Updated 4/25/24. Clinically tested Amberen touted as the “#1 menopause supplement,” is said to provide relief from 12 menopause symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats, low sex drive, mood swings, sleeplessness, and weight gain, among others. It's said to work for any stage of menopause, and it's even been endorsed by US Olympic gold medalist Mary Lou Retton. It sounds great, but does Amberen really work? This review covers the research on Amberen, the results of those clinical trials, the ingredients, problems, and possible side effects, and how to get a refund if you feel Ambern is not working for you.
What Is The Amberen Menopause Supplement?
Amberen is a dietary supplement touted to relieve symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes and mood swings. The product website (Amberen.com) says the supplement “naturally restores hormonal balance by relieving hot flashes, boosting energy, and providing comfort for many effects of menopause, safely and effectively.”
Amberen works differently than hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Instead of replacing hormones, this supplement is touted to support the body as it makes its own hormones again. This, in turn, is said to ease symptoms of menopause. The Amberen website is very specific that Amberen is not hormone replacement therapy. It does not contain estrogen, progesterone, or other steroid hormones.
Unlike other menopause supplements that may contain bioidentical hormones or soy, Amberen does not have these ingredients.
Let's now examine the ingredients in Amberen and the menopause research on those ingredients, followed by the research on Amberen itself.
Amberen Benefits
From the Amberen company website, we learn this supplement is touted to help menopausal and premenopausal women in the following areas:
hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, low energy and fatigue, sleeplessness, difficulty concentrating, irritability, menopausal headaches and stress, lack of sexual interest, muscle and joint aches, and menopausal weight gain.
Amberen Ingredients
According to Amberen.com 2 capsules contain 400 mg of the following ingredients:
- Ammonium succinate (key ingredient)
- Calcium disuccinate
- Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
- Glycine
- Magnesium disuccinate
- Zinc disuccinate hydrate
- Tocopherol acetate
In this list, the ingredients at the top make up most of the product, while those at the end make up the least. For example, since ammonium succinate is the first ingredient, it makes up most of the 400 mg dose of Amberen. Keep that ingredient in mind as it comes up in the Amberen clinical research studies, summarized below.
Other Ingredients
The package of the product also lists these other ingredients:
- Gelatin
- Rice flower
- Magnesium stearate
- Silicon dioxide
- Titanium dioxide
- Riboflavin
- Carmine (a food coloring)
- Water
These ingredients play no role in the effects or benefits of this supplement.
Let's take a brief look at each ingredient separately.
Ammonium Succinate
This is the main key ingredient in Amberen. It's also called succinate acid, and another name for it is “amber acid.” This is obviously where the supplement gets its name from. Succinic acid was first obtained from amber.
The Amberen.com website calls ammonium succinate a “Mitochondrial antioxidant” that blocks free radicals from doing damage. Mitochondria are a hot topic in anti-aging research. Oxidative damage to the mitochondria seems to play a role in aging. Fixing mitochondria dysfunction, some say can help slow aging. For more on this, see the reviews on:
The website also says, “ammonium succinate promotes the elimination of toxic by-products.” While they don't say what those toxic byproducts are, my guess is they may be talking about free radicals.
Calcium Disuccinate
This is another name for the mineral calcium. The addition of calcium to this supplement makes sense, given that low calcium levels seem to increase PMS symptoms. The calcium might also help offset bone loss that often accompanies menopause. There isn't a lot of calcium in Amberen, and that's probably good, as calcium supplements have been controversial because of side effects.
Monosodium Glutamate
Of all the ingredients in Amberen, this one seemed to garner the most attention by women commenting below. Some complained the monosodium glutamate (MSG) caused them to have side effects if they were sensitive to it.
On Amberen.com, they call this ingredient “Monosodium L-glutamate,” maybe as a way to diffuse the controversy. They also link to the FDA website, which says it's safe.
