Menopause supplements in Singapore: how to choose

You walk into Guardian or Watsons and there is a whole shelf. Red clover. Soy. Black cohosh. Herbal pills. A multivitamin for women over fifty. Prices run from under S$40 to S$149 a pack.

They are not the same thing, and they are not for the same problem. Here is how to tell them apart, and what to check before you pay.

Which stage are you in?

If your periods still come but the pattern has changed, you are most likely in perimenopause. That is the stretch of years before your last period, and it is when hot flushes, broken sleep and mood swings usually begin, often in your forties.

Menopause itself is a single day: twelve months after your last period. After that you are postmenopausal. Most menopause supplements on Singapore shelves are made for the first two stages.

Perimenopause

Often about 4 years

Periods still come, but the pattern has changed.

Menopause

One single day

12 months, no period.

Postmenopause

The rest of your life

You do not pass through it. You stay here.

If you are still not sure where you are, the three stages are explained here.

What are the main types of menopause supplement?

Almost everything on the shelf is built on one of seven ingredient types. Find the main ingredient on the label first, then you know what you are comparing.

• Soy isoflavones. Plant compounds shaped a little like oestrogen. The most researched plant option for hot flushes. More on soy isoflavones.
• S-equol. Your gut bacteria make it from soy, but only some women’s bodies do. Some products add it ready-made.
• Red clover. Another plant source of isoflavones. Study results are mixed.
• Black cohosh. A North American herb. Study results are mixed.
• Traditional herbal blends. Chinese herbs used for generations. Every blend is different, so read the full list.
• Ashwagandha and chasteberry. Used for stress, sleep and mood swings.
• Calcium and vitamin D. For your bones. They do nothing for hot flushes, but bones need more care after menopause.

Ingredient	Hot flushes	Sleep and mood	Bones
Soy isoflavones		·
S-equol		·	·
Red clover		·	·
Black cohosh		·	·
Ashwagandha, chasteberry	·		·
Calcium, vitamin D	·	·

What menopause supplements are sold in Singapore?

The big pharmacies and health shops stock a handful of well-known options, from about S$39 to S$149 a pack. Here is what we found on their websites, with the main ingredient of each.

Product	Main ingredient	Where we saw it	Price seen
Promensil Menopause Tablets (90)	Red clover isoflavones	Guardian	S$99.50
FINENUTRI S-Equol Menopause Comfort (60)	S-equol, vitamin E	Watsons	S$149.00
Nutrilite Complete Menopause Support	Blend, see label	Amway	S$62.00
Eu Yan Sang Menoease Pills	Traditional Chinese herbs	Eu Yan Sang	S$50.90
Viridian Menopause Complex	Botanical blend	Scoop Wholefoods	S$39.00
MenoLuv (30 sachets), our product	Soy isoflavone and 14 more	luqua.life	S$59.00

What should you check before you buy?

Check six things: hormones, the ingredient list, the daily cost, how easy it is to take, how long to try it, and whether it suits any medicine you take.

1. Does it contain hormones? Most shop supplements do not, but check if you want to avoid them.
2. Is every ingredient listed, with amounts? A “proprietary blend” tells you less.
3. What does it cost a day? Divide the price by the number of days the pack lasts, not by the number of pills.
4. Can you take it every day without fuss? The best supplement is the one you remember to take.
5. How long should you try it? Give any supplement 8 to 12 weeks before you decide.
6. Is it safe with your medicine? If you take a blood thinner such as warfarin, or have had a hormone-related cancer, ask your doctor before taking soy or any isoflavone.

Where does MenoLuv fit?

MenoLuv is a hormone-free soy drink with 15 listed ingredients, and it costs S$1.88 a day on the 90-day plan. This guide is written by LUQUA and we make MenoLuv, so here are our own answers to the same six questions.

• Hormones: none. It is hormone-free by design.
• Ingredients: 15, all on the label, including soy isoflavone, black mulberry, ashwagandha and chasteberry.
• Daily cost: S$59 for 30 days, or S$169 for 90 days (S$1.88 a day), or S$319 for 180 days.
• How you take it: one sachet stirred into a glass of water, once a day. It tastes of mixed berries.
• How long to try it: the 3-box plan lasts 90 days.
• Where it is made: in Malaysia, in an FDA-registered, GMP, HACCP, ISO 22000 and Halal-certified facility.

In a survey of MenoLuv customers by PlantBio Research, 88% said they would continue using it daily, and 72% said their sleep lasts till morning.

Delivery to Singapore is free on orders from S$165, and taxes are included in the price. You can pay with PayNow or a card. See MenoLuv.