8 Best herbal pills for menopause
· Pausive Team
Hot flashes in the middle of the day, sweats before dawn, a shorter fuse. You want something that helps, and you'd rather it be natural.
Several plants have real research behind them, and our menopause supplement page explains how they fit into your day.
How herbal pills for menopause work
They're capsules or tablets made from plant extracts, with no lab-made hormones. You can buy them without a prescription, in pharmacies and online.
Soy and red clover contain isoflavones, plant compounds that act like a gentle estrogen. Black cohosh and sage work in other ways.
Their effect is milder than hormone therapy's, but for many women they're the first step they'd rather take.
Herbal pills covered in this guide
This guide covers 8 herbal pills for menopause, from the plants most studied for the heat to the ones that help with mood:
- Pausive
- Black cohosh
- Soy isoflavones
- Red clover
- Sage
- Chasteberry
- Wild yam
- Ashwagandha
Natural menopause supplements, one by one
1. Pausive
Pausive is our daily supplement for perimenopause and menopause. It supports hot flashes, night sweats and sleep broken by the heat.
It brings six of the seven plants that follow into one habit: 2 capsules with breakfast, no hormones and no shelf full of bottles.
2. Black cohosh for hot flashes
Black cohosh is one of the most studied herbs for hot flashes, and it contains no hormones. It's the classic herbal pill for daytime heat.
You take it every day and notice it over the weeks. Read more about the plant on our black cohosh page.
3. Soy isoflavones for menopause
Soy isoflavones act like a gentle estrogen. Across 17 studies, they cut hot flash frequency by 20.6% and severity by 26.2%.1
They work best when you take them every day. Our hot flash relief page adds more ideas for the hottest days.
4. Red clover for menopause
Red clover has a different mix of isoflavones from soy, which is why the two often sit together in menopause formulas.
Women use it for hot flashes and for vaginal comfort as estrogen drops, two changes that often arrive together.
5. Sage for night sweats
Sage is the traditional herb for heavy sweating and the sweats that soak your sheets. It's the pick when the heat wakes you up.
It fits well into your evening routine. Our night sweat relief page has more ideas for sleeping cooler.
6. Chasteberry for PMS and mood
Chasteberry is the go-to herb for PMS. In 170 women, 52% cut their symptoms in half, compared with 24% on placebo.2
It helps most in perimenopause, while you still have periods. More on our menopause mood swings page.
7. Wild yam, a traditional herb
Wild yam is a traditional herb for the cycle and feminine comfort, used mostly alongside other plants in blends.
Research on it alone is limited, so it shines inside a formula. Read more about wild yam benefits for females.
8. Ashwagandha for stress
Ashwagandha is an Ayurvedic herb for stress. In 100 perimenopausal women, it lowered symptoms more than placebo over 8 weeks.3
It's a good extra if stress won't let you rest. Check with your doctor first if you have a thyroid condition or take other medication.
What to take for menopause by symptom
Start with the symptom that affects your day the most. Each plant is studied for one or two symptoms, not all of them at once.
- Daytime hot flashes: black cohosh, soy and red clover.
- Night sweats: sage and black cohosh.
- PMS and mood swings: chasteberry, plus ashwagandha if stress is high.
- Several symptoms at once: a formula that combines plants, like Pausive.
If you have several symptoms, a combined formula saves you buying five bottles and makes it much easier to stay consistent.
Natural treatment for menopause vs hormone therapy
Hormone therapy is still the most effective option for hot flashes. Your doctor prescribes it and checks with you whether it's right for you.
Herbal pills are for women who would rather start without hormones, or can't take them. Their effect is gentler and builds over weeks.
Our guide to natural alternatives to HRT compares the two options in more detail, so you can talk it through with your doctor.
Herbal pills to think twice about
Some popular options have less support than their reputation suggests, so it's worth knowing them before you buy.
- Flaxseed hasn't worked for hot flashes, though it's still good food for digestion.
- Evening primrose oil has small, mixed research for the heat.
- Hormone creams sold online can contain real hormones without a doctor checking the dose.
When a product promises to fix every symptom in days, that's a good reason to keep looking.
How to choose a good herbal pill
Look for plants with research for your main symptom and a brand you can identify, with clear directions for use.
Note your symptoms for a week before you start, and check again at 8 to 12 weeks, how long most studies lasted.
If you take medication, talk to your doctor. Our guide on how to choose a menopause supplement walks you through it.
Herbal pills for menopause FAQs
What is the best herbal pill for menopause?
The one built on plants studied for your main symptom. For hot flashes and night sweats, Pausive brings them together in one daily habit.
Do herbal pills for menopause contain hormones?
They contain no lab-made hormones. Soy and red clover have isoflavones, plant compounds that act like a gentle estrogen.
How long do herbal pills take to work?
Most need 8 to 12 weeks of daily use, about how long most studies lasted. Take yours at the same time each day so you don't forget it.
Do menopause pills cause weight gain?
There's no evidence that herbal pills make you gain weight. Weight in this stage depends more on sleep, muscle and what you eat.
Can you take herbal pills with other medication?
Often yes, but some herbs interact with blood thinners or thyroid medication. Show your doctor what you plan to take.
What vitamins should you take for menopause?
Vitamin D, calcium and B12 matter most at this stage. A blood test tells you which ones you're really short on.
Sources
- Taku K et al., Menopause, 2012: across 17 placebo-controlled trials, soy isoflavones cut hot flash frequency by 20.6% and severity by 26.2%.
- Schellenberg R, BMJ, 2001: in a three-cycle placebo-controlled trial of 170 women with PMS, 52% of those taking agnus castus (chasteberry) halved their symptoms, compared with 24% on placebo.
- Gopal S et al., Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research, 2021: in an 8-week trial of 100 perimenopausal women, ashwagandha root extract lowered menopause symptom scores more than placebo.