{"id":14267,"date":"2025-05-21T16:23:43","date_gmt":"2025-05-21T09:23:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=14267"},"modified":"2025-05-21T16:23:43","modified_gmt":"2025-05-21T09:23:43","slug":"perimenopause-profit-and-pills-the-truth-about-menopause-supplements","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=14267","title":{"rendered":"Perimenopause, Profit, and Pills: The Truth About Menopause Supplements"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-316784 aligncenter lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/sp-ao.shortpixel.ai\/client\/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_447,h_673\/https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/shutterstock_2500546429-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"447\" height=\"673\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-316784 aligncenter lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/shutterstock_2500546429-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"447\" height=\"673\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/shutterstock_2500546429-scaled.jpg 1699w, https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/shutterstock_2500546429-199x300.jpg 199w, https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/shutterstock_2500546429-679x1024.jpg 679w, https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/shutterstock_2500546429-768x1157.jpg 768w, https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/shutterstock_2500546429-1019x1536.jpg 1019w, https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/shutterstock_2500546429-1359x2048.jpg 1359w, https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/shutterstock_2500546429-150x226.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 447px) 100vw, 447px\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Menopause\u2014and by extension, perimenopause\u2014is big business. In 2024, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.grandviewresearch.com\/press-release\/global-menopause-market\" class=\"external\" rel=\"nofollow\">the global market for menopause-related products<\/a> was valued at roughly <strong data-start=\"545\" data-end=\"562\">$17.6 billion<\/strong>, and it\u2019s projected to grow to <strong data-start=\"594\" data-end=\"619\">$24.4 billion by 2030<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The drivers of this market are pretty straightforward: By 2025, around <strong data-start=\"693\" data-end=\"735\">1 billion women will be postmenopausal<\/strong>, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/menopause.org\" class=\"external\" rel=\"nofollow\">North American Menopause Society<\/a>. While the number of perimenopausal women is harder to pin down (since <a href=\"https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/2025\/03\/evidence-based-womens-health-resources\/\">perimenopause<\/a> doesn\u2019t have a defined start date), we know it\u2019s sizable\u2014and growing.<\/p>\n<h2>The Menopause Market Is Booming\u2014But Medical Support Is Lagging<\/h2>\n<p>Unfortunately, these women are often <strong data-start=\"980\" data-end=\"1025\">underserved by the current medical system<\/strong>. Only <strong data-start=\"1032\" data-end=\"1068\">20% of OB-GYN residency programs<\/strong> in the U.S. offer <em data-start=\"1087\" data-end=\"1092\">any<\/em> training in menopause, and even among those that do, more than 70% only provide two lectures on the topic per year (AARP).<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1217\" data-end=\"1386\">Meanwhile, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drkatekass.com\/blog\/2021\/4\/6\/menopause-part-2a\" class=\"external\" rel=\"nofollow\">a <strong data-start=\"1230\" data-end=\"1255\">Yale University study<\/strong><\/a> found that although 60% of women with perimenopausal symptoms seek medical help, <strong data-start=\"1337\" data-end=\"1385\">75% of them don\u2019t actually receive treatment<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1388\" data-end=\"1539\">Combine this with the general lack of <a href=\"https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/2025\/03\/restricted-words-womens-health-research\/\">research in women\u2019s health<\/a>, and you\u2019ve got a huge population of women <strong data-start=\"1496\" data-end=\"1538\">left to figure things out on their own<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1388\" data-end=\"1539\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As a result of these gaps in health care for women, many women have turned to the menopause market\u2014 \u00a0which now includes things like women\u2019s health apps, devices that claim to help with hot flashes, products that promise to support vaginal health (pelvic floor tone, dryness, bladder control), estrogen creams form compounded pharmacies, and loads of dietary supplements that<\/span> are marketed heavily by menopause influencers.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1388\" data-end=\"1539\">But given that these products are unregulated, are any of them effective? Let\u2019s talk about it.