Amberen is a women's health brand that sells supplements to relieve symptoms of menopause and perimenopause like hot flashes, night sweats and difficulty sleeping. The brand describes their products as "clinically proven menopause relief."
But is Amberen actually proven to work in legitimate research trials, and if so how effective is it? Do the supplements have any side effects? Do they have any unhealthy additive ingredients? And how do real users rate and describe the effects of Amberen?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we analyze the medical studies on Amberen to see if the supplements are proven to work or not.
We'll also review the ingredients in Amberen Menopause Relief and Amberen Perimenopause Relief based on clinical research to give our take on whether the supplements are likely to be effective or if they're a waste of money. We'll discuss potential side effects and share real, unsponsored Amberen user reviews.
Is Amberen Clinically Proven to Work?
The Amberen website claims that the supplement is clinically proven to work, with some highlighted results shown above.
A clinical trial published in the Gynecological Endocrinology journal tested the effects of Amberen on a number of menopausal symptoms including hot flashes, headaches and difficulty sleeping.
Women taking Amberen experienced a 46.8% decrease in hot flashes, a 42% decrease in difficulty sleeping and a 54.9% decrease in sadness or depression. These are very impressive results, but we don't understand where Amberen is getting the data that they feature on their site (we can't find any trials on the supplement proving a 91% reduction in hot flashes).
A 2019 medical review on Amberen assessed data from two clinical trials on the supplement. The study authors analyzed the effect of Amberen on 21 menopausal symptoms and concluded that Amberen "is shown to relieve menopausal symptoms."
The three symptoms which didn’t improve with Amberen use were: numbness and tingling in some body parts, numbness of hands and feet, and difficulty breathing.
Because all study participants were Caucasians of Russian ancestry, the authors note that these results might not necessarily apply to women with different genetic backgrounds, and that further research is needed on more diverse population samples.
Overall we conclude that Amberen is likely to be effective for reducing menopausal symptoms, and we're impressed by the research backing this supplement. These clinical trials are published in legitimate, peer-reviewed scientific journals which is a much higher standard of evidence than most supplement companies that hire private research firms to self-publish studies.
But how does Amberen work? And does it contain any questionable additive ingredients? We'll answer these questions in the next section.
Amberen Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in Amberen are somewhat unique, and certainly not similar to any women's health supplement that we've previously reviewed on Illuminate Health.
Ammonium succinate, calcium disuccinate and magnesium disuccinate are part of a class of chemical compounds called succinates which influence metabolism. A 2008 clinical trial found that succinates are effective in relieving both physical and mental menopausal symptoms.
The above-linked clinical trial found that succinate supplementation increased estradiol levels by 400%. Estradiol is the primary form of estrogen in the body, and since menopause is caused by declining hormone levels, it makes sense that a therapy which naturally increases the body's production of this hormone would be effective.
While the active ingredients in Amberen are safe and effective, there is one inactive ingredient of note that health-conscious consumers may wish to avoid.
Titanium dioxide is a colorant that's actually banned in the E.U. for use as a food additive over concerns that it may damage DNA, as we referenced in our Olly Lovin Libido reviews article on another women's health supplement containing this ingredient.
Amberen is likely to be effective but contains one questionable additive, but how does it compare to another highly popular menopause supplement called Estroven? We'll answer in the next section.
Amberen vs. Estroven
Estroven is another women's health supplement that claims to relieve symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes and weight gain.
As we documented in our Estroven reviews article, the supplement is made from an extract of rhubarb rather than succinates.
Estroven has been clinically shown to improve menopausal symptoms, but the only clinical trial we could locate proving such was on perimenopausal women, not menopausal women.
Because Amberen is clinically proven to be effective in menopausal women in multiple trials, we would recommend it over Estroven. We consider both supplements likely to be effective but the research backing for Amberen is more impressive.
Unfortunately, Estroven also contains titanium dioxide, so from a formulation and safety perspective we consider the two supplements equal.
Real, Unsponsored Amberen User Reviews
A YouTube creator named Theresa M. claims that Amberen wasn't effective for her:
A YouTube user named "Your Customers Shoes" claims that Amberen Perimenopause was highly effective:
Does Amberen Cause Side Effects?
The medical review of two Amberen trials cited in the research section reported no serious side effects. The researchers stated that “patients reported no side effects during the performance of both studies.”
This is a fantastic result given how positive the study results were. Usually there will at least be some minor side effects reported, even with safe botanical ingredients.
The clinical trial on succinate-based therapy for menopause that we cited in the ingredient analysis section also concluded that there were no side effects.
Based on the available research, we consider Amberen unlikely to cause any side effects.
However, since the duration of all trials cited in this article was less than a year, it may be worthwhile for consumers to speak with their doctor if they plan on taking Amberen for more than one year on a continuous basis.
Does Amberen Perimenopause Work?
The ingredients in Amberen Perimenopause Relief are shown above. Perimenopause is the medical term for the transition from the regular hormonal cycle to menopause.
The majority of active ingredients are a blend of vitamins like vitamin B1 and vitamin B9. A 2019 medical review on supplements for menopause concluded the following: "Vitamins and minerals may be important for women who are at risk for deficiencies, but do not seem to reduce menopausal symptoms."
Amberen claims that this supplement is clinically proven to work, but we can't find any clinical trials on this formulation; only on Amberen Menopause Relief.
The proprietary blend of succinates is included in this formulation, so we consider it likely to be effective for the reduction of menopausal symptoms, because as we documented in our ingredient analysis of the regular Amberen, these are some of the most well-researched ingredients for menopausal symptom relief.
FD&C Red#40, FD&C Blue#1 and FD&C Red#3 are artificial food dyes. As we documented in our review of Midol ingredients, there are research studies suggesting toxicity concerns with all existing artificial food dyes.
Overall we consider Amberen Perimenopause Relief likely to be effective due to the succinate complex, but we don't recommend it and consider it a worse formulation than Amberen Menopause Relief due to the potentially unnecessary vitamin blend and the artificial food dyes.
Where to Buy Amberen for the Best Price
Amberen Menopause Relief and Amberen Perimenopause Relief are sold at a variety of online retailers. Here's a price breakdown at the time of updating this article:
Amberen Menopause
Walgreens: $39.99 (link)
CVS: $38.79 (link)
Brand website: $29.99 (link)
Walmart: $29.97 (link)
Amazon: $23.49 (link to official Amazon listing)
Amberen Perimenopause
Walgreens: $35.99 (link)
Brand website: $26.99 (link)
Amberen Menopause is 41% cheaper on Amazon than on Walgreens' website.
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 artificial food dye and titanium dioxide.
