Complementary and Integrative Health and Menopause

“There are many alternative medicines that claim
to help ease the symptoms of menopause.
But few of them have been proved in studies”.1

Umbrella

What may the Complementary and Integrative Health and Menopause Umbrella include?

Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:

  • Acupuncture
  • Alternative Medicine Practices/Products/Remedies/Therapies/Treatments
  • Ayurveda/Ayurvedic Medicine
  • Bioidentical Hormone Therapy/Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy
  • Bioidentical Hormones
  • Chinese Medicine Remedies/Therapies/Treatments
  • Chiropractic
  • Complementary Health Practices/Products/Remedies/Therapies/Treatments
  • Complementary Medicine (CM)
  • Complementary Medicine Practices/Products/Remedies/Therapies/Treatments
  • Complementary Medicines and Therapies (CM&T)
  • Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)
  • Complementary and Integrative Health (CIH)
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Energy Medicine
  • Herbal Remedies/Treatments
  • Homeopathy
  • Hypnosis/Hypnotherapy
  • Integrative Health Care/Medicine
  • Manipulative and Body Based Therapies
  • Massage/Remedial Massage
  • Meditation
  • Menopause/Perimenopause/Postmenopause
  • Mind and Body Approaches/Practices/Therapies/Treatments
  • Mindfulness
  • Natural Approaches/Practices/Products/Remedies/Therapies/Treatments
  • Naturopathy
  • Non Mainstream Health Care
  • Nutrition/Nutritional/Dietary Approaches
  • Osteopathy
  • Prayer
  • Psychotherapy
  • Qi Gong
  • Reflexology
  • Reiki
  • Relaxation
  • Remedial Therapy
  • Spiritual Healing
  • Supplements
  • Tai Chi
  • Therapeutic Touch
  • Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
  • Traditional Medicine
  • Yoga

Complementary Treatments

Is there an association between complementary treatments and menopause symptoms?

In Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment: Alternative Medicine the (United States) Mayo Clinic elaborate on:

“There are many alternative medicines that claim to help ease the symptoms of menopause. But few of them have been proved in studies. Some complementary and alternative treatments that have been or are being studied include:

  • Plant Estrogens, also called phytoestrogens…
  • Bioidentical hormones…
  • Cognitive behavioural therapy…
  • Black Cohosh…
  • Yoga…
  • Acupuncture…
  • Hypnosis….

You may have heard of or tried other dietary supplements, such as red clover, kava, dong quai, DHEA, evening primrose oil and wild yam, a natural progesterone cream. There’s no scientific proof that they work. Some of these products may be harmful”.2

Natural Therapies

What are natural therapies?

DotS the definition of natural therapies may vary. In Treatments for Menopause: Natural Therapies for Menopause the (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health (JH) definition is:

“Natural therapies are part of a broad range of complementary medicine and therapies (CAM), including:

  • Supplements (vitamins, minerals and fish oils)
  • Herbal medicine (tea, tablets and liquids)
  • Nutrition
  • Relaxation
  • Mindfulness
  • Meditation
  • Aromatherapy
  • Acupuncture
  • Yoga”.3

The NAMS 2023 Nonhormone Therapies Position Statement for Bothersome Menopause Symptoms

What did the results include in The NAMS 2023 Nonhormone Therapies Position Statement for Bothersome Menopause Symptoms, dated June 2023?

In The 2023 Nonhormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society: Results included:

“Results: Evidence-based review of the literature resulted in several nonhormone options for the treatment of vasomotor symptoms.

Recommended: Cognitive-behavioral therapy, clinical hypnosis, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors/ serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, gabapentin, fezolinetant (Level I); oxybutynin (Levels I-II); weight loss, stellate ganglion block (Levels II-III).

Not recommended: Paced respiration (Level I); supplements/herbal remedies (Levels I-II); cooling techniques, avoiding triggers, exercise, yoga, mindfulness-based intervention, relaxation, suvorexant, soy foods and soy extracts, soy metabolite equol, cannabinoids, acupuncture, calibration of neural oscillations (Level II); chiropractic interventions, clonidine; (Levels I-III); dietary modification and pregabalin (Level III)”.4

In Complementary Therapies for Management of Menopausal Symptoms: A Systematic Review To Inform the Update of the International Menopause Society Recommendations on Women’s Midlife Health: Abstract – Conclusion: Plain Language Summary, published 07 January 2026, the authors include:

Complementary and Integrative Health and Menopause

  • “In summary, complementary therapies including vitamin D, black cohosh and Chinese herbal medicine may help some menopausal symptoms, but more high-quality research is needed to understand how effective and safe these treatments truly are. In general, most complementary therapies appeared safe, with few serious side effects reported. However, more high-quality research on complementary therapies is required to confirm the benefits and risks to menopausal women”.5

Black Cohosh

Is there an association between black cohosh and menopause symptoms?

