Menopause Symptoms: Signs of Menopause from Ages 36 to 65

When you stop experiencing periods for several cycles, your body could be entering a new phase – menopause. But without undergoing a test, how can you tell if you’re in menopause or peri-menopause?

In this article, we rounded up the most distinctive signs of menopause for women in different age groups and what you can do about it based on scientific research.

Menopause Symptoms for Different Age Groups

Age 36 to 45 years: Premature and Early Menopause

Although the average age of menopause is 52 in the United States, a small group of women start menopause as early as in their 30s. This is called premature menopause and it can happen naturally such as your genetic disposition or for medical reasons such as a partial or full hysterectomy. If you experience menopause symptoms between 40 and 45, it is classified as Early Menopause. There is no difference between Premature and Early menopause other than the age.

If you experience menopause symptoms such as sudden weight gain after a hysterectomy, you’re considered to be in surgical menopause.

Common premature menopause symptoms include:

• Missing more than three periods in a row
• Heavier or lighter than usual periods
• Unexplained weight gain
• Sleep issues
• Hot flashes or night sweats

Read on to find out more about natural supplements that can ease these menopause symptoms.

Age 46 to 50 years: Perimenopause

Women experiencing menopause symptoms in this age group are commonly regarded as perimenopause because it means that you are in the transition phase just before the most common age of menopause.

At this stage, it is common to experience slower estrogen and progesterone production.

Common symptoms reported by women in perimenopause include:

• Unexplained weight gain
• Constant bloating
• Episodes of hot flashes and night sweats
• More frequent mood swings
• Sleep difficulties
• Lower sex drive
• Brain fog

Some women seek out solutions such as Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), but it carries well-documented risks. We recommend consulting your physician before taking up any medical treatment.

Age 51 to 60 years: Menopause

Majority of women experience menopause in their early 50s. Some may experience it later. The change from perimenopause to menopause varies from person to person. It takes 1-2 years for some people, and 5-7 years for others.

The most common symptoms cited in extensive studies include:

• Hot flashes and night sweats (nearly 9 in 10 women experience this)
• Mood swings and other symptoms such as irritability and depression (nearly 8 in 10 women experience this)
• Weight gain and bloating (7 in 10 women experience this)
• Muscle and joint pain (7 in 10 women experience this)

Fortunately, there are new natural remedies introduced in the market that have reportedly helped millions of women to ease these symptoms in a safe way, which we’ll touch on later.

Age 61 to 65 years: Post-menopause or Late menopause

Most women arrive at the post-menopausal stage after 60, but just like some women go through premature or early menopause, some women also experience late menopause in their 60s. It is reported that women who experience late menopause also enjoy other benefits such as:

• Lower risk of heart-related diseases
• Fewer incidences of stroke
• Better joint health

How to Ease Menopause Symptoms

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) — Most menopausal symptoms result from a rapid decline in the hormone estrogen. HRT reintroduces estrogen through pills or topical applications. But here's what doctors won't tell you – HRT is expensive and it is not covered by many insurance plans. Studies also show. HRT increases risk of heart disease, stroke, blood clots, and breast cancer.

Nutritional Supplements — Several all-natural supplements are available to get you looking and feeling your post 40 best. Taking the right supplement daily can support weight management, decrease hot flashes, aid sleep, improve mood, and support healthy bones — naturally. 

However, not all menopause supplements work the same. Different formulas approach symptoms differently. With so many choices, we wanted to know which approach or combination of natural ingredients works best.

Our team independently reviewed 29 menopause relief brands using data from independent consumer testing laboratories, Labdoor and ConsumerLab, combined with our internal ratings system to determine the top 5 menopause supplements for women over 40. These brands include some of the brands mentioned below and popular brands like Amberen, Estroven, Estrovera, Menofit, Meno Vitamins, Estradiol, NOW, Noom, Menoquil, Leanbean, and more.