The company website says that only a small amount of MSG is used in Amberen in part to help “mitochondrial-benzodiazepine receptors.” Benzodiazepines are a class of medications (ex: Valium) that reduce anxiety. So it sounds like they are saying the MSG helps to calm women down by binding to the benzodiazepine receptors on the mitochondria.
Glycine
Glycine is an amino acid (non-essential amino acid, meaning we make this in our body). The product website says glycine is used to help the mitochondria in the brain work better, which in turn, helps improve “psycho-emotional balance.”
Some evidence suggests that glycine may help memory in both young and middle-aged adults. Since some women report memory problems with menopause, this may be another reason why glycine was added to the product. Some evidence suggests anti-aging effects too.
Glylcine & Memory
Watch my youtube channel if you prefer
Glycine also assists with the production of glutathione, a powerful antioxidant. Glycine is part of of the GlyNac supplement combination which has been studied for its possible anti-aging effects. Here is a review of GlyNac research
Watch on my YouTube channel
Magnesium Disuccinate
This magnesium is bound to succinic acid. A few studies have shown that magnesium might help PMS symptoms like fluid weight gain and mood changes.
Zinc Disuccinate Hydrate
This is the mineral zinc bound to succinic acid. As the product website states correctly, zinc does a lot of different things in the body. Zinc deficiency is rare for most people living in the US. The RDA for zinc is 8 mg/day in women.
Tocopherol Acetate
This is vitamin E. At least one study noted that vitamin E did not help hot flashes, while other studies show it does help hot flashes. Because it's an antioxidant, vitamin E is sometimes added to supplements to help reduce spoilage.
Amberen Clinical Research & Proof
Amberen is said to have 45 years of clinical research. This is true if you go back to 1971 and count the lab animal research. Much of the early research was not on Amberen, though (it wasn't around in 1971), but rather succinic acid. Succinic acid is the key ingredient in Amberen. Many of the studies are listed on Amberen.com but I located others that were not.
Here is a breakdown of the Amberen research:
2019 Study
This paper is a review article that combines the results of two previous clinical trials. After pooling the results of both studies, the authors concluded that there was evidence for Ambern helping reduce menopause symptoms.
2016 Study
This investigation was conducted in Russia, lasted three months, and involved 125 women aged 42-60 years of age. It was a placebo-controlled double-blind study (the best kind) sponsored by The Amberen company.
The women either took a placebo or Amberen. Women completed questionnaires before and after treatment. Those showed Amberen eased 13 out of 21 menopause symptoms. In other words, 62% of menopause symptoms tested showed improvements. Menopause symptoms that Amberen improved included night sweats, feelings of depression, hot flashes, insomnia, irritability, loss of libido, and lack of energy.
In addition, blood tests also noted Amberen significantly raised estrogen levels. Estrogen in women taking Ambern almost doubled, rising from 34 pg/ml to 66 mg/ml after 90 days. The women taking Amberen also saw improvements in body weight and waist circumference too. More specifically
- Body weight declined by 4%
- Body mass index declined by 4%
- Waist circumference was reduced by 3.6%
These benefits were not seen in women taking placebo pills.
In another paper published that year, the benefits of succinic acid are discussed. All the authors of that paper were scientific advisors for Lunada Biomedical – the company which makes Amberen.
2008 Study
In this study, Russian researchers noted the key ingredient in Amberen reversed menopause symptoms in rats. Amberen was given to older mice for 4 weeks. Amberen treatment was noted to improve several menopausal symptoms in the mice. The study was supported by Lunada Biomedical, the company which makes the supplement.
This study also exists under another name: A Succinate-Based Composition ”Rejuvenates” Aging Mice and Alleviates Menopausal Symptoms in Women Without Sex Hormone Replacement Therapy. It is also a Russian investigation and is published in another medical journal. Regardless, it's still a mouse study.
Amberen Clinical Studies Review Video
Watch on my Youtube channel if you prefer.