In Black Cohosh: What Have We Learned? last updated November 2024, the NCCIH elaborate on:

  • “A 2023 review of 22 studies of products containing black cohosh extracts, alone or in combination with other herbs, found that they were potentially beneficial for overall menopause symptoms. Data on specific symptoms showed improvements in hot flashes but not anxiety or depressive symptoms
  • It’s uncertain whether black cohosh can reduce hot flashes related to breast cancer treatment”.6

Safe or Not

Are these therapies safe?

On page one in Complementary & Alternative Therapies: Non Hormonal Treatments for Menopause Symptoms, reviewed November 2025, the (British) Women’s Health Concern (WHC) note:

“One of the powerful messages coming from the NICE Guideline is that herbal remedies which are not regulated by a medicine authority should not be considered safe, as there is much variety in their effectiveness and potency and there may be significant side effects or interactions. The same warning is given for compounded bioidentical hormone therapy which is not regulated or subject to the same quality control as conventional HRT”.7

Healthy Lifestyle

Is there an association between implementing or maintaining a healthy lifestyle and the improvement of menopause symptoms?

On page one in the Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause one of the recommendations is:

  • “Women should be advised that implementing or maintaining a healthy lifestyle can improve menopause symptoms. A healthy diet (one low in saturated fat and salt and rich in calcium and vitamin D), stopping smoking, reducing alcohol intake and including regular exercise can be beneficial. Reducing caffeine intake may also improve symptoms”.8

Health Care Provider

What if I choose to use CIH?

If you choose to use CIH it may be in your best interest to also choose to talk with your health care providers about this.

In Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment: Alternative Medicine the Mayo Clinic explain

“Talk with your healthcare professional before taking any herbal or dietary supplements for menopause symptoms. The FDA does not oversee herbal products. Some can be harmful or affect other medicines you take, putting your health at risk”.9

What is the FDA?

FDA can be an abbreviation for the (United States) Food and Drug Administration.

Health Topics A-Z

Where may I find Health Topics A-Z related to Complementary and Integrative Health and Menopause?

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Health Topics A-Z

Links

Where may I find Links related to Complementary and Integrative Health and Menopause?

