From symptoms that can start before your 40s are over to the truth about menopause supplements, there’s plenty of confusing advice surrounding perimenopause. Experts separate common misconceptions from useful guidance, explaining what may help, which supplements deserve caution and when to seek professional advice
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While it’s great news for us proactive, healthy forward-thinking females, the problem is that now, we’re so bombarded with information, we struggle to know the difference between what’s good for us versus the nonsense.
It’s time to combat the confusion and ask some experts once and for all to bust perimenopause misconceptions.
There’s power in who we are
Catherine, a Western Medical Herbalist reminds us first and foremost that menopause is a momentous occasion, but it hasn’t always been the case.
‘Menopause is a time to be celebrated this is a very special magical spiritual moment for every woman. The only species on planet Earth to experience menopause are humans and five types of whales. And when this happens in whale communities, they become the leaders because of their life experience, memory and wisdom.
‘Women across many cultures throughout history were seen in the same way. They were chosen to become the political leaders, the spiritual and healing ones and the decision makers.
‘When Western societies moved away from their tribal structures to a patriarchal, industrialised society, women’s positions of power plummeted. Witch Trials were particularly focused on hunting down older independent women with a knowledge of natural medicine.
‘By the late 19th century Western medicine started seeing menopause as a ‘deficiency disease’ as opposed to a wonderful empowering milestone for a woman.’
‘There’s a huge factor most of us forget to address’
‘One of the biggest most important factors of perimenopause is reassessing your life. It’s a time to reflect, be still, connect with nature. It’s during this period that a lot of women leave their high-flying jobs for a more relaxed life. Women often find that by being more still, calm and relaxed and removing as many stresses as possible their symptoms ease.’
Beware of some supplements
An expert in natural and herbal medicines, Catherine reveals there’s a problem with buying perimenopause supplements.
‘Every woman is different and has different symptoms with varying medical histories, body shapes and personalities. We are not robots. We all respond to different supplements and plants in different ways.
‘Women buy supplements and just take them for years. Ashwagandha should only be taken for two to three months at a time and then there should be a break of at least two to four weeks. After the break it’s fine to go back on it if needed but there is a reason for this break.
‘It’s good to give the body’s organs a break occasionally, minimising the long-term risk of rare side effects. Also, herbs are very effective and healing so you might not even need to take them after just a short period of time. It’s always a good idea to have a ‘reset check’ and come off herbs or supplements every so often to see what your ‘baseline health’ is.
‘In terms of ashwagandha it’s quite common for women to only need it for four weeks and when they come off, they find that their anxiety has gone and they can sleep better at night. They can then keep it in their cabinet and if they feel that the symptoms are coming back, they can take it again in the future.
‘Every herb is different and many over the counter supplements contain five or six herbs and they ALL have different recommended dosages and periods of time it should be taken for and time of the day they should be taken at. This means that most supplements just blanket bomb every symptom possible in one supplement but it might not suit every woman.’
Consider these supplements
Stefanie Daniels is founder & CEO of SD Wellness and a fully registered nutritional therapist, has been menopausal since surgery in 2017, and sees hundreds of women in her clinic.
‘You can’t ‘out-supplement’ a bad lifestyle. Learning about your mineral status can move the needle for your symptoms more than a blood test can and starting with your food is good, and starting with your nervous system is game changing.’
As a professional in the same boat as us all, she has go-to supplements that work for her.
‘Magnesium and a B complex work hand in hand to support energy and help your body cope with stress. They’re the only two I take when I’m going on holiday. Choline is another one I’d flag, specifically for brain health and memory.’
‘There are endless perimenopause myths’
Catherine Folan is an accredited menopause coach, talking next at the Menopause in The Workplace, at Pause Live 2026, on 10 October in London. She believes there are endless perimenopause myths.
‘We’re told it only affects older women, but the reality is that it frequently starts in a woman’s late 30s or early 40s while periods are still occurring.
‘Another is that perimenopause symptoms are just hot flashes, night sweats, and brain fog but there are over 35 recognised physical, emotional, and cognitive symptoms, including many unusual, yet frequently reported ones, including itchy ears, vertigo, electric shocks and a burning mouth.’
She points out that women will often hear that hormonal mood swings and perimenopausal anxiety are standard clinical depression/anxiety to be managed with antidepressants.
‘Perimenopausal mood changes are frequently hormone driven. National guidelines (such as NICE) state antidepressants shouldn’t be the default first-line response for hormone-related mood changes without evaluating hormonal balance first.’
She’s also the first in line to point out that swallowing swathes of expensive supplements isn’t necessary.
‘I do advocate for magnesium glycinate, which is well tolerated by most women, and which can aid sleep. Aside from that, Vitamin D and an Omega 3.
‘However, it’s important that the client always checks with their doctor before introducing new supplements as they may interact with other medications or existing health conditions.
‘For these reasons I shy away from recommending things like Black Cohosh. Despite alternative therapists recommending it for menopause symptoms, there is ongoing medical concern about whether it affects oestrogen-sensitive tissues.’
