By Womaness Editors 6-Minute Read
There are three times a woman’s skincare routine needs a radical change: puberty, pregnancy, and menopause. First, you went through puberty and experienced acne and periods for the first time, stocking up on skin creams and feminine hygiene products. Pregnancy came along with prenatal vitamins, dietary changes, lotion for stretch marks—the list goes on!
But what about perimenopause, and later, menopause? You’re probably psyched to never buy a tampon or pad again, but other physical changes might need attention. Here are the top six ingredients every woman in menopause should consider adding to her routine.
1. Biotin
In menopause, women cite a few changes to hair, including reduced hair growth, lower hair density, and changing hair strength and texture. Hormones play a part in this, but there’s also a link between hair density and vitamin deficiency.
In a study investigating female hair loss, 38% of women with hair loss had a biotin deficiency and 87% of the women with hair loss studied were missing optimal biotin levels. Since supplementation with the vitamin is considered very safe, many professionals recommend it as the first line of defense for hair health.
In one study, biotin supplementation significantly improved hair thickness and growth among women who took it for three months, and the women reported continued improvement after the study ended.
The amount shown to be effective for hair loss is 3,000mcg/day—the exact amount we’ve included in Active Glow, our supplement for hair, skin, nail, and joint health.
In addition to being supportive of hair health, biotin helps strengthen nails and keep skin healthy, making it an all-around best-of-beauty vitamin. Some studies have also suggested metabolism benefits, specifically that it may help regulate blood sugar for those with diabetes.
2. Bacopa Monnieri
As many as 60% of women in midlife may suffer from brain fog that makes it hard to concentrate or remember details (gah, what's that word again?), and doctors believe it’s because of menopause's major hormonal changes. One study showed that women tested on verbal learning and memory, fine motor skills, attention, and working memory tasks scored lowest in the first year following their last menstrual cycle. But it doesn’t have to be that way!
Thankfully, things do get better the longer you’re out of menopause; until then, there’s Bacopa monnieri, an herb that combats specific brain fog symptoms. In a 12-week study of 60 older adults, daily use of Bacopa monnieri improved memory, attention, and the ability to process information—the same things menopausal women struggle with when dealing with brain fog.
Since this herb is unregulated, it’s best to use a standardized extract so you know exactly what you’re putting in your body. When shopping for Bacopa monnieri, look for trademarked Bacognize®, the gold standard in testing and quality.
Bacognize® has been extensively clinically studied and is shown to significantly increase attention, immediate recall, processing speed, and non-verbal reasoning and decrease depression and anxiety.
You can get the clinically studied amount of Bacognize®, 300mg, in our menopause relief supplement Me.No.Pause.
"Daily use of Bacopa monnieri improved memory, attention, and the ability to process information."
3. Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a popular ingredient in skincare products for moisturizing and keeping fine lines at bay. But did you know that supplementing with it also helps with hydration from the inside out?
Naturally created by the body and found in skin and connective tissues, hyaluronic acid is pretty important: the molecule is responsible for cushioning and lubricating joints, nerves, hair, eyes, and of course, skin. And as you age, your body’s production of HA naturally declines.
As it is the key molecule involved in keeping skin moisturized, clinical studies have shown hyaluronic acid to visibly reduce wrinkles by up to 40%. You can find it in a variety of topical formulations—we use an advanced form of HA called HyaClear® 7 as the foundation of our skincare products—but it’s also highly effective when taken orally as a supplement.
This study showed that oral intake “inhibits skin wrinkles and improves skin condition.” Another study found its ingestion to demonstrate a “statistically significant increase in skin hydration and elasticity” and a “significant decrease in skin roughness and wrinkle depth” with no side effects.
To support your joints and skin health from the inside out, try the hyaluronic acid found in Active Glow.