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Links

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New or Updated

  1. BMS TV: Complementary and Alternative Therapies
  2. Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer?
  3. CBT for Menopausal Symptoms
  4. Can Hot Flashes Be Managed Through Diet?
  5. Cannabis and Public Health: About CBD
  6. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) for Menopausal Symptoms
  7. Complementary & Alternative Therapies: Non-Hormonal Treatments for Menopause Symptoms
  8. Complementary Medicines and Therapies for Hot Flushes
  9. Complementary Medicines and Therapies: Options for Menopausal Symptoms
  10. Complementary Therapies for Management of Menopausal Symptoms: A Systematic Review To Inform the Update of the International Menopause Society Recommendations on Women’s Midlife Health
  11. Complementary and Alternative Medicine
  12. Complementary and Alternative Therapies [Topics]
  13. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2023 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – NAMS 2023 Nonhormone Therapies Position Statement for Bothersome Menopause Symptoms
  14. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2024 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Menopause
  15. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2024 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Preparing for Your Menopause Health Care Visit
  16. DHEA
  17. Did You Know? Supplements and Medications Can Interact In Unexpected Ways
  18. Does CBD Help With Anxiety?
  19. Drugs and Supplements: Herbs, Supplements and Vitamins [Topics]
  20. Emerging Research In the Management of Menopausal Symptoms
  21. Exercise In Menopause
  22. Find A Menopause Practitioner [United States and Other]
  23. Find A Practitioner [Australasian Menopause Society i.e. Australia and New Zealand]
  24. Find Your Nearest BMS Menopause Specialist [British Menopause Society]
  25. Health Benefits of DIM [Diindolylmethane]
  26. Herbs and Supplements [Topics]
  27. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Alternatives To Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  28. Hot Flashes: What Can I Do? [+ Video: What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Menopause?]
  29. Hot Flushes, Night Sweats, Brain Fog? Here’s What We Know About Phytoestrogens for Menopausal Symptoms
  30. How Fezolinetant Changes Management of Hot Flashes [Video]
  31. How To Manage Menopausal Symptoms
  32. How To Talk To Your Doctor About Menopause
  33. IMS Interview Series for Women: Lifestyle Medicine With Prof. Rossella Nappi | For Women
  34. Integrative Medicine
  35. International Menopause Society (IMS) Recommendations and Key Messages on Women’s Midlife Health and Menopause [23 December 2025]
  36. Kratom: Unsafe and Ineffective
  37. Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Signs and Symptoms of Menopause [+ Video: Talking Menopause With Your GP] [Other Languages and Formats]
  38. Let’s Talk About Perimenopause
  39. Lubricant Alternatives: What To Use and What To Avoid
  40. Looking After Yourself Around the Time of Menopause
  41. Maritime Pine
  42. Mayo Clinic Q and A: Can Medications and Supplements Interact With One Another?
  43. Mayo Clinic Q and A: Does CBD Live Up To Its Claims?
  44. Menopause
    Complementary and Integrative Health and Menopause
  45. Menopause Checklist Podcast
  46. Menopause Hormone Therapy and Complementary Alternative Medicine, Quality of Life, and Racial/Ethnic Differences: The Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN)
  47. Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Questions for Your Health Care Provider
    Complementary and Integrative Health and Menopause
  48. Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Symptom Tracker
  49. Menopause Symptoms: Mayo Clinic Expert Outlines Hormone and Nonhormonal Therapies
  50. Menopause, Perimenopause, Hormone Therapy and Other Treatments With Madelyn Butler, MD [Podcast]
  51. Menopause: Continuing the Conversation – A Holistic Approach To Menopause [Video]
  52. Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment– Alternative Medicine
  53. Menopause: Ensuring A Tranquil Transition
  54. Menopause: Identification and Management [NICE Guideline]
  55. Menopause: Identification and Management [NICE Guideline]
    Complementary and Integrative Health and Menopause
  56. Menopause: Things You Can Do
  57. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Black Cohosh
  58. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Dietary and Herbal Supplements
  59. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Herbs At A Glance
  60. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: How Safe Is This Product or Practice?
  61. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Hypnosis
  62. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Kratom
  63. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Placebo Effect
  64. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Red Clover
  65. National Women’s Health Week [11-17 May 2025]: Navigating the Road to Menopause
    Complementary and Integrative Health and Menopause
  66. Natural Remedies To Help Manage Perimenopause Symptoms
  67. Natural Therapies
  68. Navigating Menopause: Honest Answers To All Your Questions [+ Video: What To Expect in Menopause]
  69. Navigating Menopause Care Resource Guide
    Complementary and Integrative Health and Menopause
  70. Nonhormone Treatments for Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
  71. Office of Dietary Supplements: Black Cohosh
  72. Office of Dietary Supplements: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheets
  73. Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin and Mineral Fact Sheets
  74. Online Events [International Menopause Society]: Past Webinars – 2024: Non-Hormonal Pharmacological Interventions For VMS
  75. Online Events [International Menopause Society]: Past Webinars – 2024: Non-Pharmacological Interventions For VMS
  76. Online Events [International Menopause Society]: Past Webinars – 2025: Lifestyle Medicine
  77. Probiotics May Help Boost Mood and Cognitive Function
  78. Pueraria
  79. Resources: Fact Sheets [Multiply Languages]
    Complementary and Integrative Health and Menopause
  80. Revolutionizing Menopause Management: A Deep Dive Into Fezolinetant [+ Video]
  81. Supplements for Menopause: Here’s What the Evidence Actually Says
  82. Supplements: What Works, What Doesn’t and the Truth About Menowashing
  83. The First WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit
  84. The 2023 Nonhormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society
  85. The Role of Lifestyle Medicine In Menopausal Health: A Review of Non-Pharmacologic Interventions
  86. Therapy Could Be Effective Treatment for Non-Physical Symptoms of Menopause
  87. Thinking About Acupuncture or Herbs for Menopause? Read This First
  88. Tips To Help Manage Menopause Symptoms
  89. Traditional Medicine
  90. Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine
  91. Treatments for Menopause
  92. What if HRT isn’t right for me? And is cold-water swimming really the answer to everything? Your Menopause Questions Answered
  93. What Is Chasteberry, and What Can It Do?
  94. What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
  95. World Menopause Day 2025
    Complementary and Integrative Health and Menopause
  96. Your Daily Dose: Perimenopause, Don’t Suffer In Silence

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment – Alternative Medicine. 07 August 2024. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353401 Accessed: 16 April 2026
  2. Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment – Alternative Medicine. 07 August 2024. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353401 Accessed: 16 April 2026
  3. Treatments for Menopause: Natural Therapies for Menopause. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-topics/menopause/menopause-management#natural-therapies-for-menopause Accessed: 16 April 2026
  4. The 2023 Nonhormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society: Results. June 2023. https://journals.lww.com/menopausejournal/Abstract/2023/06000/The_2023_nonhormone_therapy_position_statement_of.4.aspx Accessed: 16 April 2026
  5. Maunda, A., Marden, A., Rao, V., et al. Complementary Therapies for Management of Menopausal Symptoms: A Systematic Review To Inform the Update of the International Menopause Society Recommendations on Women’s Midlife Health: Abstract – Conclusion: Plain Language Summary. 07 January 2026 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13697137.2025.2584061 Accessed: 16 April 2026
  6. Black Cohosh: What Have We Learned? Last Updated: November 2024. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/black-cohosh Accessed: 16 April 2026
  7. Complementary & Alternative Therapies: Non Hormonal Treatments for Menopause Symptoms. Review Date: November 2025:1. Women’s Health Concern https://www.womens-health-concern.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/03-NEW-WHC-FACTSHEET-Complementary-And-Alternative-Therapies-NOV2025-B.pdf Accessed: 16 April 2026
  8. Hamoda, H., Mukherjee, A., Morris, E., Baldeweg, S. E., Jayasena, C. N., Briggs, P., Moger, S. Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause. First Published 10 June 2022:1. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20533691221104879 Accessed: 16 April 2026
  9. Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment – Alternative Medicine. 07 August 2024. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353401 Accessed: 16 April 2026
Topic Last Updated: 24 April 2026 – Topic Last Reviewed: 16 April 2026

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