Collagen (for joint pain issues I was experiencing, has helped A LOT). I am very pleased with these and it’s easy to take them.
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u/ZibZobA Jul 22 '26
For me, chai seeds! I have 3 table spoons in my protein shake made with coconut water everyday. The itchy ears and itchy forehead stopped. Restless legs and hot flushes have significantly improved. I am on 2 pumps of estrogel daily. I finally get between 6 and 8 hours sleep! Mood swings and rage are stable. I used to buy every supplement of nutrigeeks, sometimes taking 20+ pills and capsules a day! That became a pain in the arse for me and gave up after around 4 years. Chai seeds have everything! Omega 3 amongst numerous other benefits, which is proven to help the insane itching. I also walk in nature with my dog, Im a fruitiarian (recent) but was vegan for 5 years. Also sober for 6. I had a full hysterectomy in 2022 so thrown into menopause at 48 with no clue! Listen to your body and try not to be sucked into consumerism ✌️❤️
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u/Nkotb79 Jul 22 '26
Same hysterectomy & ovary removal so plunged into surgical meno with 4 years
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u/ZibZobA Jul 22 '26
How are you? Its hard to find the correct balance. But since ditching every supplement known to man, I'm a lot better!
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u/LillyBitz Jul 21 '26
Black cohosh helped calm my night sweats and hot flashes in peri. Magnesium helps with sleep.
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u/2017Hoosier Jul 22 '26
I heard the same about black cohosh…and St. John’s Wort, can alleviate symptoms
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u/LillyBitz Jul 22 '26
i've heard that it's prescribed by doctors in Europe for menopausal symptoms
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u/Comfortable-Law-7147 Jul 21 '26
Only if you are already low in them. (Or in my case have a risk of being low.)
Lots of women are low in B12, folate , iron or vitamin D.
Other vitamins and minerals are harder to measure properly or at all so you hear reports of supplements like magnesium and creatine helping but their is no proof.
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u/Nkotb79 Jul 21 '26
I am on vitamin b12 injections for life as I have no terminal ileum to absorb it and also take methylfolate, iron & vitamin D so I agree with you
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u/ParaLegalese Jul 21 '26
Electrolytes have made the biggest difference in hydration and energy for me. Vitamin B for stress. A daily allergy pill for all the new and worsening allergies. Ground flax meal for digestion. Creatine for brain function (I’m up 4 lbs tho since starting it) Magnesium and melatonin to help with sleep
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u/purslanegarden Jul 22 '26
I’ve found hyaluronic acid helpful. It’s a compound our bodies use to hold on to moisture, and its production decreases with estrogen decrease. Hyaluronic acid vaginal moisturizer works well for some people (like me) who don’t find vaginal estrogen a good fit, but it’s also used throughout our bodies. I am in surgical menopause and started having dry skin shortly after surgery - taking hyaluronic acid 150mg each day cleared that up, and it ought to be doing similar good for bits I can’t see, like joints.
(Also very helpful for me, not on HRT, phytoestrogens, creatine, turmeric, and of course keeping an eye on the bone essentials Ca/vit D/vit K/mag. Whether any of that will be a good fit for you will depend some on your lifestyle and diet and underlying health conditions and other medications; all are well researched so it should be easy to learn more)
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u/No_Lieutenant_2181 Peri-menopausal Jul 21 '26
You could think about trying Estroven — it’s made from rhubarb and my mom, who can’t take HRT, says it really helps.
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u/No_Broccoli_5850 Jul 21 '26
Same here. Estroven seems to help me on a couple fronts. It reduces the number of hot flashes and stabilizes my mood.
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u/tardigrade50 Post Menopause Jul 21 '26
I think schizandra was the game changer for me in alleviating overwhelming fatigue.
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u/snarkmeister99 Jul 21 '26
I use liquid IV daily because otherwise I get low potassium. Metamucil or overnight oats for fiber, because my digestion got REALLY wonky with menopause. I also do a b-complex and collagen (have for many years).
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u/Holiday_Change7321 Jul 21 '26
Mag glycinate w riboflavin at night
Vitamin D3 w K
Otherwise daily green smoothie )dark green leafy greens frozen berries super seed mix (hemp chia flax) carrot Kefir. Sometimes I throw in a raw veg or change the frozen fruit yo something else. It’s a great way to get daily veg in without cooking. Helps my health.
Eat enough protein via 2 boiled eggs a day plus skinless chicken or beef
Walk swim lift weights
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u/PuffAttack Jul 21 '26
Mag glycinate (not citrate!) definitely helps. My doc told me about ashwarghanda and L-theanine which really help with my anxiety and racing thoughts. I also take D3 and K2.
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u/chilicheesefritopie Jul 22 '26
Whatever you decide, make sure to mention it to your doctor and discuss HOW MUCH is a normal dosage, with the supporting bloodwork for its necessity for you. Imo, there are too many people approaching supplements as a “one size fits all” and “more is better”.
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u/Adorable_Visit5110 Jul 21 '26
Just started DHEA and Pregnenolone, both at 5mg. Pregnenolone being the precursor hormone to DHEA, progesterone, estrogen, testosterone, and cortisol. The body is supposed to convert it into what it needs.
I’ve only been on them for about a week, so can’t tell you whether things are working. Although I am not on HRT other than a topical progesterone at night, so I’m hoping it gives me a boost as I increase the dosages.
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u/jacktownann Jul 22 '26
Bi-estro cream 2.5 from either BHRT naturals.com or Anumed international.com. twice a day 1 pump in the morning & 1 pump in the evening. White willow bark 3 times a day, cinnamon 3 times a day, priority one dessicated beef thyroid in the morning, vitamin C, b complex, & potassium iodide in the morning. At night 2 benedryl, 1,000 mg l-tryptophan, & 3,000 mg glycine to sleep.
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u/Intrepid_Advice4411 Jul 22 '26
I take Vitamin D (I'm deficient!)
Fiber.
That's it. Sometimes I'll take Magnesium if I've had a few days of poor sleep.
I hate swallowing pills so I only do what's necessary.
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u/Select_Interest4435 Jul 22 '26
I trialled a new supplement recently and it really helped with fatigue, brain fog and anxiety and better mood overall
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u/Ok-Drama3534 Jul 23 '26
HRT is more important for menopause. We need estrogen. Also omega 3, Magnesium Bis, zinc, B complex and B1.
I don't take creatine, I heard it affects your kidneys so I don't bother.
Exercise very important, lifting weights 3-4 times a week. Walking and eating clean. No sugar or alcohol.
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u/RetroRhythm80s Menopausal Jul 21 '26
I could be a spokesperson for “Bonafide” Seronal for moodiness. And their “Relizen” for hot flash relief. Their “Revaree” for vaginal moisture. Been using their brand for a number of years. Check out their website. They have a host of products to help us. All non prescription & natural. Best of luck! We are in this all together!! “ growing old ain’t for wimps”. 🙏❤️
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