Top 5 Best Menopause Supplements of 2023

#1. Provitalize

by: Better Body Co.

Special discount for GW readers: Use TRYUS to get $10 off your first order! No minimum order required.

• Helps keep menopause symptoms down
• 3 clinically studied strains, 68 billion CFUs
• Supports a strong & healthy metabolism
• Produced in a GMP-certified facility

Why we like Provitalize

Provitalize is the only probiotic in our list that contains all 3 of the best strains for women experiencing menopause.  It’s uniquely marketed as a thermogenic probiotic with fat-burning & metabolism-boosting properties. According to their official website, over 1,200,000 women have shed the stubborn weight with just two capsules a day. The thousands of glowing reviews on Amazon, Trustpilot & Shopify are undeniable proof that Provitalize is worthy of our top spot.

In addition to probiotics, Provitalize contains a herbal blend with demonstrated benefits for premenopausal, menopausal, and postmenopausal women including turmeric root extract, moringa leaf extract, and curry leaf extract. Together these have been shown to combat inflammation and bloating, decrease hot flashes, joint pain, and support healthy blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
Bioperene (black pepper extract) and sunflower lecithin are shown to enhance absorption of vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial properties of herbal formulas.

Pros

• FDA, GMP, and Certified Organic
• Vegan, keto, paleo friendly
• 100% natural, safe ingredients
• Thermogenic herbal assisted probiotic formula
• 12,187 Amazon reviewers report 5-star ratings 
• 4.1 Star Trustpilot rating
• 62 Billion CFU
• Clinically proven probiotic strains
• Vegan DR Caps^TM ensure the probiotics reach your gut safely
• Independently verified by Eurofins Testing Laboratory
• 90 day money-back guarantee

Cons

• No free trial
• Premium ingredients with a premium price

#2. **Best Value** Slim Gut Bundle (Provitalize + Previtalize)

By: Better Body Co

Special discount for GW readers: Use TRYUS to get $10 off your first order! No minimum order required.

Want 50% faster visible weight results from Provitalize? Then the Slim Gut Bundle is for you. This holistic bundle combines the weight-management powers of Provitalize with ‘super fiber’ prebiotics in Previtalize.

The probiotics in Provitalize feed on these ‘super fibers’ to multiply faster in the gut. This means women can see faster visible results such as reduction of belly fat & cravings.

These healthy fibers include fructooligosaccharides, galactooligosaccharides, and inulin. Previtalize also aids digestion and stabilizes mood naturally. 

We listed the Slim Gut Bundle 2nd only because it costs more than Provitalize alone. Other than that, we believe it’s the best-value-for-money bundle in the market right now.

Pros

• FDA, GMP, and Certified Organic
• Vegan, keto, paleo friendly
• 100% natural, safe ingredients
• Thermogenic herbal assisted probiotic formula
• 12,989 Amazon reviewers report 84% positive results
• 4 Star Trustpilot rating
• 62 Billion CFU
• Clinically proven probiotic strains
• Clinically studied prebiotics
• Vegan DR Caps^TM ensure the probiotics reach your gut safely
• Independently verified by Eurofins Testing Laboratory
• 90 day money-back guarantee

Cons

• No free trial
• Slightly more expensive than Provitalize alone.

#3. Hormone Harmony

By: Happy Mammoth

Hormone Harmony is marketed as the world’s first ‘intelligent’ hormone balancing system, but the claim is not verified by the FDA. It is also one of the few products in the market manufactured outside of the USA. 

We ranked Hormone Harmony third because although many women are satisfied with the decreased severity of hot flashes, night sweats, and overall mood stabilization, there was a reported incidence of toxicity from excessive Vitamin B6 and several reported incidents of issues with the customer service and product delivery.

Furthermore, none of the FAQs on the individual supplement pages included any information about potential allergies or side effects when using Happy Mammoth’s supplements.

