Menopause

Menopause is classified as a hormonal condition.

18What may help

This list shows research findings, not treatments. Nothing here replaces medical care. If you have this condition, talk to a doctor.

What may help

What studies found for each option, best evidence first.

18 options:1 good evidence4 some evidence11 not enough evidence2 no benefit found

What studies foundSize of effect

CardiopracticeGood evidence it helpsSize of effect: Not known
Good human studies found a benefit, and they mostly agree. This is about what studies measured, not a cure.
All 4 studies with a clear result found a benefit.
Pooled analyses of randomized trials in postmenopausal women reported improvements in blood pressure, lipids, and anxiety, but not depression. A separate network analysis of 23 RCTs found reduced depressive symptoms in peri- and post-menopausal women.
Open the Cardio page
YogapracticeSome evidence it helpsSize of effect: Not known
Some human studies found a benefit. More research could change this.
All 2 studies with a clear result found a benefit.
A pooled analysis of randomized trials in women with menopause reported improvements in menopausal symptoms and related outcomes compared with usual care. A separate study reported improvements in metabolic and cardiovascular markers after 24 months in climacteric women.
Open the Yoga page
DancepracticeSome evidence it helpsSize of effect: Not known
Some human studies found a benefit. More research could change this.
All 2 studies with a clear result found a benefit.
A flamenco and sevillanas program improved balance scores in sedentary postmenopausal women, including one-leg stance.
Open the Dance page
QigongpracticeSome evidence it helpsSize of effect: Not known
Some human studies found a benefit. More research could change this.
All 2 studies with a clear result found a benefit.
A randomized trial involving 125 people found improved sleep scores after 12 weeks of Qigong. A pilot study involving 22 people also reported improved sleep quality after 1 month of daily practice.
Open the Qigong page
Mindfulness MeditationpracticeSome evidence it helpsSize of effect: Not known
Some human studies found a benefit. More research could change this.
All 2 studies with a clear result found a benefit.
In menopausal women, an RCT involving 146 people reported lower MRS total scores in the intervention groups than in the control group. A separate RCT involving 84 people found improvements in quality of life, life satisfaction, mental well-being, and sleep disturbances with MBSR versus control.
Open the Mindfulness Meditation page
AcupuncturepracticeNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
All 2 studies with a clear result found a benefit.
Pooled randomized trials in perimenopausal women reported reduced Kupperman scores with acupuncture modalities, mainly abdominal moxibustion and acupuncture therapy.
Open the Acupuncture page
MeditationpracticeNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
The one study found a benefit.
Open the Meditation page
PilatespracticeNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
4 of 5 studies found a benefit; 1 found none.
A 2020 RCT in 107 postmenopausal women found improvements in cognitive and functional outcomes. However, a pooled subgroup analysis found no significant reduction in PSQI; the reviewed effects were evaluated in postmenopausal women only.
Open the Pilates page

