The short answer
In 2023, The Menopause Society (then The North American Menopause Society) reviewed the research on non-hormone options for hot flashes and night sweats. It did not recommend any supplement or herbal remedy. A few, such as soy extracts, pollen extract and rhubarb extract, had some positive trials that the panel judged too small, too short or too dependent on the manufacturer. Others, including black cohosh, did no better than placebo. The 2023 nonhormone therapy position statement, Menopause 2023;30(6):573–590.
Two limits on that review: it covers hot flashes and night sweats only, not bone, sleep or mood, and it doesn't cover every ingredient on the market. Where an ingredient wasn't reviewed, we say so rather than grade it ourselves.
US supplements don't need FDA approval before they're sold (see DSHEA), and the claims on each product page are the brand's, not ours.
Ingredient by ingredient
What the 2023 statement says about each ingredient for hot flashes and night sweats. All are rated "not recommended". The level is the statement's own: Level I is good and consistent evidence, Level II limited or inconsistent, Level III expert opinion.
| Ingredient | In these products | What the statement found | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Some positive trials, judged too limited | |||
| Soy isoflavones and equol | None of the nine | Mixed results from widely varying studies. Only about 35% of North American women can turn soy into equol, and tests for this aren't available to the public. | II |
| Pollen extract | Relizen | One trial of 53 women found fewer hot flashes than placebo after 3 months. Not recommended on expert opinion and limited research. | III |
| Rhapontic rhubarb (ERr 731) | Estroven; Perelel lists "rhubarb root extract" | The main trial reported improvement, but only 7 of the 55 women on placebo finished it, so conclusions are limited. | II |
| Ammonium succinate | Amberen | Two trials reported improvement, both manufacturer-sponsored. | II |
| Omega-3 | Perelel; Ritual (DHA) | Two trials: one positive, one with no difference from placebo. | III |
| Maca | Kindra | Some improvement in a review of four studies, but too weak in quality and size to support use. | II |
| Vitamin E | Perelel; Ritual | Very little evidence of a meaningful reduction in hot flashes. | I |
| Chasteberry, milk thistle, L. acidophilus YT1 | None of the nine | Small or single studies, or tested only in combinations. | II |
| No better than placebo | |||
| Black cohosh | None of the nine | A 2012 Cochrane review of 16 trials (2,027 women) found no difference from placebo in hot-flash frequency. US Pharmacopeia advises a liver warning on the label. | I |
| Ginseng | None of the nine | No benefit for hot flashes in several trials. | I |
| Dong quai | None of the nine | No difference from placebo after 24 weeks; the statement lists safety concerns. | II |
| Evening primrose oil | None of the nine | One trial; no benefit over placebo. | II |
| Wild yam creams | None of the nine | No benefit found, and tested creams have been found to contain undisclosed steroid hormones. | II |
| Not reviewed in the statement | |||
| Ashwagandha, bacopa, pine bark (Pycnogenol), green tea extract, spirulina, DIM, berberine | Womaness, Kindra, Perelel, Thermella | Not assessed for hot flashes. We haven't graded them. | – |
| Curcumin | Thermella | Mentioned once, in a small trial of 30 women per group. No separate recommendation. | – |
| Cynanchum wilfordii, Phlomis umbrosa, Angelica gigas | Pink Lotus | Not assessed. | – |
The nine products
Listed alphabetically. Prices, doses and claims are from each brand's own site, checked Oct 14, 2026. Where a brand doesn't publish a dose, we say so.
Capsules. Amberen's own site links out to retailers (Amazon, Walmart, CVS) rather than selling direct, so it shows no price.
Mixed or limited evidence: ammonium succinate, which the statement names Amberen for. Amberen describes the formula as a "proprietary mineral complex of adaptogenic succinates, amino acids, and antioxidant vitamin E" and doesn't list doses on that page.
Tablets, two a day. $58 for a single box; subscriptions $42/month, $114 every 3 months ($38/month) or $198 every 6 months ($33/month).
Mixed or limited evidence: Swedish flower pollen extract (Sérélys: PI-82 and GC-FEM). The amount isn't disclosed.
Tablets, two a day. $60 for a single box; subscriptions $45/month, $120 every 3 months ($40/month) or $210 every 6 months ($35/month).
Not reviewed: Longvida curcumin extract 600mg, decaffeinated green tea extract 150mg, spirulina extract 85mg (per two tablets).
One caplet a day. $19.99 for 28 or $29.99 for 60 on Estroven's store.
Mixed or limited evidence: rhapontic rhubarb root extract 4mg (2.2mg rhaponticin, 1mg desoxyrhaponticin), the ERr 731 extract the statement reviewed. It's the only active.
Capsules. $47 for 30 or $119 for 90.
Mixed or limited evidence: maca root. Not reviewed: Pycnogenol (pine bark). Kindra doesn't publish doses; its directions suggest 100–200mg of Pycnogenol (1–2 capsules) a day.
A daily pack of 5 pills: a multivitamin (2 capsules), omega-3, a "Metabolic Support" capsule and a "Perimenopause Complex". $69.35 one-time or $58.95/month by subscription.
Mixed or limited evidence: rhubarb root extract 4mg (Perelel doesn't say whether it's ERr 731), omega-3 (DHA 250mg, EPA 100mg), vitamin E 15mg. Not reviewed: ashwagandha (Sensoril) 125mg, DIM 60mg, berberine 50mg, green tea extract 50mg, L-carnitine 100mg, L-theanine 100mg, CoQ10 25mg. Also: vitamin D 4,000 IU, vitamin K2 30mcg, B vitamins, zinc, selenium and other vitamins and minerals.
One capsule a day. Shown as out of stock on Oct 14, 2026.
Not reviewed: a 514mg proprietary blend of Angelica gigas, Cynanchum wilfordii and Phlomis umbrosa root extracts. Amounts of each aren't disclosed.
A multivitamin, not a hot-flash product: Ritual describes it as "for women post-menopause". Two capsules a day. $39 a month by subscription (shown at $31.20 with a new-subscriber discount); $44.32 plus $10.99 shipping to buy once.
Per two capsules: vitamin D3 2,000 IU, vitamin K2 100mcg, omega-3 DHA 330mg, magnesium 60mg, vitamin E 10mg, folate 200mcg, vitamin B12 16mcg, boron 0.7mg.
One capsule a day. $46.99 for 30, or $129 for a 90-day supply.
Not reviewed: bacopa (Bacognize) 300mg, ashwagandha root 100mg, Pycnogenol (pine bark) 60mg. None of its three actives were assessed in the statement.
Straight answers
More on women's longevity
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