2005 Study
This investigation involved 70 women who were given Amberen or a placebo for three weeks. It was reported that after just three weeks, the women taking Amberen showed significant improvements in insomnia, feelings of depression and anxiety, and irritability. These benefits were not seen in women taking placebo pills.
2004 Study
The Amberen.com site lists a 3-year observational study involving 245 women. While they say Amberen was safe and effective. Unfortunately, they don't say where the study was published so I cannot comment on it.
The 4-Week Animal Study
At one time, the Lunada Biomedical website listed a 4-week study of older mice. No details were given about this study, but it sounds similar to the 2008 Amberen mice studies mentioned above. Might it be the same?
The 6-Week Animal Study
Again, the Amberen website gives no details about this study other than that Amberen was given to older female mice for 6 weeks and it helped them.
Even though the company that makes the product is based in the US, Many of the studies were conducted in Russia.
My Thoughts On The Amberen Research
Here are a few thoughts on the Amberen Research:
- Most of the studies appear to be conducted in Russia. This makes sense as I believe a Russian scientist first patented the method of making succinic acid.
- Some research findings are interesting, such as Amberen, which may raise estrogen levels, help mood, and maybe even help weight loss. The research needs to be replicated to confirm these findings.
- Lunada Biomedical supports research on succinic acid and Amberen. There's no problem with this as long as they don't play roles in the outcomes of the investigations. From what I can see, all appears to be ok in this regard.
- Several early studies have been conducted on lab animals.
Most research is on lab animals. I located only two human investigations. They were conducted in 2005 and 2016.
Where To Buy Amberen
Amberen Research Review Video
Here's a short video I created to help you better understand the evidence and claims of Amberen and how its supposed to work:
Who Makes Amberen?
The active ingredient in Amberen is patented. The patent number is US8546611B2. Originally, the company that made this supplement was called Lunada Biomedica. They were subsequently purchased by another company called BioGix, which was eventually gobbled up by yet another company called Alliance Pharma Inc. (alliancepharmaceuticals.com). That company is located in the United Kingdom at:
Avonbridge House
Bath Road
Chippenham
Wiltshire, UK
SN15 2BB
The Alliance Pharmaceuticals company represents many other familiar brands such as:
- Anbesol
- Forceval
- Hyddromol
- MucuShield
While the parent company is located in the UK, Amberen is manufactured and encapsulated in the US, using ingredients from around the world. To contact a Nurse Aid with questions about Amberen, call the company call at 800-222-3304. Another contact number is 800-993-6339.
Amberen And The FTC
- stop marketing the supplement for weight loss
- stop misrepresenting the results of studies
- stop non-disclosure of financial relationships with some endorsers
Contact Amberen
- Order Amberen: 800-993-6339
- Customer Care: 800-222-3304
- NurseAid: 800-211- 8021
Amberen Questions
1 Is It Vegan?
It's not vegan, but it is vegetarian. Because the capsules contain gelatin, it's technically not “vegan.”
2 How Much Should You Take?
It's recommended to take 2 capsules (1 white and 1 orange capsule) per day after breakfast. It may take 90 days before you notice differences taking effect.
3 Is it All-Natural?
In the US, “natural” and “all-natural” really don't have official definitions, so anybody can use them to say just about anything. Amberen.com states that while the ingredients are synthesized, they are bioidentical to how the compounds look in nature.
4 Can You Take It On An Empty Stomach?
I'm unaware of any evidence that says you can't do this but the product website says to take it with food. My guess is this is to reduce the chances of GI discomfort (no proof of this, though. It's a guess).
5 Over 45 Years of Clinical Research. Really?
Sort of, yes. Sort of no. The claim that Amberen has been used for over 45 years is based on taking into consideration the research on the key ingredient – succinic acid. That said, the supplement – Amberen – has not been around that long. Much of the research on succinic acid was done in the 1970s and much of that was not conducted in humans.