Strength TrainingpracticeNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
1 of 2 studies found a benefit; 1 found none.
Open the Strength Training page
SwimmingpracticeNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
The one study found a benefit.
A pooled analysis whose study designs were not recorded reported improved physical fitness and quality of life in postmenopausal women.
Open the Swimming page
Brisk WalkingpracticeNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
2 of 3 studies found a benefit; 1 found none.
A randomized controlled trial in 26 postmenopausal women with obesity found improvements in body composition and inflammatory markers. A separate quasi-experimental study in 25 postmenopausal women reported improvements in irisin, lipid profile, blood pressure, and physical fitness after 6 weeks of uphill walking.
Open the Brisk Walking page
CalisthenicspracticeNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
The one study found a benefit.
A 24-week randomized controlled trial in 24 postmenopausal women found that BWT and CT reduced TNF-α and IL-6 and improved functional fitness.
Open the Calisthenics page
Grounding / EarthingpracticeNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
The one study found a benefit.
A quasi-experimental study of 60 people with menopause reported improved Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) scores compared with a control group.
Open the Grounding / Earthing page
Hatha YogapracticeNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
All 2 studies with a clear result found a benefit.
A 2016 trial in 88 postmenopausal women with climacteric symptoms reported lower menopausal symptom scores with yoga. In a small single-arm study, 11 completers reported improvement in symptom severity, interference, and sleep, but monitored hot flashes did not significantly change.
Open the Hatha Yoga page
Red Light Therapy (Photobiomodulation)practiceNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
All 2 studies with a clear result found a benefit.
A randomized trial in participants selected for one or more genitourinary symptoms of menopause reported improvements in vaginal dryness and burning. A separate pilot study of 27 participants, all with these symptoms and without a control group, reported improved vaginal health and symptom scores over the treatment course.
Open the Red Light Therapy (Photobiomodulation) page
Yoga NidrapracticeNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
The one study found a benefit.
A case report described improvements in sleep latency, total sleep time, mood, and pain in one post-menopausal woman; a single case cannot establish how Yoga Nidra affects others.
Open the Yoga Nidra page
Forest Bathing (Shinrin-yoku)practiceNo benefit found
Studies looked for a benefit and did not find one.
The one study found no benefit.
Studies did not support an effect for menopause: a pooled analysis of randomized and non-randomized human studies reported a subgroup g = 0.196, with a confidence interval that crosses zero.
Open the Forest Bathing (Shinrin-yoku) page
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)practiceNo benefit found
Studies looked for a benefit and did not find one.
0 of 2 studies found a benefit; 2 found none.
The evidence is from animal studies, so it does not establish whether HIIT has an effect in people going through menopause.
Open the High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) page

Show all 18

The expert view shows every study, dose protocol and source.

What may help

Interventions recorded as helping with this condition18 listed

Highest probability, strongest evidence

PracticesCardioCertaintyHighSourceMeta-analysis
Pooled analyses of randomized trials in postmenopausal women reported improvements in blood pressure, lipids, and anxiety, but not depression. A separate network analysis of 23 RCTs found reduced depressive symptoms in peri- and post-menopausal women.
Who was studied
Healthy people and patients
Menopause
Study result
Pooled RCTs in postmenopausal women found improvements in blood pressure, lipids and anxiety; depression effects were not significant.
Open Cardio
→

Medium probability(4)

PracticesYogaCertaintyMediumSourceMeta-analysis
A pooled analysis of randomized trials in women with menopause reported improvements in menopausal symptoms and related outcomes compared with usual care. A separate study reported improvements in metabolic and cardiovascular markers after 24 months in climacteric women.
Who was studied
Healthy people and patients
Menopause
Study result
Meta-analysis of 24 RCTs in women with menopause reporting improvements in menopausal symptoms and related outcomes with yoga versus usual care.
Open Yoga
→
PracticesDanceCertaintyMediumSourceRCT
A flamenco and sevillanas program improved balance scores in sedentary postmenopausal women, including one-leg stance (DG:P=0.001).
Who was studied
People with a condition
Study result
Flamenco and sevillanas program significantly improved balance scores (one-leg stance DG:P=0.001) in sedentary postmenopausal women
Open Dance
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PracticesQigongCertaintyMediumSourceRCT
A randomized trial involving 125 people found improved sleep scores after 12 weeks of Qigong. A pilot study involving 22 people also reported improved sleep quality after 1 month of daily practice.
Who was studied
Healthy people and patients
Menopause
Study result
RCT showing significant improvement in PSQI total score and several subscales after 12 weeks of Qigong.
Open Qigong
→
PracticesMindfulness MeditationCertaintyMediumSourceClinical
In menopausal women, an RCT involving 146 people reported lower MRS total scores in the intervention groups than in the control group. A separate RCT involving 84 people found improvements in quality of life, life satisfaction, mental well-being, and sleep disturbances with MBSR versus control.
Who was studied
People with a condition
Menopause
Study result
Reported decrease in MRS total score in the intervention groups versus control, with the abstract concluding the practices could be effective for menopause symptoms.
Open Mindfulness Meditation
→

Low probability(11)