<\/p>\n<h2>The Symptoms of Perimenopause Are Complex\u2014and So Is the \u201cCare\u201d<\/h2>\n<h3 data-start=\"1617\" data-end=\"1667\"><strong data-start=\"1621\" data-end=\"1667\">What Women Experience During Perimenopause<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"1669\" data-end=\"1756\">Perimenopause presents with a wide\u2014and often overwhelming\u2014range of symptoms, including:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"1758\" data-end=\"2067\">\n<li data-start=\"1758\" data-end=\"1788\">\n<p data-start=\"1760\" data-end=\"1788\">Irregular menstrual cycles<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1789\" data-end=\"1821\">\n<p data-start=\"1791\" data-end=\"1821\">Hot flashes and night sweats<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1822\" data-end=\"1874\">\n<p data-start=\"1824\" data-end=\"1874\">Mood changes, including anxiety and irritability<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1875\" data-end=\"1897\">\n<p data-start=\"1877\" data-end=\"1897\">Sleep disturbances<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1898\" data-end=\"1925\">\n<p data-start=\"1900\" data-end=\"1925\">Vaginal dryness or pain<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1926\" data-end=\"1962\">\n<p data-start=\"1928\" data-end=\"1962\">Decreased libido and painful sex<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1963\" data-end=\"1976\">\n<p data-start=\"1965\" data-end=\"1976\">Brain fog<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1977\" data-end=\"2008\">\n<p data-start=\"1979\" data-end=\"2008\">Joint pain and muscle aches<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2009\" data-end=\"2037\">\n<p data-start=\"2011\" data-end=\"2037\">Weight gain and bloating<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2038\" data-end=\"2067\">\n<p data-start=\"2040\" data-end=\"2067\">Skin rashes or irritation<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"2069\" data-end=\"2153\">And it doesn\u2019t just last a few months. <strong data-start=\"2108\" data-end=\"2153\">Perimenopause can drag on for 7\u201314 years.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"2155\" data-end=\"2199\"><strong data-start=\"2159\" data-end=\"2199\">Why Diagnosis Isn\u2019t Always Clear-Cut<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"2201\" data-end=\"2424\">Science currently attributes these symptoms to hormonal fluctuations, but because those hormone levels shift constantly, there\u2019s no definitive or effective test for perimenopause. In many cases, <strong data-start=\"2383\" data-end=\"2414\">diagnosis is based on vibes<\/strong>\u2014not labs.<\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"2431\" data-end=\"2489\"><strong data-start=\"2434\" data-end=\"2489\">Supplements for Menopause: A Convenience or a Trap?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3 data-start=\"2491\" data-end=\"2558\"><strong data-start=\"2495\" data-end=\"2558\">The Supplement Industry Is Unregulated\u2014and Full of Promises<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>In the gap left by lacking medical care, a thriving supplement industry has stepped in. Supplements are <em data-start=\"2656\" data-end=\"2662\">huge<\/em> business: in 2023, the global supplement market was valued at <strong data-start=\"2725\" data-end=\"2741\">$177 billion<\/strong>\u2014about <strong data-start=\"2748\" data-end=\"2762\">10x larger<\/strong> than the menopause market itself.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I think we can all agree that it\u2019s a really great thing that more women are talking about perimenopause and are demanding better care and more treatment options. In fact, many of the products and services that have come onto the market have been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/marijabutkovic\/2021\/11\/01\/meet-8-female-founders-disrupting-the-600-billion-menopause-market\/\" class=\"external\" rel=\"nofollow\">created by women<\/a> who themselves felt unsupported and dismissed when they started perimenopause.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While some of the apps and services actually do help women get better access to perimenopause care and feel more supported, the dietary supplements are another story.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s the problem: <strong data-start=\"2822\" data-end=\"2854\">supplements aren\u2019t regulated<\/strong>. Manufacturers aren\u2019t required to test their products for safety or effectiveness before selling them. They\u2019re also allowed to make <strong data-start=\"2987\" data-end=\"3010\">lofty health claims<\/strong> with no clinical evidence to back them up.<\/p>\n<p>Many supplements marketed to women for perimenopause symptoms carry <strong data-start=\"3123\" data-end=\"3143\">steep price tags<\/strong>, especially when wrapped in <a href=\"https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/2025\/04\/the-wellness-industry-trap\/\">\u201cwellness\u201d branding<\/a>. Often, they\u2019re sold with the same ingredients as other cheaper supplements, just with different marketing copy.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s called the \u201cpink tax\u201d\u2014products like razors and pain medication when geared towards women typically have a higher price. