Menopause, or when monthly menstruation discontinues following a decline ovarian follicular function, typically occurs in women between the ages of 45 and 55.¹
Meanwhile, perimenopause refers to the transition phase in which there are fluctuations in hormone levels that can last between three and seven years.² With roughly 2 million women in the US entering menopause every year, it is no surprise that the menopause supplement market is projected to continue to grow at a steady pace.³ With more than 34 symptoms linked to the onset of menopause, the category remains ripe for innovation.⁴
One market report suggests that the global menopause supplement market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.54% between 2026 and 2034, reaching an estimated $30.20 billion.⁵ Also, over one third of global female consumers rely on vitamin and mineral supplements for hormonal and menopause support and one in six supplements for women’s health mention menopause.⁶
A new certification highlights products that support menopause – underscoring formulas backed by clinical evidence for menopause-specific benefits and helping consumers to identify them.⁷
Despite a continually growing population of women entering menopause and a concomitant growth in demand for related supplements, research has historically lagged. Research suggests that preclinical studies including menopausal research models constitute less than 1% of research published on aging biology.⁸ This lack of research translates into limited formulation options for brands looking to support women undergoing menopause.
New research by Vidya (Bunnell, Florida), a leading manufacturer of botanical extracts and probiotics, aimed to take a step towards expanding the body of knowledge as it relates to menopause. The company recently completed a human clinical trial on a proprietary combination of shatavari root (Asparagus racemosus) and ashoka bark extracts (Saraca asoca) – ShataVida™ – in women reporting hot flashes (under preparation for publication).
Shatavari has a long history of use in Ayurveda to support women’s health, and more specifically, hormonal health.⁹ The name translates to ‘100 below’ or ‘100 roots’, but another translation refers to the plant as ‘she who possesses a hundred husbands’.¹⁰⁻¹¹ Ashoka bark also has a history of use as a decoction to help address the symptoms of menopause. The name means ‘without sorrow’. Vidya’s blend is standardized to contain no less than (NLT) 15% saponins.¹²⁻¹³
In the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, women ages 40 to 55 who had moderate to severe ratings on the Kupperman Menopausal Index (mKMI), a measure of menopausal symptom severity, and symptoms of hot flashes were administered 100mg of ShataVida, or a matching placebo 30 minutes before dinner (100mg/day), for 8 weeks.
In comparison to the placebo group, it was found that the ShataVida group had a significant improvement in the MENQOL (Menopause-Specific Quality of Life) questionnaire as well as specific portions of the questionnaire including the vasomotor and physical domains.
Secondary measures further confirmed the benefits of the extract blend for menopause, including significant improvements in the mKMI and the severity of hot flashes and night sweats as assessed by the menopausal visual analog scale (MVAS). Furthermore, those taking ShataVida had significant improvements in measures of sleep, fatigue and sexual function in comparison to the placebo.
Sleep was evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), while fatigue was measured through the Chalder Fatigue Questionnaire (CFQ). Lastly, sexual function was measured using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI).
Evidence-based options for menopause support
These benefits may in part be explained by the hormonal effects of the blend revealed by the clinical trials. ShataVida supplementation resulted in a significant increase in estradiol (E2) in comparison to the placebo. Symptoms of low estrogen during menopause often include hot flashes, flushes and night sweats.¹⁴
“Not only did the study confirm the symptomatic benefits of ShataVida for menopausal women, but the improvements in estradiol highlighted a potential mechanism of action,” says Dr. Christopher Bailey, Ph.D., Director, Technical Business Development at Vidya.
“Our customers have been waiting for us to tackle menopause with a clinically backed solution,” adds Arthur Radcliffe, East Coast Regional Sales Director at Vidya.
To date, available options with clinical substantiation for menopause has been largely limited, and includes botanicals such as fenugreek, hops and saffron. Historically, material input requirements have posed one of the biggest challenges to using botanical extracts in dietary supplements.
The low dose used in the study allows for brands to incorporate multiple other ingredients to differentiate themselves on the shelf or online through e-commerce channels. “Large dose requirements often stifle innovation, as brands struggle to create a comprehensive solution to a given health benefit category if their desired combination of ingredients result in too many capsules for the consumer,” says Dr. Bailey.
ShataVida’s clinical results signal meaningful progress in a category that has long lacked diverse, evidence-based options for menopausal support. By delivering measurable improvements across key symptoms at a low, formulation-friendly dose – and by demonstrating a potential mechanism through its effect on estradiol – the ingredient offers formulators a new tool with both practical and scientific merit.
References
- World Health Organization. Menopause.
- Georgetown University. A Guide to Perimenopause, Menopause, and Postmenopause.
- AARP. Women in Menopause Often Go Untreated.
- The Menopause Charity. Join the dots: A-Z symptoms list.
- Straits. Menopause Supplements Market Size & Outlook, 2026-2034.
- Innova Market Insights. Global Ingredients for Women’s Health Supplements.
- GenM.
- Gilmer, G.; et al. Female aging: when translational models don’t translate. Nat Aging. 2023; 3, 1500–1508.
- Powers, W. Ayurvedic Home Remedies Revealed: A Complete Guide to India’s 5,000-Year-Old Medical Practices.
- Pole, S. Ayurvedic Medicine.
- McIntyre, A. Herbal Treatment of Children.
- Ashtekar, S. Health and Healing.
- Synovitz, L B. Consumer Health & Integrative Medicine: A Holistic View of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Practices.
- University of Rochester. Low Estrogen Levels in Menopause.
