Equelle is a dietary supplement used for the treatment of menopause symptoms like hot flashes and sleep disruption. The brand claims that this is “the only supplement with S-equol” and that it “is proven” to naturally address the root cause of estrogen decline symptoms.
But is S-equol actually proven in research studies to treat menopause symptoms or is this just a marketing claim? Does Equelle contain any questionable ingredients from a health perspective? Is the supplement clinically proven to work? And how do real users rate and describe the effects of Equelle?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we analyze the ingredients in Equelle based on medical studies to give our take on whether the supplement is likely to be effective, or if it’s a waste of money.
We’ll also review the clinical trial on Equelle to see if the product is proven to reduce menopause symptoms, and feature real, unsponsored Equelle user reviews.
Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in Equelle are shown above.
S-equol is the core active ingredient that the brand highlights in their marketing.
This ingredient has been studied in clinical trials.
A medical review on s-equol for menopause published in the Journal of Women’s Health reports that a trial on women in the US found significant reductions in menopause symptoms.
The study authors concluded the following:
“...preliminary evidence warrants clinicians discussing the potential of S-equol for the alleviation of [menopause symptoms] with patients.”
A 2021 clinical trial found that s-equol reduces inflammation and alleviates depressive symptoms in mice.
A 2021 clinical trial found that s-equol significantly reduced hot flashes in menopausal women, although the most effective dose was shown to be at or over 20 milligrams (mg), while the amount per-serving in Equelle is only 5 mg.
Calcium is the second active ingredient in this formulation, which is clinically shown to reduce bone loss in menopausal women. However, we can’t find any medical studies showing this mineral treats menopausal symptoms.
All of the inactive ingredients in Equelle are considered safe and non-toxic, which is a good sign.
Overall we consider this supplement somewhat likely to relieve menopausal symptoms. One of its two active ingredients has significant research backing. But the dose of that ingredient appears lower than in the clinical trials we reviewed.
But did Equelle’s clinical trial prove the supplement to be effective? We’ll review in the next section.
Equelle Clinical Trial Analysis
Equelle claims that their supplement is clinically proven to be effective, as shown in the image above from the brand’s website.
To the credit of the brand, they appear to have published research in legitimate, peer-reviewed medical journals on the efficacy of their supplement.
One trial found that the supplement reduced hot flashes.
Another trial published in the Menopause journal found that the supplement reduced all menopausal symptoms except for depression.
Here’s our concern: neither of the trials specifically name Equelle, and both trials use a higher dose (10 mg) than the dose in Equelle (5 mg).
Equelle’s website refers to these trials as though they were on the Equelle supplement, not just the active ingredient in the supplement, so we're left unsure of the status of these trials.
We hope that in the future Equelle publishes clarifications regarding these issues. In the vast majority of clinical trials on supplements that we’ve reviewed on Illuminate Health, the supplement in question was named in the trial.
We find it unusual that the dose in the trial is different from the dose in the supplement.
But does Equelle cause side effects? We’ll answer in the next section.
Does Equelle Cause Side Effects?
Both of the clinical trials cited on Equelle’s website reported no serious side effects.
The first trial cited in the above section reported the following: “No changes in clinical parameters or serious adverse effects were reported.”
The second trial also found that no adverse effects were reported.
A 2011 clinical trial on the core active ingredient in Equelle (s-equol) reported no adverse effects even at a dose much higher than that in Equelle.
Based on the available research, we do not consider Equelle likely to cause side effects, although any consumer can have an individual response to a supplement and should clear its use with their doctor first.
Real Equelle User Reviews
Here’s a testimonial from an Equelle user named Patricia Smith:
Below is an Equelle testimonial from a woman named Holly Matthews:
Why We Recommend Avoiding Equelle on Amazon
There is a product currently sold on Amazon branded “Equelle” but this doesn’t appear to be the official Equelle supplement.
As shown below, the Equelle sold on Amazon has entirely different packaging:
The ingredients are not listed for this product which is even more concerning.
The official Equelle only appears to be sold on the brand’s website, which consumers can access at this link.
Medical Experts Discuss Equelle
A YouTube creator and MD named Heather Hirsch shared her opinion on Equelle in a video on menopause supplements for hot flashes. We’ve timestamped the below video to begin when she discusses Equelle:
A TikTok creator and doctor named “drmaryclaire” shared her thoughts on Equelle in response to a user’s question:
@drmaryclaire #answer to @sem0517 #estrogen #hormones #hrt #hrtiktok #tiktokdoc #womenshealth #obgyndoctor #pauselife #menopausesupport #pauselife ♬ original sound - Dr. M.C. Haver
Can Ginseng Relieve Menopause Symptoms?
Panax ginseng, which is a plant native to Asia, has been studied in various clinical trials for its effects on menopausal symptoms.
A medical review published in the Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice journal analyzed data from 15 clinical trials on ginseng in menopausal women and concluded the following: "ginseng can significantly reduce hot flashes, menopausal symptoms, and quality of life in menopausal women."
Illuminate Labs sells a Panax Ginseng Extract Supplement which is third-party tested to ensure label accuracy, potency and purity, and which contains no questionable additive ingredients. Interested consumers can check out Illuminate Labs Panax Ginseng Extract at this link to the product page on our website, where the supplement can be purchased for only $15 on a subscription basis.
Milk thistle is another research-backed plant supplement for menopause. A 2020 clinical trial found that milk thistle supplementation decreased the severity and frequency of hot flashes by 70% in menopausal women.
Future Kind Milk Thistle Extract is our top milk thistle supplement pick because it's effectively dosed and costs only $19.99. Interested consumers can check out Future Kind Milk Thistle Extract at this link to the product page on the official brand's website.
Both of the supplements recommended in this section are entirely free of questionable additive ingredients like titanium dioxide.
Pros and Cons of Equelle
Here are the pros and cons of Equelle in our opinion:
Pros:
- Active ingredient is clinically shown to work
- Active ingredient has significant research-backing
- Doesn’t appear to cause side effects
- No unhealthy additive ingredients
Cons:
- The clinical trials cited by Equelle use higher doses than in one serving of the supplement