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So by marketing it to women specifically, despite being identical to the same products for men, many of supplements marketed for perimenopause are higher priced than similar supplements with the same ingredients.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And yet, supplements tend to be very popular with women going through perimenopause and menopause\u2014even choosing them over menopause hormone therapy (MHT, formerly known as hormone replacement therapy or HRT) which has been proven to be safe for many women and is well documented to ease menopausal symptoms.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Diet Culture Sells Women a \u201cCure\u201d for Their Changing Bodies<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"3375\" data-end=\"3578\">Registered dietitian <strong data-start=\"3396\" data-end=\"3414\">Leslie Weidner<\/strong> says it\u2019s no surprise that many women reach for supplements over MHT\u2014especially when they\u2019ve spent decades being dismissed by the medical system.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3580\" data-end=\"3938\">\u201cWomen especially are getting blown off when it comes to their symptoms,\u201d she says. Whether it\u2019s perimenopause or earlier issues like endometriosis or PCOS, women are often told by their doctors that it\u2019s their fault. \u201cA<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> lot of doctors will say you need to control your weight. I think that leads to this idea that when we go into perimenopause, if we\u2019re not controlling our weight we\u2019re doing something wrong.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3940\" data-end=\"4186\">Weidner says the most common concern she hears from women entering perimenopause is <strong data-start=\"4024\" data-end=\"4070\">weight gain\u2014particularly around the middle<\/strong>. In a culture that equates thinness with health, many women are <strong data-start=\"4135\" data-end=\"4185\">trained to view natural weight gain as failure<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4188\" data-end=\"4360\">And wouldn\u2019t you know it, <strong data-start=\"4214\" data-end=\"4282\">many menopause supplements are marketed as weight-loss solutions<\/strong>, while also claiming to help with energy, mood, sleep, hot flashes, and more.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4362\" data-end=\"4382\">Take these examples:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"4384\" data-end=\"4694\">\n<li data-start=\"4384\" data-end=\"4516\">\n<p data-start=\"4386\" data-end=\"4516\"><strong data-start=\"4386\" data-end=\"4425\">Over 30 Hormone Support by Gleefull<\/strong>: Claims to promote weight loss, increase energy, improve sleep, and reduce mood swings and hot flashes.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"4517\" data-end=\"4694\">\n<p data-start=\"4519\" data-end=\"4694\"><strong data-start=\"4519\" data-end=\"4555\">Hormone Harmony by Happy Mammoth<\/strong>: Promises t<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">o support hormonal balance, relieve symptoms of menopause, support cortisol\/estrogen\/progesterone levels, improve sleep quality, help with irritability, enhance the body\u2019s stress response, support mental function, and of course, promote healthy weight loss and curb carb cravings.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"4696\" data-end=\"4719\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Those are big promises for a single pill.<\/span><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4721\" data-end=\"4772\">Yet buried in the FAQs? That standard disclaimer:<\/p>\n<blockquote data-start=\"4773\" data-end=\"4860\">\n<p data-start=\"4775\" data-end=\"4860\"><em data-start=\"4775\" data-end=\"4860\">\u201c<i>These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.\u201d<\/i><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>In other words, these products have not been proven to do anything and aren\u2019t <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">intended to treat any of the symptoms we\u2019ve claimed they help. Nice.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>What the Experts Say About Efficacy and Safety<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"4918\" data-end=\"5113\">Weidner is skeptical.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p data-start=\"4918\" data-end=\"5113\"><em>\u201c<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since perimenopause and menopause is a buzzword now, companies are realizing this, and there\u2019s so many formulated supplements out to help your perimenopause symptoms. But there\u2019s absolutely zero research that shows that a combination of herbs in a supplement is going to do anything.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p data-start=\"4918\" data-end=\"5113\">In other words, the convenience is appealing, but the science just isn\u2019t there.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4918\" data-end=\"5113\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additionally, supplements that use so-called proprietary blends often include so many ingredients in one pill that it\u2019s tricky to know how all of those herbs will interact with a person\u2019s unique needs or any other medications they are taking.