6 Where is Amberen Made?
The website doesn't specifically give the location except to say it's at a facility in Southern California and that they use globally sourced ingredients (from all over the world). Much of the research on this supplement comes from Russia.
7 Does It Have Soy?
No. there is no soy, black cohosh, maca, or other herbs
8 Does Amberen Contain Estrogen?
No. The supplement contains no estrogen or other hormones.
Amberen Guarantee
To get a full refund, the company website states the returned item must be “postmarked by the 60th day from your purchase date. To get a return label call the company at (800) 222-3304 and they will email you a return label. All returns are to be shipped to PO Box 10452 Van Nuys, CA-91410. There is only 1 refund issued per household.
How To Speak To A Nurse
To speak to a nurse, call 800-211-8012. The nurses featured on the supplement website are Holly D who is an RN and Marcy L who is a VN (vocational nurse). On the website, they call the nurses “NurseAid” and “Nurse Aid Agents.” They can help answer questions about the supplement but cannot give medical advice.
Amberen Side Effects
Is Amberen safe? For the vast majority of women, I feel it's safe. None of the original clinical studies reported bad side effects.
As you read the comments below, you'll notice some women have said they developed headaches after taking Amberen. Could that be due to the MSG or something else? The good news is this side effect seems to be very rare. Here are some general things to consider when taking this dietary supplement. This list is not complete:
While the product is likely very safe, here are some things to consider.
- Start with less than recommended for the first week to see how you respond.
- Discontinue use and consult your doctor if you have any adverse reactions.
- Stop taking the product at least two weeks before having surgery.
- Speak to your doctor first if you had a hysterectomy and/or oophorectomy. This caution is on the supplement website.
- The supplement is not intended for women who are not going through menopause or pre-menopause.
- The supplement should not be used by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Speak to your doctor/pharmacist first if you take any prescription medications.
- Women who have headache issues should talk to their doctor.
One disturbing report seems to link the Amberen to a heart problem called spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) a very serious medical condition. The report describes what happened to one woman, so it's difficult to know if the supplement caused this condition or not.
The supplement website site also says “Do not take if you have severe hypertension.” The company does not give a reason for this caution. Could this be related to the MSG which appears to raise blood pressure? When in doubt, call the company for more insights.
Amberen & Carol Nicholson
At one time, Carol Nicholson (Carol Nicholson-Kriegel), a registered nurse, was often heard in the radio commercials for this supplement. Carol was identified on the company website as “our menopause expert”. In addition to being a registered nurse, she also owns an advertising agency called International Marketing Company. Today, however, Carol is not found on the Lunada Biomedical website. Olympic athlete Mary Lou Retton also once appeared on the website, giving her testimonial after using the supplement for 90 days.
Amberen vs. Estroven
| Amberen 2 capsules | Estroven 1 caplet |
|---|---|
| Ammonium succinate | Total carbs <1g |
| Calcium disuccinate | Calcium (dicalcium phosphate) 90 mg (10%DV) |
| Monosodium Glutamate | Black cohosh root extract 80mg |
| Glycine | Soy isoflavones 60 mg |
| Magnesium disuccinate | Green tea leaf extract 100 mg |
| Zinc disuccinate hydrate | Yerba mate leaf extract 30 mg |
| Tocopherol acetate | Magnolia bark extract 15 mg |
What Is RU-21?
If you read through the testimonials below, you will see women saying that an anti-hangover supplement called RU-21 helped their hot flashes. Two capsules of RU21 contain 200 mg of succinic acid.
I have no idea if it helps hangovers (or hot flashes) but RU-21 is less expensive than Amberen. While I can't guarantee that it will work for everybody:
for those who are interested.
Does Amberen Work?
Several animal studies and some human clinical studies suggest Ameren may help ease symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes, sweating, low energy, and night sweats. Some of the testimonials below also reinforce this. If Amberen really works, it might be due to succinic acid, which is likely the active ingredient. While I'd like to see more human research, the fact remains that clinical studies on Amberen do exist, and this sets the supplement apart from many of its counterparts.