Pros

• 60 day money back guarantee
• Manufactured in TGA certified facilities
• Vegan-friendly, gluten-free, dairy-free, and free of GMOs, soy, corn, and added sugars
• Perpetually discounted from A$89 to A$79
• Offers Afterpay
• Rated 4.7 stars on their website

Cons

• No mention of potential allergies or side effect in the FAQs
• Refund policy states that it is the customers’ responsibility to research the ingredients for potential allergies
• Proprietary formula does not reveal individual ingredient quantities
• Rated 3.1 by customers on ProductReview.com.au (Australia’s version of TrustPilot)

#4. Amberen

By: Amberen

Amberen is a well established brand available at most major retailers. Amberen is a clinically studied succinate based formula with a long history. Amberen also contains magnesium which has been shown to be beneficial in hot flash relief. 
We ranked Amberen fourth because although many women are satisfied with the decreased severity of hot flashes night sweats, and overall mood stabilization, Amberen has no reported effectiveness at combating menopausal weight gain compared with Provitalize and/or the Slim Gut Bundle.

Pros

• 60 day money back guarantee
• Made in the USA
• 64% five-star Amazon ratings
• Complies with FDA regulations
• Clinically tested

Cons

• Proprietary formula does not reveal individual ingredient quantities
• Contains MSG
• Not vegan
• No third-party verification

#5. Meno Vitamin

By: O Positiv

MENO Vitamin is a relatively new entrant in the menopause category. It is thought of as a traditional menopause relief supplement reinvented with fresh packaging and identity.

It uses common ingredients known to address some menopause symptoms, such as ashwagandha and black cohosh. We ranked it #5 as it helps with sleep, mood, and hot flashes.

According to the website, it also comes with a 60-day “happiness” guarantee. It’s not clear if this refers to a money back guarantee, but there is some level of assurance.

Pros

• Uses popular ingredients for multi-menopause symptoms relief such as black cohosh
• Includes vitamins D3 & B6 which helps with joint health and immunity support
• Nice packaging
• Made by a cGMP manufacturer in the USA
• Hormone-free, soy-free, gluten-free, and vegan-friendly
• 60-day “happiness” guarantee

Cons

• A bit pricey for the type of ingredients used
• Relatively new in the market so it does not have substantial evidence of efficacy among customers yet (<100 customer reviews on their website as of this writing)

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We discovered there's only ONE thing that makes or ‘breaks' a menopause supplement – its blend of ingredients.

Here are some effective ingredients in menopause supplements & we'll tell you which are the ‘must-haves' and which you should avoid.

Effective Natural Ingredients In Menopause Supplements

Probiotics

More than half of the roughly 69 trillion cells in your body are microbial. Tiny living organisms populate your entire body but are especially prevalent in the gut, vagina, colon, and gastrointestinal tract. Microbial cells regulate and support nearly every vital function including vaginal health, weight management, mood, blood pressure (hot flashes), and bone density. 

The bad news? Hormonal imbalance during menopause can cause harmful bacteria overgrowth leading to increased frequency and intensity of hot flashes, bloating, joint pain and weight gain. 

Seeding your microbiome with high doses of healthy microorganisms restores balance and improves overall health. When you restore cell function, symptoms lessen. You look and feel better because you are literally “healthier.”

Soybeans and Soy Isoflavone 

Soy has mild estrogenic effects. A systematic review of 19 clinical trials showed soy reduced the severity of hot flashes 11%-26%. Another study found that while soy was beneficial to hot flashes, time to experience benefits ranged from several weeks to months Notably, reviewers of the systematic clinical trial review are affiliated with the Soy Nutrition Institute and could have vested interest. Soy may help with hot flashes but doesn’t seem to have any effect on other menopausal symptoms like weight gain and reduced bone density.

Moringa Leaf

Known as the “Miracle Tree,” and largely unknown in the west, the moringa tree is the most nutrient-dense food on the planet. Moringa leaf contains a host of antioxidants, polyphenols, vitamins and micronutrients. Besides powerful antioxidant effects and improving cellular function, moringa leaf boosts energy and metabolism by lowering blood glucose levels¹⁶. Moringa leaf is especially effective at combating menopausal weight gain and promoting stable moods. 