<\/span><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"5115\" data-end=\"5420\">Dr. Monica Barbieri, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.today.com\/health\/womens-health\/menopause-supplements-rcna155636\" class=\"external\" rel=\"nofollow\">in an interview with the <em data-start=\"5161\" data-end=\"5173\">Today Show<\/em>,<\/a> agrees. <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I cannot tell you how many times I have identified supplements people were using that were unnecessary, potentially harmful or interacting with other medications,\u201d<\/span> she says. <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cOr people who were using 25 supplements where they could just use hormone therapy.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"5427\" data-end=\"5499\"><strong data-start=\"5430\" data-end=\"5499\">Hormone Therapy: Why Some Women Are Choosing It\u2014and Others Aren\u2019t<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3 data-start=\"5501\" data-end=\"5544\"><strong data-start=\"5505\" data-end=\"5544\">The Stigma Around MHT Still Lingers<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>MHT is one of the most <strong data-start=\"5569\" data-end=\"5590\">clinically backed<\/strong>, <strong data-start=\"5592\" data-end=\"5623\">highly effective treatments<\/strong> for many perimenopause symptoms. But because of past bad press, many women are still hesitant.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"5727\" data-end=\"5950\">Sarah, now postmenopausal, remembers the fear and negativity about MHT. But once she found a doctor who explained the research and took the time to talk through her options, it changed everything.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"5952\" data-end=\"6196\">Sarah\u2019s doctor spent 30 minutes discussing the benefits of MHT for her sleep and vulvovaginal pain\u2014and it worked. \u201c<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I was having horrible hot flashes, almost every hour in the middle of the night and I couldn\u2019t get decent sleep as a result.<\/span> Hormone therapy made a huge difference. I don\u2019t regret it at all.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sarah didn\u2019t go for supplements or alternative treatments prior to MHT, but lots of women do because it feels a little bit easier than going to a doctor who might not listen anyway.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"6203\" data-end=\"6249\"><strong data-start=\"6207\" data-end=\"6249\">What Happens When Doctors Don\u2019t Listen<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"6251\" data-end=\"6339\">For many women, though, <strong data-start=\"6275\" data-end=\"6313\">getting the right care takes years<\/strong>\u2014or doesn\u2019t happen at all.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Patient C (name omitted for privacy) shares her experience of having a wide array of frustrating and painful perimenopause symptoms for years that felt clearly hormonal to her, but doctors couldn\u2019t seem to identify as symptomatic of perimenopause.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Patient C\u2019s symptoms included a <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">psoriasis-type rash that lasted for 7 years, difficulty sleeping, connective tissue injuries that stopped recovering quickly, and \u201ccycle related incontinence that nobody seemed to care about or want to help treat which was very frustrating.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She tried a compounded estrogen cream that gave her a yeast infection but did not get rid of the rash and otherwise suffered with these symptoms for years until she finally started taking MHT. And in a short amount of time, her quality of life changed dramatically.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c<\/span>Three months into hot flashes and very little sleep because of waking up constantly to throw the covers on and off, I started hormone therapy and the side effects were a little bit brutal for the first three weeks. But the hot flashes completely stopped and I am sleeping through the night, so just based on that alone I\u2019m feeling way better!! Sleep is important.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Patient C\u2019s story highlights that women are more accustomed to tolerating extreme levels of pain and discomfort for long periods of time simply because the medical establishment isn\u2019t always inclined to listen or take them seriously. And it feels too frustrating and overwhelming to try.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s not surprising that women are more likely to turn to supplements because they feel easier. And they\u2019re often sold by women like them who promise that one pill will solve all of their problems, including the ones that are pushed hard by diet culture and the patriarchy like \u201cfixing\u201d weight gain and wrinkles.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And that feels so easy, so convenient.