I tried Amberen for over 90 days and didn’t find any of their professed results of help with hot flashes, weight loss or improved sleep patterns. Shortly after I discontinued the product I noticed increased light and sound sensitivity, tinnitus and then constant (24/7) dizziness….a feeling like I just stepped off the boat and my head/eyes are having trouble functioning.
It has been over a year and a half searching with specialists and physical therapists all over the country to find the cure/cause for my symptoms. I had to stop working at a company I had been with for over 27 years because I could no longer sit behind the computer screen all day.
Although I cannot probably prove that Amberen is responsible, I am highly suspicious based on the timing of the events.
There is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY I would recommend this product to anyone.
Donna, I am so sorry you have been going through all of that! I sincerely hope you find an answer to what is ailing you.
I finished 90 days of Amberen (hot flashes did subside). I have been off for 3 days and am having very unpleasant heart palpitations, tinnitus, foggy dizziness, very achy legs, anxiety.
Rebound effect?
(Rebound effect of Prozac is, if you go off cold turkey, symptoms come back much worse than before. Took me years of roller-coastering to figure that out and understand it. Wondering if I’ve got myself into trouble again.)
Bethany, that’s strange. I dont think any one has said that before. I’m going to say go to your doctor today. I have no idea what is going on. I wish I had a better answer for you.
Hi Donna, just reading over your comment in the Amberen review several years ago and was wondering how you are doing? were you ever able to go back to work?>
I am an Amberen success story. In a matter of a week my horrendous hot flashes ceased and my night sweats reduced until eventually they stopped. After taking Amberen for 4-5 weeks my night sweats have returned so I am going to double up for a couple of weeks to see if that makes a difference. I will keep you all posted.
Wendy, great! Im glad Amberen has helped you 🙂
Hi all – Wow & Thanks! for all of the information, research & comments. This is an amazing site. I was looking at taking Amberen just for belly fat weight loss. all of this information has helped me decide to Not take the Amberen and to continue with the natural approach that I’ve been working on slowly but surely. Thanks again! Melanie :
Melanie, you are very welcome and I’m glad you found my site 🙂
I ordered Amberen as a last-ditch effort to get some sleep and relief from hot flashes. After about 10 days, frequency of hot flashes significantly decreased. At the end of 3 months, I reorderd Amberen, but I didn’t get it before my first batch ran out. Within 3-4 days, I started getting hot flashes again and having trouble sleeping. Just got the new box today.
My question is: How long can you continue to take it? I don’t have any noticeable side effects.
M.E. I have no idea how long people can take Amberen. I have not heard anything bad happening from long term use if that makes you feel better. Run the ingredients past a pharmacist and see what they think.
I have been taking Amberin for over two years for 3 months than off for about 9 months before my perimenopause symptoms come back. It really works for me and the only side effect is typically the first 30 days I get an upset stomach for about 15 minutes after taking it. It takes about a month of taking Amberin before I start to see a difference in the symptoms.
For hot flash relief I took regular dose for 3 weeks – no reduction at all, so started taking double-dose. Hot flashes totally disappeared after another week. Have been double-dosing for 2.5 weeks now and am hot-flash free. Not sure if it’s worth the very high price – guess I’ll figure it out once I take the recommended break.
I have been taking amberen for two weeks now and my symptoms have gotten worse. I now wake up every hour with hot flashes and have 5 to 6 a day. I also gained 2 pounds. I doubled my dosage yesterday and I seem to be worse. I know we are in the middle of a heatwave in NJ but before amberen I was waking up only 2 to 3 times a night and only 1 to 2 hot flashes a day.
I’m going to discontinue use of this product and get my money back. I’m glad I found this site and I’m not the only one who had adverse reactions to amberen.
