Menopause could be the wellness industry’s new gold rush — but experts say

Serums that promise firm skin. Powders that claim to eliminate night sweats. From skin care to supplements to special snacks, menopause may be a new gold rush in the wellness industry.

Perimenopause and menopause affect the estimated 10 million women in Canada who are over the age of 40, according to Statistics Canada. The symptoms, which include hot flashes, mood swings and insomnia, can be extremely disruptive. The Menopause Foundation of Canada reports that 10 per cent of women will stop working due to unmanaged symptoms.

And after years of being overlooked, these women are now staring down an avalanche of products marketed to them, promising relief. But experts warn the results often don’t live up to the hype.

“I think it’s a marketing storm,” said Dr. Jerilynn Prior, an endocrinology professor at the University of British Columbia. “I think there’s just an incredible opportunity for people who want to sell stuff.”

As menopause products boom, many don’t live up to the hype

Once a taboo topic, menopause is now being treated as a huge growth opportunity for some in the women’s wellness industry, but health experts warn some of these products promising relief are useless and possibly even harmful.

Hot flashes, hot market

The global menopause market size was about $17 billion US last year, and is expected to surpass $24 billion US a year by 2030, forecasts research firm Grand View Research.

Now, many are looking to cash in on that growth, including celebrities, who have recently started promoting menopause products. Actress Drew Barrymore, for example, said she uses a pill that contains chromium, chasteberry and maca root, and that claims to ease hot flashes and support hormonal weight management goals. Across social media, influencers claim to have a cure, suggesting black cohosh and primrose oil can relieve night sweats and hot flashes.

“I know that the algorithm is targeting me, and I bought the supplements,” said Sachelle Prosper, 49. The Toronto woman said she’s been bombarded with ads on Instagram. “There’s so many symptoms and there’s not one managed magic bullet. You end up spending a lot for a whole suite of treatments, hoping something will work.”

Sasha Howell, 41, says she’s already experiencing menopause-related changes to her hair and skin. But many of her elder family members still don’t like to talk about it, so she is looking for solutions on her own. She recently attended a menopause show in Toronto, which aimed to educate attendees and give them well-being strategies.

“I feel like there’s a lot to learn. There’s a lot of information and there’s a lot of misinformation.”

Still, experts say supplements are not well regulated. Prior, from UBC, worries about the quality of the research being used to peddle the products.

“Anytime a study is done by a company that’s going to benefit from the sale, there’s bias,” she said. “The…