PracticesAcupunctureCertaintyLowSourceRCT
Pooled randomized trials in perimenopausal women reported reduced Kupperman scores with acupuncture modalities, mainly abdominal moxibustion and acupuncture therapy.
Who was studied
People with a condition
Menopause
Study result
Pooled RCTs in perimenopausal women reporting Kupperman score reductions with acupuncture modalities, mainly abdominal moxibustion and acupuncture therapy.
Open Acupuncture
→
PracticesMeditationCertaintyLowSourceRCT
Pooled MENQOL Psychosocial Domain improvement versus control (g = -1.06, p < .001) across six studies in women with natural menopause; the evidence is low quality.
Who was studied
People with a condition
Menopause
Open Meditation
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PracticesPilatesCertaintyLowSourceRCT
A 2020 RCT in 107 postmenopausal women found improvements in cognitive and functional outcomes. However, a pooled subgroup analysis found no significant reduction in PSQI (MD = -5.55, p=0.20); the reviewed effects were evaluated in postmenopausal women only.
Who was studied
Healthy people and patients
Hypertension
Kidney Disease
Menopause
Study result
Review population restricted to postmenopausal women; the effects were evaluated in this group only.
Open Pilates
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PracticesStrength TrainingCertaintyLowSourceRCT
A review reported that systematic strength training improved body composition, muscle strength, and BMD in postmenopausal women. In contrast, systemic leptin levels remained unchanged across exercise modalities, with all 95% CrIs encompassing zero (RT: SMD = -0.68, 95% CrI [-4.20, 2.83]).
Who was studied
Healthy people and patients
Study result
Systematic strength training consistently improved body composition, muscle strength, and BMD in postmenopausal women; authors conclude postmenopausal women should engage in structured and systematic ST.
Open Strength Training
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PracticesSwimmingCertaintyLowSourceRCT
A pooled analysis whose study designs were not recorded reported improved physical fitness and quality of life in postmenopausal women.
Study result
Meta-analysis of 16 RCTs showing significant improvements in physical fitness and QoL in postmenopausal women.
Open Swimming
→
PracticesBrisk WalkingCertaintyLowSourceClinical
A randomized controlled trial in 26 postmenopausal women with obesity found improvements in body composition and inflammatory markers. A separate quasi-experimental study in 25 postmenopausal women reported improvements in irisin, lipid profile, blood pressure, and physical fitness after 6 weeks of uphill walking.
Who was studied
Healthy people and patients
Menopause
Obesity
Study result
RCT showing significant improvements in body composition and inflammatory markers in postmenopausal women with obesity.
Open Brisk Walking
→
PracticesCalisthenicsCertaintyLowSourceClinical
A 24-week randomized controlled trial in 24 postmenopausal women found that BWT and CT reduced TNF-α and IL-6 and improved functional fitness.
Who was studied
People with a condition
Menopause
Study result
24-week RCT showing BWT and CT reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6) and improved functional fitness in postmenopausal women.
Open Calisthenics
→
PracticesGrounding / EarthingCertaintyLowSourceClinical
A quasi-experimental study of 60 people with menopause reported improved Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) scores compared with a control group.
Who was studied
People with a condition
Menopause
Study result
Significant improvement in MRS scores compared to control group.
Open Grounding / Earthing
→
PracticesHatha YogaCertaintyLowSourceClinical
A 2016 trial in 88 postmenopausal women with climacteric symptoms reported lower menopausal symptom scores with yoga. In a small single-arm study, 11 completers reported improvement in symptom severity, interference, and sleep, but monitored hot flashes did not significantly change.
Who was studied
People with a condition
Menopause
Study result
Study population of post-menopausal women with climacteric symptoms; yoga reported to lower menopausal symptom scores.
Open Hatha Yoga
→
PracticesRed Light Therapy (Photobiomodulation)CertaintyLowSourceClinical
A randomized trial in participants selected for one or more genitourinary symptoms of menopause reported improvements in vaginal dryness and burning. A separate pilot study of 27 participants, all with these symptoms and without a control group, reported improved vaginal health and symptom scores over the treatment course.
Who was studied
People with a condition
Menopause
Study result
Participants selected for one or more GSM symptoms; vaginal dryness and burning improved.
Open Red Light Therapy (Photobiomodulation)
→
PracticesYoga NidraCertaintyLowSourceClinical
A case report described improvements in sleep latency, total sleep time, mood, and pain in one post-menopausal woman; a single case cannot establish how Yoga Nidra affects others.
Who was studied
People with a condition
Menopause
Study result
Single case study showing improvements in sleep latency, total sleep time, mood, and pain reduction in a post-menopausal woman.
Open Yoga Nidra
→