I gave Amberen six expensive months to work…all I can say is it’s a rip off and the ads on radio and television are untrue. My hot flashes are MUCH worse, sleep is harder to come by, belly fat is NOT dropping off even with exercise and a sensible diet, energy levels are not higher, and libido is not enhanced. DO NOT waste your money on this product. I waited too long and can’t get a refund…don’t make the same mistake.
I had several very adverse reactions to Amberen and would NOT recommend it to anyone! Problems I experienced included: severe dizziness, extreme fatigue, mental disorientation, weakness, and drowsiness. I also gained 5 unwelcome pounds in a month!
Upon doing some Internet research, I’ve come to believe the main problem behind all these symptoms was the MSG (which incidentally is used in labs to cause rats to gain weight). In one of the 3 calls I made to the company’s nurses during the month I tried Amberen, they claimed they’d never had anyone have an adverse reaction to the MSG (which frankly I doubt is true).
I also noticed the nurses didn’t seem to have extensive knowledge of their own product (e.g., they didn’t know if it increases testosterone in women), and I think they should have told me to discontinue it immediately when I first reported such adverse effects, instead of recommending I take it every other day.
And I realize I should have discontinued it myself, but I wanted to give it a good try, after investing so much money and having experienced long-term, severe menopausal symptoms, which have seemed largely impervious to other treatments I’ve tried.
I heard tonight the FDA has approved a new drug for menopausal symptoms (an SSRI, I understand), which I will definitely NOT be trying, because I think a more natural approach would be far less likely to cause problems. So, my quest continues!
Jane, for what it’s worth I’ve also wondered about the nurses who field calls at Amberen. Are they RN’s, LPNs nurse practitioners (does anybody know?). Nobody has ever told me the nurses said stop to taking Amberen when they call with problems. The idea of having nurses field calls (rather than call center people) is a great idea but I wonder how much autonomy the nurses have in what they can say.
I am a nurse and work for lunada. We are all licensed nurses who take nurse consults. We provided proof of licensing upon our positions for lunada. We always try our best to give safe and effective advice to our clients. Clients seldom tell their doctors about taking amberen and some fear admitting taking amberen to their doctors. This causes some to ignore important chronic illnesses they may have.
Lunada nurses can not give medical advice over a phone. Therefore some clients become unsatisfied when nurses tell them to talk with their doctors before using amberen. I stand by amberen and use it myself. It works.
Macy, thanks for writing. Are the nurses RNs, LPNs, nurse practitioners or a mix of the three? Do you all work at the Lunada building or at a call center? Just tryig to get an idea how questions are fielded.
Joe,
I am reading your information regarding Amberen for the first time.
I purchased Amberen with the plan to start taking it today.
I Landed on this site as I was googling the ingredients.
If you are still around, I would love to provide you with info as I take Amberen.
Hi Lori, yes I am still around (I review supplements on this site very regularly). 🙂
Amberen made my skin itch like crazy. After I suspected it, I stopped taking it and after a couple of days it got out of my system and the itching has stopped.
Debbie, that sounds like an allergic reaction to me. Glad you stopped taking Amberen if you had that symptom.
Did NOT work for me… insteaad I put on weight! When I contacted them to get advice, all they offered were excuses. Don’t buy it!
Joe,
Thank you for this post on Amberen. I found your commentary on the ingredients very helpful, and was particularly alarmed by the fact that they use MSG in their product. I couldn’t imagine why anyone would supplement MSG (especially since it’s known to cause weight gain), so I did some further research and found this article:
onlinecoralcalcium.com/file/Amberen%20Ingredients.pdf
It seems to be Amberen’s dosage listing and explanation of ingredients. It states that in small doses MSG “may positively affect the performance of mitochondrial-benzodiazepine receptors in peripheral tissues and stabilize energy status”, which seems to go along with what you were saying about glutamine. I’ve never heard of MSG being used in this way, and would really like your opinion on the article. It lists the dosage at 40 mgs.
