Is Amberen a Smart Choice for Menopause?
At Cooper Complete we regularly answer questions about supplements and their role in a healthy lifestyle, with questions not only limited to our products. Cooper Complete was recently asked about dietary supplements that can help decrease symptoms of menopause and whether Amberen® is a good choice.
5 mg Melatonin Prolonged Release Supplement
Prolonged Release Melatonin is a formula with a two-phased delivery system that releases melatonin quickly and then steadily over six hours. Due to supply chain constraints, this product has transitioned to a 5 mg supplement and 90 tablets per bottle.
$26.97 Add to cartMenopause Facts
Menopause begins 12 months after a women’s last period. The years leading up to that point, when women have changes in their monthly cycles and often hot flashes and other symptoms, is called menopausal transition, or perimenopause.
Perimenopause typically begins sometime between the ages of 45 and 55 and typically lasts around 7 years. For some women, perimenopause can last as long as 14 years. During this time period, estrogen and progesterone levels vary greatly, bones become less dense, and many find weight gain much more of an issue.
Most women age 45 – 55 go through many transitions during this decade, often caring for and juggling the needs of both children and aging parents or other relatives. The term sandwich generation aptly describes this time of life.
Reviewing Amberen and the Amberen Research
Multi-symptom relief for menopause is the main goal of Amberen as a product. Mainly, it is a combination of vitamins and minerals to treat common issues with hormone imbalances.
What Is In Amberen?
According to the label, Amberen contains the minerals calcium, magnesium, and zinc, along with tocopheryl acetate, which is synthetic vitamin E, the amino acid glycine (from soy), monosodium l-glutamate (commonly known as the flavor enhancer MSG) and ammonium succinate.
3 mg Melatonin Quick Release Supplement
Quick Release Melatonin promotes restful sleep patterns and supports falling asleep faster.† Melatonin supports normal sleep/wake cycles, healthy immune function and antioxidant activity.†
$17.98 Add to cartGlycine is one of 20 different amino acids used as building blocks to make proteins for your body. Not surprisingly, food-rich sources of glycine include meat, fish, dairy and legumes. In mice models, glycine has an estrogen-like osteoprotective effect that suggests it might be useful for supporting menopause symptoms.
Two capsules provide a total of 400 mg of the components listed above–as a proprietary blend. There is no information on how much or how little of any particular ingredient is in the product.
What Does The Research on Amberen Say?
In 2019, raw data from two identical randomized, placebo-controlled 90-day clinical trials were pooled and analyzed. In each instance, 125 women 42-60 years old with mild to moderate menopausal symptoms were randomized between two groups. Half of the women took two Amberen for 3 months, while the other half took a placebo. Researchers found Amberen offered relief of mild/moderate climacteric symptoms. (Of note, the four authors of this study all have disclosed conflicts of interest. One is a paid consultant for Amberen, and the other three were involved in the original studies being reviewed.)
While prescription hormone therapy is the most effective approach for managing menopausal symptoms, Amberen might be considered (as well as lifestyle modification, diet, and physical activity) when prescription medications are declined or contraindicated due to other health issues.
Natural Supplements to Improve Menopause Symptoms
The ingredients found in Amberen are also found in many other foods and nutritional supplements. Getting healthy amounts of these foods can provide numerous benefits and protect the body against symptoms of the aging process.
Melatonin to Protect Against Sleeplessness
Lack of sleep makes you more prone to stress, anxiety, and anger throughout the day. A study by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found sleeping less than seven hours per night increases the risk of obesity by 30 percent. At Cooper Complete, we recommend the naturally-occurring hormone melatonin for sleeplessness.
Melatonin helps regulate the body’s natural sleep cycle and is a non-habit-forming alternative to prescription sleep aids. Natural melatonin levels decrease with age. Different from Amberen, we offer quick-release and prolonged-release options to support those who struggle to fall asleep and those who fall asleep easily yet have difficulty staying asleep.
Menopause Health Supplement
Custom-formulated to assist women in getting restful and rejuvenating sleep by addressing symptoms of anxiety, restlessness, and night sweats.†
$43.48 Add to cartVitamin D and Omega-3 to Stay Active and Protect Your Lifestyle
Menopausal women often experience increasing fatigue and decreasing metabolism. However, daily exercise can ease these symptoms. Regular physical activity – as little as 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week, and a healthy diet provide many health improvements. Specifically, these two activities help improve mood, reduce stress, increase resistance to most diseases and improve overall health.
A Cooper Complete Healthy Body Pack is a viable supplement option for an active lifestyle to help meet the nutritional demands of increased physical exertion. Our pack offers omega-3 fatty acids that have shown to be associated with reduced levels of depression and improved heart health.
Magnesium, one of four minerals in our pack, increases the body’s ability to create energy for the muscles throughout the day and helps with sleep. Compared to the three vitamins in Amberen, our one-a-day multivitamin contains eleven vitamins, including vitamin D, which low levels are associated with depression and healthy levels can improve immunity.
Trusted Sources for Menopause Information
If you have concerns that you may be going into menopause, first and foremost, talk with your physician about your symptoms and review what help is available based on your particular health profile.
As a consumer, seek out reputable and scientifically-backed facts on menopause. Reliable resources are available online through multiple government agencies, as well as through reputable universities and major medical institutions. Below are a few of the publications:
- Top Questions About Menopause – A Fact Sheet From the Office On Women’s Health (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services)
- Get the Facts: Menopausal Symptoms and Complementary Health Practices– National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health
- What is menopause? – National Institute on Aging
- A project of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health: Menopause – WomensHealth.gov
- Menopause fact sheets– U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- Bio-Identicals: Sorting Myths from Facts – U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Look for scientific research that supports products and take the time to read the literature. Supplements have a place in a healthy lifestyle and one of Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper’s 8 Steps to Get Cooperized™ includes taking “the right supplements for you.”