The evidence differs for each, and none replaces your doctor’s advice or HRT. If hot flushes, night sweats, broken sleep and low energy bother you most, a Korean red ginseng formula made for women is a sensible place to start: Hwa Ae Rak Turning Me is a once-a-day Korean red ginseng drink for women with 25 mg of ginsenosides, six women’s herbs, fish collagen and seven berries, to help ease hot flushes, night sweats and mood swings.
We sell one menopause product in Singapore, so this guide covers the main options first, including ones we do not sell. If your periods change suddenly, bleeding is very heavy, or symptoms are hard to live with, see your GP or gynaecologist first.
What is perimenopause, and when does it start?
Perimenopause is the transition before menopause, when the ovaries make hormones less predictably. It often begins in the 40s, sometimes the late 30s, and can last several years. Menopause itself is your final period, confirmed once you have gone 12 months without one, and the years after are postmenopause. Common signs include irregular periods, hot flushes, night sweats, broken sleep, mood swings and tiredness, and they come and go as hormones swing.
Which supplements do women take for menopause?
- Korean red ginseng: taken for energy, mood and sleep, and in women’s formulas for hot flushes and night sweats. It is one of the herbs that has been tested in controlled trials for menopause symptoms (more below).
- Black cohosh: a North American herb used for hot flushes. Trial results are mixed and there have been rare reports of liver problems, so ask a doctor first.
- Soy and red clover isoflavones: plant compounds with a weak oestrogen-like action; some women find modest help with hot flushes. Ask your doctor first if you have a history of a hormone-sensitive condition.
- Evening primrose oil: a source of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), often searched for menopause, but the evidence for hot flushes is limited.
- Magnesium: often taken for sleep, though not a hot-flush remedy.
- Vitamin D and calcium: about bones rather than symptoms, since bone density falls faster after menopause.
The best supplements for hot flushes and night sweats
The most studied option for hot flushes and night sweats is prescription HRT, which your doctor can discuss. Among supplements, Korean red ginseng, black cohosh and isoflavones are tried most often. A cooler bedroom, less alcohol at night and regular exercise help too.
Does Korean red ginseng help with menopause?
Korean red ginseng is fresh ginseng root that has been steamed and dried; its active compounds are ginsenosides. Our product page summarises one study: “In a 12-week double-blind study, 72 women aged 45 to 60 who took Korean red ginseng every day scored significantly better on two menopause scales than women on a placebo.” That was a study of Korean red ginseng in general, not of any branded product, and one study cannot promise results for you, but it is the kind of evidence worth looking for.
Supplements for perimenopause weight gain: what they can and cannot do
Weight often shifts to the middle in perimenopause as hormones change and muscle slowly declines. No supplement melts that away; be wary of any menopause product sold as a weight-loss fix. What helps is strength training, enough protein, steady sleep and less alcohol. Hwa Ae Rak’s page talks about sleep and energy, not weight loss.
Side effects, HRT and who should check first
Natural does not mean free of interactions. For Hwa Ae Rak our page is specific: not together with hormone replacement therapy (HRT), so ask your doctor first, and if you take medication for blood sugar or blood thinners, or any prescription medicine, check with your doctor before you start. It is not for pregnancy or breastfeeding, and because it contains fish collagen (tilapia) and deer antler extract, it is not for vegetarians, vegans or anyone allergic to fish.
Choosing a menopause supplement in Singapore
- Know what approval means. In Singapore, health supplements do not need HSA approval before they are sold; the seller is responsible for safety and for keeping claims within the rules. Be wary of listings that call a supplement “HSA approved”.
- Check the active amount. Milligrams of the active compounds, such as ginsenosides, tell you more than a long ingredient list.
- Check allergens and sugar on drinks.
- Buy sealed, traceable stock. A price far below the usual one can mean old, badly stored or non-genuine stock.
Where Hwa Ae Rak Turning Me fits
Hwa Ae Rak Turning Me is made and sold in Korea by Korea Ginseng Corp. under Jung Kwan Jang, for women aged 30 and above, from the first changes of perimenopause through menopause and the years after. Each 70 ml sachet carries 25 mg of ginsenosides (Rg1, Rb1 and Rg3) from 6-year Korean red ginseng, with six women’s herbs (white peony root, angelica, cnidium, atractylodes, poria and bamboo leaf), low-molecular collagen from fish, seven berries and pomegranate, and vitamin C, biotin and deer antler. It has 65 kcal and 7 g of sugars a sachet. You drink one 70 ml sachet a day, and one box of 30 sachets is 30 days. Our price is S$230 a box, with free delivery in Singapore, usually 1-3 working days.