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What if it was possible to solve your perimenopause symptoms with a pill or two that you don\u2019t need a doctor\u2019s appointment or a prescription for\u2014one that you can purchase from your favorite celebrity or even from the health food store down the block?<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Real Women, Real Results with MHT<\/h3>\n<p>Patient T had a similar experience to Patient C. Her <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">doctors dismissed her symptoms and gave her terrible advice, leading her to suffer painful perimenopause symptoms for longer than necessary.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">My primary care doc and the OBGYN I initially saw both had me in tears \u2013 one suggesting I probably needed antidepressants despite having a regular therapist who didn\u2019t feel that was the case and the other suggesting maybe I\u2019m tired because I could be snoring and not know it (?!?). How do you see someone with all these common perimenopause symptoms and think \u2018maybe we should look at snoring first?\u2019 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I did finally find an OBGYN who was willing to listen to me and try HRT and who is kind and lets me have a voice in my care. She said I would probably feel some difference in 7 days. I literally felt a cloud lift off of me in the first 36 hours. I had been suffering for years and here we were in 36 hours, I could feel better.<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Patient T no longer has night sweats or brain fog or difficulty sleeping, but despite working out 3-5 days a week including strength training, she still hasn\u2019t lost any of the weight gain from perimenopause. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thankfully, her new OBGYN isn\u2019t concerned and agrees with Weidner that bodies can change with age, which isn\u2019t necessarily a bad thing. <\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c<\/span><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">My new OBGYN\u00a0 said there\u2019s no magic bullet for weight gain. It\u2019s all genetics, calories, and exercise. She also is not concerned about my weight and says I\u2019m perfectly healthy.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p data-start=\"7063\" data-end=\"7245\">Patient M tried multiple supplements before MHT and says none of them helped with her hot flashes, night sweats, anxiety, or sleep. Only MHT made a measurable difference.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cMy main symptoms were hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain, anxiety (very atypical for me), and 90-120 minute sleep cycles \u2013 meaning awake every 90-120 mins. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I was taking wild yam, black cohosh, adaptogens, b12, and magnesium. \u00a0None of those supplements made a dent.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em>I went on the lowest levels of oral estrogen (estradiol) + progesterone. The hot flashes immediately stopped and I was sleeping much better. Night sweats became very mild.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite this, Patient M second guessed herself, thinking that perhaps other factors might be impacting the improvement in her symptoms, so she weaned off of the hormones. Within 8-10 days of weaning, the symptoms were back.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So I increased to the next mg level of estradiol, this time in patch form,\u201d she says. \u201cAll symptoms are now gone.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Patient M hasn\u2019t lost the weight she gained as a result of perimenopause. And while she has conflicting feelings about that, for the most part, she\u2019s tired of diet culture dictating how she feels about her body or lives her life.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI\u2019m acutely aware of the idealized body image which I believe disempowers women.\u00a0 I don\u2019t give a shit what I\u2019m supposed to look like. I\u2019m supposed to age and change.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I\u2019m healthy, strong, have glowy skin, and feel good most of the time.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s where I usually land:\u00a0<\/span><\/i><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The limited type and amount of food I would need to eat to lose, then maintain weight, is not how I want to live.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If this is what I look like enjoying my life, then I\u2019m ok with it.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2 data-start=\"7783\" data-end=\"7813\"><strong data-start=\"7786\" data-end=\"7813\">So What Actually Helps?