4. Maritime Pine Bark Extract
When artificial hormones seem like the only answer to the hot flashes, night sweats, and insomnia of menopause, you might consider trying this natural bark extract first. Pine bark has been used for centuries by indigenous people as an herbal remedy, and they were indeed on to something. For more than 40 years, scientists have been studying one specific type of pine bark extract known as Pycnogenol® derived from the bark of monospecies pine trees grown in southwestern France.
Its benefits (and safety) are widespread; scientists are interested in its cardiovascular, skin, eye, joint health, and cognitive function. However, what we're really into is its ability to reduce menopause symptoms.
A 2013 clinical study on 170 perimenopausal women showed that Pycnogenol® reduced perimenopausal symptoms by 56% without incurring hormone alterations in menopausal women. A few menopausal symptoms maritime bark extract supports include hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, skin, memory and sleep problems, and irritability.
Since Pycnogenol® is so safe and effective, it almost seems too good to be true (thankfully it's not). You can get the benefits of this herbal extract in Me.No.Pause., which also features other clinically-tested ingredients for menopause, like Bacognize® and Ashwagandha.
"Pycnogenol® reduced perimenopausal symptoms by 56% without incurring hormone alterations."
5. Ashwagandha
Vaginal moisturizers help, but it’s also nice to feel sexual desire naturally when the time is right. The good news? Ashwagandha is shown to increase vaginal lubrication, desire, and arousal. But that’s not all this powerful herb is capable of.
Many in the wellness world are familiar with the tried-and-true ayurvedic adaptogen, but if these unfamiliar words have you scratching your head, read on. Adaptogens are believed to nourish and support the central nervous system, helping support the body as a complete system. And modern studies support impressive clinical results.
For one, the herb has been shown to significantly reduce inflammation, which is at the core of many age-related diseases. It also substantially lowers cortisol levels, which aligns with one of its traditional uses: stress and anxiety reduction. Its cortisol-reducing impact can also reduce the brain fog of menopause.
And as we mentioned, one of our favorite things about ashwagandha in menopause is that it's been shown to increase sex drive in women, including vaginal lubrication and arousal. Find it in Me.No.Pause. and confront your worst symptoms head on.
6. Curcumin from Turmeric
If you believe beauty starts from the inside, you'll love our final ingredient spotlight: curcumin from turmeric. This powerful antioxidant combats inflammation and can help keep skin hydrated from the inside out.
Curcumin gives turmeric its bright yellow color—and its notable health benefits. As we age, low-grade inflammation is considered to be at the root of age-related diseases, including skin aging. The drop in estrogen doesn't help the skin or other symptoms like brain fog.
But curcumin proves to combat these symptoms. One study shows the ingredient helps to "alleviate aging"; another that it's an effective moisturizing agent (especially important for drying skin in menopause); and offers significant brain benefits. Studies show not only memory and attention support from the anti-inflammatory, but also help balancing serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline, which are all important for mood.
Because of its extensive benefits and safety, we included curcumin from turmeric in Active Glow to help reduce inflammation and support your joint and skin health. It's a no-brainer.
"Ashwagandha has been "shown to increase sex drive in women, including vaginal lubrication and arousal."
But...Can You Use Them All Together?
Since all these ingredients are readily available, you might have already added them to your shopping list. And we don’t blame you—we searched everywhere for safe, hormone-free ways to support our bodies in menopause and found these ingredients so compelling that we included them all in one daily kit.
The Menopause Survival Starter Kit features our top two supplements so you can get all six of these clinically-proven ingredients and combat your worst menopause symptoms safely, quickly, and affordably.
In Me.No.Pause, you’ll find the clinically-proven amounts of Bacognize® for brain fog, Pycnogenol® for hot flashes and night sweats, and Ashwhaganda for mood and libido. Active Glow features hyaluronic acid for smooth, glowing skin, and curcumin derived from turmeric to ward off inflammation.
These ingredients are safe individually and collectively, and we think you’ll love seeing the compounded results of using them together in the Menopause Survival Starter Kit.
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