7. Relying on Supplements Instead of Healthy Habits
The shelves are packed with pills promising to balance hormones, stop hot flashes, improve sleep, and ease nearly every other menopausal symptom. But while the market for menopause supplements continues to grow, it’s still unclear how well they work.
“There are many claims that supplements help with perimenopausal symptoms, but most of them don’t have good evidence,” says Bhuyan.
Instead: Make your primary focus a healthy diet, regular exercise, good sleep, and stress management. Vitamin D, though, is a supplement with high-quality evidence for supporting bone health.
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“I recommend this to all perimenopausal and menopausal women to reduce fracture risk,” she says. Ask your doctor if you should consider taking a vitamin D supplement.Note: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve supplements for safety or effectiveness. Talk to a healthcare professional about whether a supplement is the right fit for your individual health, and about any potential drug interactions or safety concerns.
