Certified by the GenM Collective—the menopause partner signposting products through its Mtick certification—the new Empower duo includes a capsule for perimenopause and another for menopause.
The formulations target a significant number of the 48 symptoms identified by GenM, including those related to tiredness and fatigue, mood changes and anxiety, poor concentration or memory, sleep disruption, bone and immune system changes, and skin and hair changes.
The five-year-young brand offers a portfolio of liquid and capsule mushrooms supplements produced via ultrasonic assisted extraction technique. This avoids alcohol and hot temperatures, thereby reducing damage to the mushrooms’ beneficial compounds and resulting in a sweeter tasting product (when in liquid form) thanks to the use of glycerine rather than alcohol as solvent.
With a 65% female consumer base and a large proportion between the ages of 35 and 60, it is no surprise that menopause symptoms emerged as a key health concern.
“We’ve started to focus more on the need states of our consumers,” Smith Feeney, founder of Love Mushrooms, told NutraIngredients.
“We noted that a lot of women’s wellness supplements will target certain symptoms with minimal quantities of active ingredients. We focus on providing efficacious doses of all active ingredients listed on our jars, while maintaining an affordable price point.”
The peri-menopause capsules contain lion’s mane, maitake, cordyceps and reishi mushrooms, plus ashwagandha and saffron, red clover and dong quai, zinc, magnesium, vitamin B6 and D3.
The menopause supplement lists lion’s mane, shiitake, maitake, cordyceps and reishi mushrooms, plus red clover, sage, hops, saffron, magnesium, zinc, vitamins B6, B12, D3 and K2 and folate.
Despite the use of premium ingredients, the products remain competitively priced at £29.99 a month on subscription.
“Something Smith won’t necessarily discuss is that his not-for-profit background has made him devoted to making his products as affordable and accessible as possible,” Rachael Hall, the brand’s marketing and business development lead, told NI.
“Many people have been surprised at our decision to put saffron into a product when it is such an expensive ingredient, but the wealth of data around mood swings, anxiety, sleep disturbances and hot flashes meant we wanted to include it in the product, against cost advice.”
Given the GenM tick
To be able to display the MTick, brands must provide scientific backing for any health claims related to menopause symptoms, as well as meet stringent safety standards.
The Love Mushrooms team ensured the products were accredited by GenM before going to production as they were mindful not to add to the landscape of ‘meno-washing’ me-too products, Feeney said.
The brand plans to move into functional food and drink in the menopause space, with a coffee product soon to launch during a national menopause event, Pause Live, in London, on Oct. 4, 2025. The decaf coffee will contain the same ingredients as the menopause capsule.
Explaining the NPD progression, Feeney said: “We began with liquid drops, then moved onto capsules which are much more familiar, and therefore more appealing, especially for the older generations of consumers.”
Hall added: “Bringing out our first functional drink is a very exciting moment for us as its an easy way for customers to introduce the ingredients into their daily ritual.”