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3 data-start=\"7815\" data-end=\"7859\"><strong data-start=\"7819\" data-end=\"7859\">Lifestyle Changes Backed by Research<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Weidner explains, no dietary supplement can do all what they promise. Particularly when it comes back to that diet culture obsession with burning fat. <\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I don\u2019t know why people have it in their mind that just taking a single pill is going to melt your belly fat, give you clear skin, make your anxiety go away. That\u2019s just not possible. <\/span><\/i><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No supplement whatsoever can burn fat. Why not? Well, because the only way to burn fat is to burn energy \u2013 to basically take in less than you put out. <\/span><\/i><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You know the saying, \u2018calories in, calories out,\u2019 that\u2019s how you burn energy. There\u2019s no fat burning foods. That\u2019s a myth.<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So what does work to help manage perimenopause symptoms?<\/span><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"7861\" data-end=\"7938\">Weidner says some <strong data-start=\"7879\" data-end=\"7910\">basic but effective changes<\/strong> can make a huge difference:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"7940\" data-end=\"8178\">\n<li data-start=\"7940\" data-end=\"7979\">\n<p data-start=\"7942\" data-end=\"7979\">Eat a balanced, nutrient-dense diet<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"7980\" data-end=\"8022\">\n<p data-start=\"7982\" data-end=\"8022\">Get 7\u20138 hours of sleep (and address any perimenopause symptoms that interfere)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"8023\" data-end=\"8040\">\n<p data-start=\"8025\" data-end=\"8040\">Manage stress<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"8041\" data-end=\"8098\">\n<p data-start=\"8043\" data-end=\"8098\">Move your body regularly\u2014<a href=\"https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/2025\/04\/strength-training-for-women-over-40\/\">strength training<\/a> if you can<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"8099\" data-end=\"8178\">\n<p data-start=\"8101\" data-end=\"8178\">Supplement with Vitamin D and Omega-3s (if needed, and with medical guidance)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"8180\" data-end=\"8224\">\u201cIt\u2019s not flashy,\u201d she says. B<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ut it does help.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She adds that she is also a proponent of hormone therapy \u201cbecause it is safe and effective for most women. And it\u2019s helped me tremendously.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"8231\" data-end=\"8278\"><strong data-start=\"8235\" data-end=\"8278\">Finding Providers Who Actually Hear You<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"8280\" data-end=\"8467\">Weidner and other women interviewed agree: <strong data-start=\"8323\" data-end=\"8359\">what matters most is being heard<\/strong>. The right provider can be the difference between years of silent suffering and feeling better within days.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"8469\" data-end=\"8659\">MHT isn\u2019t for everyone, but for most women, it\u2019s safe, effective, and underutilized. Supplements can help in some cases\u2014but only when paired with expert oversight and realistic expectations.<\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"8666\" data-end=\"8725\"><strong data-start=\"8669\" data-end=\"8725\">The Bottom Line: Women Deserve Better Than Snake Oil<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"8727\" data-end=\"8884\">Women deserve <strong data-start=\"8741\" data-end=\"8767\">science-backed options<\/strong>, <strong data-start=\"8769\" data-end=\"8796\">accessible medical care<\/strong>, and <strong data-start=\"8802\" data-end=\"8813\">respect<\/strong>\u2014not overpriced pills promising miracles and delivering disappointment.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"8886\" data-end=\"8970\">Aging is not a disease. Weight gain is not failure. Menopause is not a market trend.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"8972\" data-end=\"9057\"><strong>Your body is not broken. It\u2019s changing. And you deserve support that honors that.<\/strong> <em>\u2014Naomi<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/2025\/05\/perimenopause-profit-and-pills-the-truth-about-menopause-supplements\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Menopause\u2014and by extension, perimenopause\u2014is big business. In 2024, the global market for menopause-related products was valued at roughly $17.6 billion, and it\u2019s projected to grow to $24.4 billion by 2030. The drivers of this market are pretty straightforward: By 2025, around 1 billion women will be postmenopausal, according to the North American Menopause Society. While &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14267","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fitness"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14267","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14267"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14267\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14267"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14267"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14267"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}