Hot flashes. Night sweats. Brain fog. Joint pain. Mood Swings. Irregular periods. Insomnia. Weight gain. The transition to menopause—when a woman’s reproductive cycle ends—can come with a torpedo of dramatic changes to the body.
Experiences vary. For instance, research has found that Black women contend with more intense and more frequent hot flashes, but it’s “a rare woman that gets off with nothing,” said Stephanie S. Faubion, MD, medical director for The Menopause Society and director of the Mayo Clinic’s Center for Women’s Health. (Yippee.)
For years, perimenopause and menopause were dismissed and ignored, even though more than 1 million women in the United States reach menopause each year. The average age of menopause, defined as the one-year mark after a woman’s last menstrual cycle, is 52. And perimenopause symptoms can begin a decade before a woman officially reaches menopause and can last for two to eight years.
More recently, however, the topic has taken center stage. Hormone replacement therapy, a long-misunderstood medical treatment for menopausal symptoms, is being reconsidered. Celebrities like Drew Barrymore, Gwenyth Paltrow, Oprah Winfrey, and Cameron Diaz are openly talking about menopause (and often investing in and promoting products). Menopause getaways promise to soothe the symptoms. An assortment of supplements are for sale.
And all of this is not without controversy: Truth in Advertising, a nonprofit that advocates against deceptive marketing practices, warns consumers to be aware of “menowashing.” That’s a term used to describe companies promoting products that supposedly help relieve menopause symptoms, with little or no evidence to back up their claims. Be cautious, for instance, with over-the-counter supplements and herbals, which aren’t overseen by the Food and Drug Administration and may make dubious health claims, said Wen Shen, MD, director of the Women’s Wellness & Healthy Aging Program at Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Recognizing the purchasing power of older women, other companies may simply be repackaging their products at a higher cost and marketing them as menopause solutions. “There’s a pink tax already but there’s a mature women’s tax as well,” Faubion said.
This guide is a collection of products we’ve tested and relied on for years. These everyday tools aren’t necessarily menopause-specific, yet may help smooth this passage in life—and beyond.
