What is the best over the counter medicine for menopause?

What is perimenopause? 

Perimenopause is the time during your life before menopause. During this time, the amount of hormones produced by your ovaries changes, leading to a reduction in oestrogen levels and fluctuating levels of progesterone – which are the 2 main female hormones. 

These hormonal changes usually take place over several years. For some women they stop when they have reached menopause (medically, this is when you have not had a period for a year), but other women experience them for longer. There are a wide variety of symptoms (at least 40!) that women experience during perimenopause, and everyone’s experience differs. You can find more information about these symptoms on our menopause symptom checker. 

Some of the most common perimenopause symptoms are; 

• Hot flushes, night sweats, and sleeping difficulties
• Joint pain and headaches
• Mood and memory changes 
• Vaginal dryness 
• Bloating

If you need some help with your perimenopause or menopause symptoms, there are a host of tips and tricks that you can try, without reaching for supplements or over the counter medications. You could try our article on how to improve your sleep in perimenopause or think about how your diet or exercise might impact your symptoms. You may also like to read about other women’s perimenopause experiences and what has helped them.

However if you do feel that you would like to buy some menopause treatment over the counter, read on….

What is the best over the counter medication for menopause? 

There are some medications, products and supplements that you can buy which may give you relief from perimenopause and menopause symptoms. Because there are so many differences in how women experience symptoms during perimenopause, there is no single ‘right answer’ for what will improve the problem for you. You may need to try several different options to find something suitable. 

When considering if you would like to try a supplement (or herbal remedy), it is important to mention that the evidence for how well they work is not always supported with scientific research. Despite this, many women find that they are helpful. 

It is also really difficult for doctors to be specific about what doses or herbal supplements might be needed, as this often hasn’t been researched, and doctors aren’t trained in these areas. In some cases, even when studies have been done and the evidence has been reviewed, it’s difficult to reach a conclusion about whether these treatments work all the time for every woman. 

If you do choose to use supplements, The British Menopause Society recommends that you check for the THR™ logo on the product, which ensures they have been manufactured to a high quality and with safe doses. 

We’ve broken the treatments down into the common symptoms that women want to manage, and how you can buy them. 

Best over the counter treatment for menopausal mood swings 

Herbal supplements for menopause mood swings include Ashwagandha and St.John’s Wort.^2,3

Some nutritional supplements which contain a variety of ingredients including ashwagandha, magnesium and zinc, may also help with mood swings. You could try Live Liminal MoodFood which many women have said can really help.

You may also want to try increasing the isoflavones in your diet to boost your mood. An isoflavone is a type of plant-derived chemical called a phytoestrogen, which means it has a chemical structure similar to oestrogen. Isoflavones are found in various plants, particularly in soybeans and soy products, such as tofu⁴. There is also a supplement called red clover which is thought to contain high levels of isoflavones¹. However, you should avoid these if you have had breast cancer.

Best over the counter treatment for menopausal hot flashes (or hot flushes!)

• Black Cohosh This is a supplement that can be purchased in a pharmacy, which some women find reduces the frequency or intensity of their perimenopausal hot flushes. It is believed to balance oestrogen and progesterone levels^2,3,5. 
• Agnus castus (sometimes called chasteberry)^2,3.
• Evening primrose oil⁶.

You might also want to consider a handheld fan, or a cooling mist to use when the heat strikes! Forage ‘Cool and Calm’ mist is a good one, and you can read reviews and buy it here.

Best over the counter treatment for menopausal headaches

Simple pain killers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen are often all that is needed to help with headaches in the perimenopause period. However. It is recommended that these are not used too frequently, over-using them can itself cause headaches⁷.

Supplements that contain vitamin B2 are thought to help reduce the frequency of hormonal headaches⁸. This female multinutrient from BioCare contains B2 and several other useful ingredients that may be a win-win for several perimenopause symptoms. 

Magnesium supplements are one of our MUSTS in perimenopause as they are proven to help headaches and other perimenopause symptoms.¹³

Best over the counter treatment for menopausal bloating

Increasing your fibre intake and using a probiotic may help to keep your gut running smoothly and improve the good bacteria in your gut during perimenopause and menopause. A supplement that contains both, such as Lowdown favourite Jerms Daily Gut may help with bloating.

If you are suffering from constipation in the perimenopause period then you may need to use a gentle laxative to help keep things regular. You can go to a pharmacy to get some advice on these and buy them over the counter. Examples include senna (which stimulates the gut to contract), or movicol, laxido or lactulose (which help to make the stools softer)⁹.

Best over the counter treatment for menopausal tiredness 

Don’t forget that your lifestyle can also massively impact your energy levels and sleep. Exercise, sunlight, a healthy diet and reducing stress and screen time all improve your sleep. 

Magnesium supplements are a popular choice to help with sleep alongside lemon balm and turmeric which can be found in Live Liminal MoodFood.

Best over the counter treatment for menopausal vaginal dryness 

As oestrogen levels fall in perimenopause, vaginal skin can dry out. This can be uncomfortable or lead to sex becoming painful. As well as using soap-free body washes, there are some vaginal moisturisers that you can buy over the counter which may help. 

Using a good water-based lubricant is also really important during sex. We recommend Yes Organics WB lubricant. 

Some condoms can contain lubricants which may cause vaginal irritation and worsen vaginal dryness. As it is still possible to get pregnant in the perimenopause, you might choose to use condoms. 

We recommend trying MyBliss condoms, which are latex free, and many of our reviewers have found them more comfortable for their vaginal skin.

Best over the counter treatment for menopausal breast pain 

Simple treatments like paracetamol and anti-inflammatories can help improve your breast symptoms.

Some women have benefited from evening primrose oil or starflower oil for breast pain that’s caused by hormonal changes¹¹. 

There are many treatments for perimenopause and menopause that you can buy online and over the counter. However, if you are on any other medications then it is very important you speak to a pharmacist before taking supplements. This is because they may interact with some medications¹².  If you have had breast cancer in the past, please discuss supplements with your oncologist or GP before taking them.

Remember that if you have tried self-help remedies, over-the-counter treatments, and maybe some supplements, but are still struggling with your symptoms, then it is important to speak to a healthcare professional to see what other options might be available for you.