According to Dr Novita Puspasari, scientific affairs manager at H&H Group, women’s health is a continuous journey that presents significant opportunities for innovation.
“As women transition through their life stages, we see hormonal health as an important lens as to how we can create more effective and more targeted solutions for women. What excites me is that there is so much opportunity in this area,” she told NutraIngredients at the recent Growth Asia Summit.
During her presentation, Dr Novita referred perimenopause as a “window of vulnerability”, where rapidly fluctuating ovarian hormones interact with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) stress axis, increasing sensitivity to stress.
In particular, symptoms such as hot flashes are known to be triggered or intensified by stress and elevated cortisol.
Citing data from hormonal tracking of women undergoing perimenopause, she said, “It’s truly a period of biochemical volatility, which can lead up to 60 reported symptoms, including hot flashes, sleep problems, night sweats, brain fog, changes in weight and mood swings.”
Additionally, H&H’s data indicates that one in three women aged 35 and above are currently experiencing perimenopause or menopause symptoms. For most, symptoms are mild (49%) or moderate (38%).
“Along with opportunities are also challenges to overcome. There is a clear, huge gap between research and innovation. From an ingredient perspective, for example, there is a lack of ingredients that have been shown and clinically trialled for women at specific life stages,” she said.
She pointed out that further R&D and innovation from both ingredient suppliers and brands are needed to create more targeted solutions that support women’s health needs more effectively.
Unlocking potential
One of the products that Dr Novita spotlighted is Swisse Ultiboost Perimenopause Balance, which contains KSM-66, a branded, high-concentration, root-only extract of the ashwagandha plant (Withania somnifera).
It is targeted at hormonal modulation, namely estradiol and follicle-stimulating hormone, as well as regulating the HPA axis to restore homeostasis. The ingredient is backed by clinical evidence for its benefits on managing hot flashes, night sweats, irritability and sleeplessness in perimenopausal women.
“Adaptogens like ashwagandha have been shown to help manage stress levels, bringing the body back to a state of homeostasis. We thought that this is a perfect way to use ashwagandha during the perimenopause period,” she said. “Products such as this are just the beginning of unlocking what’s possible from a women’s health perspective.”
Watch the video to find out more.