Two large clinical studies confirm moringa leaf’s weight loss benefits. One 8 week study found subjects taking a combination of moringa, turmeric, and curry lost 6.4 pounds compared with the placebo group¹⁷. Another study reported weight loss of 9.9 pounds compared with the placebo group¹⁸. Moringa leaf has also shown promise in reducing hot flashes and improving sleep¹⁹.

Black Cohosh

Black Cohosh is a traditional medicine with a long history of use among Native Americans and European settlers for treating menstrual irregularities, musculoskeletal pain, and women’s reproductive issues. And although it has been widely studied for menopause relief over 70 years, no studies ever reported a conclusive mechanism of action²⁰. 

One study of 351, 45-55 year old women reported black cohosh had no effect on reducing hot flashes or night sweats compared with the placebo group. In fact, after 12 months, women taking a black cohosh multi-botanical formula with soy foods reported a significant increase in symptom intensity²⁰.

Simply put: Black Cohosh may not be as effective in cooling hot flashes as advertised.

Dong Quai 

Known as the “Female Ginseng,” dong quai is a Chinese traditional medicine used for thousands of years for treating women’s health issues. Clinical studies are mixed with no conclusive outcomes. One study observed no statistically significant reduction in hot flashes²¹. 

Another reported a 73% decrease in hot flash symptoms at three months. Mount Sinai medical center warns women with bloating, digestive problems, or with higher risk of cancer should avoid dong quai. It may cause rashes and women on blood thinners or hormone therapies should avoid dong quai.

Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins and minerals are beneficial in maintaining health. The best source of vitamins and minerals is a healthy diet. However, it’s important to note that some of the vitamins and minerals beneficial to women over 40²² are difficult to get through dieting. These include vitamin D, omega-3, vitamin K, magnesium, vitamin B2, B6, B12, and iodine. Vitamins and minerals maintain bone density, prevent thinning hair, boost cognition, blood flow, immunity, and metabolism. Magnesium is especially effective at reducing the severity of hot flashes.

5 Important Things To Look Out For When Buying Menopause Supplements

Third Party Certification

The FDA doesn't require third-party verification. However, responsible and honest supplement manufacturers get third-party verifications as an act of good faith to provide transparency and distinguish products. Certifications verify ingredients and quantities claimed on the label. Look out for these important certifications before buying a supplement – GMP, USP, NSF, Certificed Organic, NON-GMO certified.

Clinically Studied Ingredients

Never buy a supplement just on ‘hearsay' or just because it has ingredients that are used in traditional medicine. Let the facts speak for themselves. Always look out for clinically-studied ingredients whose efficacy are supported by a body of evidence.

Beware of Fakes

Sadly, according to the New York Times,²³ one in four products sold on Amazon is fake. This is especially true of nutritional supplements. Avoid buying supplements on Ebay. When you buy from Amazon, ensure you buy from the manufacturer’s Amazon store. Otherwise, buy directly from the manufacturer’s website. Buying fraudulent products may cause nasty side effects — be extra cautious about authenticity.

Look for Products Made in the USA

All supplements made in the USA are regulated by the FDA. Ensure products you buy come from FDA regulated facilities using GMP certified manufacturing processes. Many supplements, especially those purchased on eBay and Amazon come from China and abroad. One study found 60%-70% of these ‘foreign’ supplements do not contain the ingredients or quantities claimed on labels²⁴. 

Money Back Guarantee

A risk-free guarantee lets you try supplements without fear of losing your money. If you try the product and don’t experience the results simply contact the manufacturer for a refund. Look for companies who have a “no-bottle-return' policy. This allows you to finish the supplements without incurring any risk. And it's also the best sign of how confident the company is in standing behind their promises.