Thanks again.
Lori, thanks. the pdf file didn’t work but I noticed it’s a link to a coral calcium site by Bob Bearfoot. As a rule I’m very skeptical of Bob Bearfoot (and coral calcium) because of his infomercials with kevin trudeau in the 90s. Here is a couple of links that give some background info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Barefoot
http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/DSH/coral.html
Hmm… a man who peddles calcium carbonate as a wonder cure. I really didn’t need to read the whole article to come to the same conclusion as you. Thanks for the info. I had never heard of him or coral calcium.
I looked up RU-21 after leaving my comment here, and found that this product also contains a form of MSG. 250 mg of L-Glutamic Acid HCL to be exact, along with 200 mg of Succinic Acid (ammonium succinate), making it similar to Amberen which has 200 mg of ammonium succinate and 40 mg MSG, like you mentioned.
From everything I’ve read about glutamic acid, it is so prevalent in our food, that it is very rare anyone would ever become deficient in it or need to supplement it. I can’t understand why Amberen would include it in their product, and I won’t be using it because of this.
Regarding RU-21, I happen to know from experience that you can go to McDonald’s and order the egg mcmuffin breakfast combo and cure a hang over in 30 minutes for probably cheaper than the product costs. If you didn’t want to eat all the calories, you could probably swallow a tsp of Accent seasoning salt for the same effect, but I wouldn’t recommend it.
Thanks again for all the info on this product.
Lori, that’s too funny about McDonalds! If I drank I’d be tempted to test that out 😉
I am in the women’s health field and also happily menopausal. Evèryone is looking for some magic for a normal course of aging. Here is the answer. Eat natural healthy foods without steroids and additives,eat the proper amount of calories required by YOUR body, exercise everyday,get some sunlight,do something you like to do. This solves a lot of problems.
I’m not saying some people don’t have more hot flashes or insomnia, but that doesn’t mean it requires medication or an expensive unproven supplement Personally, I’d rather take a well studied pharmaceuticals prepared FDA approved drug than a supplement you can’t find information or contraindications for.
As far as I know, there has been no reported deaths from menopause, although may feel like it. To me, throwing up for months during pregnancy and the sleep deprivation from having a newborn was much worse, yet it was all temporary ! And so is this.
Spend your money on good food,stress relieving activities,some good music or books or a gym membership or a fun Zumba class.
I have been waiting 7 years now for it to end and I am only 50! My hot flashes are intense and really GROSS and sweaty all day and all night! My family history shows that I am doomed! My grandmother had them well into her 80’s and my mom who is now in her 70’sstill has them just as bad! So if there is ANY supplement that claims to help relieve some of this misery then I’d be glad to try it!
Linda, Id say give it a shot and see if it works. you should know in a few weeks if its working or not.
I am intrigued by what I have read! I am 51 and have been suffering severely with 4-5 night sweats each night which start off with menacing heart palpitations that wake me first then the heat kicks in and during the day I get the same but I get very agitated just prior to the hot flash! I have been post period for about 7 years already and the hot flashes have been about that long too. They are getting worse instead of better.
I have tried several supplements with no avail….also tried Effexor which within 3 months about 1/4 of my already thin hair fell out! I am going to try the RU21 and see what it does for me. But what really has me interested is the Diatomaceous Earth product. I am interested in any more info you could provide on that. Here’s to hoping this might provide some relief as my whole life is being ruined by these night sweats and hot flashes! Thanks.
Lin, so far I have not looked at Diatomaceous Earth. Does anybody else have anything to add on this?
I am into the 2nd week of Amberen. I started my period the day I started the pils. My flow is heavy with clots. I have never had a period this bad! Could Amberen be the cause? Or just a coincidence that I am officially going through the changes.?
Hi, wow— you’ve answered all my Amberen questions!! Thank you. I’m 54, post meno, and I’ve been taking Rhubarb Root tincture for hot flashes, works completely for me. There’s a pill made from rhubarb rt used extensively in Europe, but it didn’t work for me, where the tincture did.
