Which? says costly menopause supplements offer little value against multivitamins
A Which? analysis of 26 menopause supplements found that products costing up to £485 a year often lacked meaningful amounts of calcium, magnesium or vitamin D. The watchdog said a cheaper multivitamin, combined with targeted supplements where necessary, could provide better value, while manufacturers defended supplementation for changing nutritional needs.
Menopause supplements costing as much as £485 a year may offer no better nutritional value than a £22 multivitamin, according to an analysis by UK consumer watchdog Which?. The organisation examined the ingredients in 26 products sold by retailers including Holland & Barrett, Boots and Amazon. It found that none contained what its researchers considered the correct nutrients in the right doses to support their marketing as menopause products.
Which? said calcium and vitamin D were especially important during perimenopause and menopause because declining oestrogen levels affect bone health. It added that iron, magnesium and other vitamins and minerals could also be relevant, depending on an individual’s needs.
The cheapest example cited was Asda’s A-Z Multivitamins & Minerals, costing about 6p a day, or £22 a year. It contained essential vitamins as well as 200mg of calcium and 100mg of magnesium. The most expensive product, Love Mushrooms’ Empower, cost £1.33 a day, or £485 a year, but did not contain calcium or magnesium.
Wild Nutrition’s Women’s 45+ Daily Multi Nutrient cost £468 a year and contained 1.5 micrograms of vitamin D, 60mg of calcium and 30mg of magnesium. Which? said these amounts were significantly below NHS recommended daily amounts.
Its highest-scoring menopause product, Vitabiotics’ Menopace Max, cost £340 a year. Shefalee Loth, a public health nutritionist at Which?, said the supplements market was characterised by questionable marketing and unchecked quasi-medical claims. She argued that a suitable multivitamin, supplemented with specific nutrients where required, could be cheaper and potentially more effective than an all-in-one blend.
Dr Xand van Tulleken of University College London said there was no persuasive evidence that menopause supplements significantly improved symptoms and warned that some could be dangerous. He described the pricing and marketing as exploitative. The Health Food Manufacturers’ Association said supplements could help meet increased nutritional demands associated with life stages, including menopause, when used in line with food regulations and alongside a healthy diet.
Which? said its findings followed UCL research showing that fewer than half of 201 UK supplements studied contained vitamin D and calcium.
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