Very low probability(2)

PracticesForest Bathing (Shinrin-yoku)CertaintyVery lowSourceRCT
Studies did not support an effect for menopause: a pooled analysis of randomized and non-randomized human studies reported a subgroup g = 0.196, with a confidence interval that crosses zero (-0.204 to 0.596).
Who was studied
Healthy people and patients
Breast Cancer
Insomnia
Menopause
Open Forest Bathing (Shinrin-yoku)
→
PracticesHigh-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)CertaintyVery lowSourceAnimal research
The evidence is from animal studies, so it does not establish whether HIIT has an effect in people going through menopause.
Who was studied
Healthy people and patients
Menopause
Open High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
→

What to avoid

Interventions recorded as making it worse

Nothing in this library is currently recorded as making Menopause worse. Coverage is partial, and absence here is not evidence of safety.

Browse the supplements that are written up

How to read the evidence

Evidence tier — overall strength of the evidence for the whole compound

StrongWell established — backed by strong, consistent human research.
ModerateSome genuine support, but mostly from small or lower-quality studies. Promising, not proven.
PreliminaryEarly-stage evidence — a promising hypothesis, not an established effect yet.
LimitedVery limited evidence — treat this as a hypothesis, not proof.
InsufficientNot enough good evidence to draw conclusions yet.

Certainty — how sure we can be that the effect is real

Very highVery sure — strong, consistent evidence
HighFairly sure — consistent evidence from good studies
MediumModerately sure — new studies could change this
LowNot sure — little or mixed evidence
Very lowVery unsure — almost no usable evidence

Source — where the data comes from

Meta-analysisPooled analysis of many trials — the strongest evidence
RCTRandomized controlled trial — a strong human study design
ClinicalA human clinical study
Reference knowledgeFrom general health-science or pharmacology references, not a study of this exact claim
Animal researchStudied in animals, not humans
Community reportsAggregated user reports — anecdotal signal, not evidence
TheoreticalMechanism-based reasoning, not yet tested

Study grade — quality of each underlying study (A best, D weakest)

AHigh-quality — strong, consistent human trials
BGood — solid evidence with some limitations
CModerate — limited, small, or mixed-quality studies
DWeak — preliminary, indirect, or animal-only

Confidence — how strongly the sources back a finding

A 0–100 score from study quality and agreement

Most supplement evidence is graded C–D. Read it as preliminary signal, not proof.

Full write-up

What is it

Menopause is a hormonal condition associated with symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats. Its effects may also be considered in terms of physical fitness and quality of life among postmenopausal women. Options studied in this context include Evening Primrose Oil, Valerian Root, Swimming, and Ashwagandha.

Evidence-backed options

The options associated with Menopause span several different goals rather than one common outcome. Evening Primrose Oil was associated with fewer and less severe night sweats, while Valerian Root was associated with reduced hot flashes. Swimming was studied in postmenopausal women, with findings covering physical fitness and quality of life. These options therefore relate to vasomotor symptoms, as well as broader physical functioning and well-being.

Other options have more limited support and cover a wider range of outcomes. Ashwagandha has been described as a potential herbal intervention for menopausal symptoms in healthy women. Reviews have discussed Creatine for muscle, strength, bone health, cognition, and mood; Lavender Extract for sleep, psychological and physical symptoms, and related concerns; and Taurine alongside training-related changes in adiposity and lipid markers. Maca Root and St. John's Wort have also been proposed for postmenopausal or combined menopausal symptoms, including sleep and mood-related concerns.

Melatonin did not show statistically significant benefits across the menopause-related outcomes assessed. The available summaries do not specify consistent doses, treatment durations, or how quickly effects appeared, so those details cannot be used to compare the options. The populations studied are also not uniformly described, and findings should not be assumed to apply equally to every person with Menopause. These options are educational reference material rather than treatment advice; medical conditions warrant discussion with a clinician.