Dietary supplements are commonly used for menopause symptoms amid concerns about hormone therapy: a cross-sectional study

Many women use dietary supplements to manage menopause symptoms, yet patterns of use, perceived effectiveness, and information sources remain incompletely described in contemporary literature. This cross-sectional study assessed current dietary supplement use, including use specifically for menopause symptoms, and perceptions of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) among symptomatic menopausal women aged 45-65 years.

An online questionnaire was administered to a self-selected sample of 226 perimenopausal or postmenopausal participants recruited through online health forums, social media, menopause support groups, and newsletters. Survey items captured sociodemographic characteristics, health, supplement use, perceived effectiveness, information sources, and MHT awareness and concerns. Associations were examined using cross-tabulations, chi-square and exact tests, Spearman correlations, and logistic regression.

Current use of at least one dietary supplement, for any purpose, was reported by 138 participants (61.1%; 95% CI 54.6-67.2). Self-reported use of supplements specifically to manage menopause symptoms (menopause-targeted use) was reported by 65 participants (28.9%; 95% CI 23.4-35.1). Among supplement users, the most frequently reported products were multivitamins (55.8%), vitamin D (52.9%), magnesium (51.4%), and probiotics (41.3%). MHT awareness was high (n = 187, 82.7%) and increased with income. Concerns about breast cancer (47.8%), blood clotting (44.7%), stroke (40.7%), and heart disease (37.2%) as risks of MHT were frequently reported. Healthcare providers and online sources were the leading sources of information, and social media influencers were rated least trustworthy. Former smokers (adjusted OR 2.98, 95% CI 1.21-7.34) and never smokers (adjusted OR 3.92, 95% CI 1.59-9.65) had higher odds of any supplement use than current smokers; this association was not observed for menopause-targeted use.

In this self-selected online sample, current dietary supplement use for any purpose was common, although fewer than half of supplement users reported using supplements to manage menopause symptoms. Concerns about MHT persisted despite high awareness. These estimates should not be generalized to the broader population of midlife women. Future studies using probability-based samples and validated symptom measures are needed to characterize menopause-targeted supplement use and to inform clinical strategies that support individualized menopause care.