Menopause marks the end of a woman’s menstrual cycle and usually occurs between the ages of 45-55. In the UK, an average woman undergoes menopause at around 51.

The body starts getting ready to experience menopause a few years prior to this event and this period is called perimenopause. A few women sail through perimenopause and menopause without any troublesome symptoms, while many are not so lucky. For most women, perimenopausal symptoms hit hard.

They experience a range of discomforts including hot flashes, poor sleep, joint pain, and vaginal dryness. While some of these perimenopause symptoms go away in a few years, some persist, significantly reducing the quality of life.

If all of this sounds relatable, don’t lose hope. There are various self-help measures that can improve menopause symptoms such as exercising, mindfulness, CBT and, of course, nutrition. What we feed our bodies with is closely linked to how we feel both physically and psychologically. Nutrition is especially important during menopause as our ability to absorb nutrients and produce hormones which play a crucial role in metabolic processes alters. So, let’s talk about science backed supplements that can help you breeze through menopause gracefully.

Calcium and Vitamin D

Did you know that one-third of women over the age of 55 suffer from osteoporosis? That’s not all, it was predicted that there’s a risk of one in every two women over 50 in the UK enduring a bone fracture.

Osteoporosis is a condition that causes weak, easily breakable bones and is extremely common in menopausal women. This is in part due to the considerably low calcium levels in our diets and in part due to the age-related decrease in calcium absorption. Another more distinctive reason is the reduction of calcium absorption in the gut due to low oestrogen levels in menopausal women.

You might instinctively think that calcium supplements will solve this problem. However, research says a different story. You do need a calcium supplement, but you also need vitamin D and vitamin K2 along with it. Why? Let us explain.

Vitamin D increases calcium absorption from the diets in the intestine and helps maintain a stable calcium level in the blood. It also promotes bone formation and decreases bone loss, thus strengthening the bones. Low vitamin D levels cause a condition called osteomalacia that results in soft and weak bones.

Vitamin K2, on the other hand, enhances calcium reabsorption in the kidneys, thus increasing blood calcium levels. It also prevents bone loss and increases bone gain. Vitamin K2 is also known to help the production of a bone protein called osteocalcin.

Now that you know how important calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin K2 are to maintaining healthy bones, you can try out our Calcium and Vitamin D Gummies which have all of these beneficial ingredients in them.

Magnesium

Like calcium, magnesium also plays a vital role in bone health as it helps to convert vitamin D into its active form. Research proves that magnesium in the diet is important to prevent osteoporosis and bone fractures. It also lessens the age-related loss of skeletal muscle.

Magnesium supplements have also been shown to relieve hot flashes in menopausal women. Hot flashes and night sweats are frequent perimenopausal symptoms and they can make you feel uncomfortable, to say the least. Estimates indicate that around 75% of menopausal women suffer from these and the symptoms can be severe in 25% of them.

Magnesium also relaxes your body and regulates your circadian rhythm, thus making you fall asleep easily. Poor sleep is another annoying feature that comes with menopause and a good night’s sleep definitely can alleviate several other associated symptoms like bad mood and fatigue.

Magnesium can help to fix your mood and reduce anxiety too as it increases levels of serotonin—the happy hormone.

Low magnesium levels can also trigger abnormal heartbeat, compromised glucose tolerance, and altered cholesterol metabolism in women who are going through menopause.

Magnesium is an essential mineral in over 300 metabolic processes in the body. It is important for electrolyte balance and reduction of tiredness and fatigue (it's also great for those who suffer from endometriosis fatigue) as well as for maintenance of normal functioning of the nervous system and psychological function. Unfortunately, the drop of oestrogen levels due to menopause can lower magnesium uptake and metabolism and result in a host of unwelcome symptoms.

Our Magnesium Gummies contain 800mg of magnesium citrate per one serving and they also taste like raspberries.

Vaginal Health

Another frustrating—yet unavoidable—symptom of menopause is vaginal dryness. Apart from the discomfort it brings about, it can shift the vaginal microflora from a healthy one to an unbalanced one.

In a study done in a UK menopause clinic, it was found that around 35% of women going through menopause had unusual vaginal microbiomes and 13% of them suffered from bacterial vaginosis.

Decreased oestrogen levels can also reduce the number of Lactobacilli, the friendly bacteria, in the vagina and increase the pH. This makes the vagina more prone to infections from bad bacteria.

Research suggests that probiotics can successfully increase the Lactobacilli numbers in the vagina and restore the microbial balance in menopausal women.

Our Women’s Bio Balance Gummies come with three different Lactobacillus species and contain a total of 550 million of friendly bacteria for vaginal & gut health.