Doesn’t get rid of my belly fat, or give me energy –bummer— just gets rid of my hot flashes completely when I take it– they come back in about a week if I stop.
Win
Win, thanks I’m happy I was able to help! Glad Amberen is helping you 🙂
FWIW I am 50 and 1.5 yrs post menopausal and somewhat of a natural health enthusiast. I had HORRENDOUS hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, and emotional lability for about a year before and during menopause. I tried many things to no avail and ended up on “bioidentical” HRT. STANDARDIZED dosing from a pharmacy. My GYN is also a medical researcher and he says he is more confident about knowing that the dose is consistent this way instead of using a compounding pharmacy AND that there is absolutely no convincing hard evidence showing any long term increased cancer risk by taking them.
He believes I will likely only need to take them for 2-3 years and then be able to stop without symptoms returning. However, if they do at all, I will go the homeopathic route. At first, the progesterone (derived from peanut oil) made me sleep 10+ hours per night, but after about 6 weeks I adjusted and now feel great. Also panicky feeling has subsided but I am anxious by nature so working on that naturally.
I would never try Amberen bc I will not ingest any dose of MSG which induces neural cell death and I need all my brain cells! I am a grad student (at 50!) in a cognitive science field and have done enough research to know that protecting my aging brain is crucial!
Thank you Joe for summarizing the research on Amberen rather nicely – given limited access you are a time saver for people like me.
TC, glad you were able to find me and that I was able to help.
Wow! Thanks, Joe, and Chi, and all who have posted their experiences and research about Amberen, RU21, diatomaceous earth, bio-similar hormones, etc. it’s been an education, first reading Joe’s article, then all your comments and responses! Don’t think I’m going to be purchasing Amberen, in spite of the enormous volume of radio ads I’m subjected to daily. However, the conversations, above, have given me a few other possibilities to research/investigate.
At 50, I am still suffering from moderate hot flashes (and accompanying sleep disruption) but it’s not as severe as in the past. Suspect that is due to my following my Dr.’s recommendation to take *Maximum Strength Estroven* daily. Recently noticed that Estroven now has a ‘Weight Loss’ blend, which I am curious about. (Haven’t tried it.) I am easily 20-30 lbs heavier than I should be, all of which seems to have accumulated in the last 3-4 years.
When I first reported the sleep loss and night sweats to my physician, she immediately started talking about hormone replacement – which alarmed me a bit as a first response. So she suggested the Estroven, and we’re tracking that for several months now. Guess the biggest test (to my mind) will be whether symptoms worsen as the Texas summer progresses – as it seems my hot flashes are worst during the heat of summer…
Again, thanks for all the info!
Mary, glad to help 🙂
Thank you for this review of Amberen ingredients and the discussion posts. A cpap machine recently improved my sleep and took my chest pain away. Sleep apnea (the bad snoring is sign) worsened around same decade as menopause. Occasional 500mg Magnesium supplement and 5mg of Melatonin helps.
Good rest is helping my irritability and fatigue. Less fatigue provides energy to exercise. Exercise helps me feel better but weight gain remains problematic.
Wondering if succinic acid could help with night sweats. My husband had heard all the Amberen ads while listening to radio. I appreciated recognizing I am not alone in all the symptoms of many menopausal women but the ad hype for Amberen seemed too good to be true.
Appears to be one of the many ad campaigns promoting The Pill of Health which is always tempting but for me, these pill promises have been mostly expensive false hopes.
Appreciate your work in searching out what the ingredients and research was behind the product.
Karen, glad you found my review helpful. Hard to say if succinic acid would help with night sweats. The good news is its a lot less expensive than Amberen. Here is one brand of succinic acid I found on amazon. there are others there also. Id guess that you would have your answer in about an month or so. If it helps, do let me know.