The natural remedies women use most for menopause are herbs like black cohosh, red clover and sage, soy foods, regular strength training, cooling tricks for the bedroom, and cutting back on triggers like alcohol and caffeine. Several of these have encouraging studies behind them. My own pick is She+ by Immunotec, a jelly stick with black cohosh and red clover, and below I walk through the rest of the options and what real women say about them.
Disclosure: My husband, Brandon, does freelance marketing work for Immunotec, the company that makes She+. I got She+ free as an early tester.
- Black cohosh and red clover are the two most studied herbs for hot flashes, and meta-analyses link both to fewer or milder symptoms.
- Soy isoflavones cut hot flash frequency by about 21% in a review of 13 trials.
- Sage, ashwagandha, evening primrose and turmeric each have trials showing promise for specific symptoms.
- Lifestyle changes, from a cooler bedroom to strength training and less alcohol, are the remedies women mention most in forums.
- Natural doesn’t always mean right for everyone. Check with a doctor if you have liver problems, a hormone-sensitive cancer history, take blood thinners, or are pregnant.
Why so many women look for natural options
Menopause symptoms aren’t a short phase for most of us. In the SWAN study, which followed more than 3,000 women for years, the median length of frequent hot flashes or night sweats was 7.4 years (JAMA Internal Medicine, 2015). Sleep takes a hit too: a CDC survey found 56% of women in perimenopause sleep less than seven hours a night (CDC NCHS). If you want to see the full range of what can show up, start with my complete perimenopause symptoms list.
Herbs and supplements with research behind them
Black cohosh
Hot flashes, sleepThe most studied menopause herb. A 2023 meta-analysis of 22 studies and 2,310 women found improvements in hot flashes and overall symptoms compared with placebo (Menopause, 2023). A six-month sleep lab trial found 15.8% less time awake after falling asleep (Climacteric, 2015). More in my black cohosh guide.
Red clover
Hot flashesRich in isoflavones, plant compounds with a weak estrogen-like effect. A 2021 meta-analysis found about 1.7 fewer hot flashes a day than placebo (Nutrients, 2021), and a 2026 analysis of nine trials confirmed a significant drop in frequency (EJOG, 2026).
Soy isoflavones
Frequency and severityA meta-analysis of soy isoflavone supplements (median 54 mg a day) found hot flash frequency dropped 20.6% and severity dropped 26.2% compared with placebo (Menopause, 2012). Soy foods count too, which I cover in my perimenopause diet guide.
Sage
Hot flashes, sweatingTraditionally used for sweating. In an eight-week trial of a once-daily fresh sage tablet, intensity-rated hot flashes fell 50% by week four and 64% by week eight (Advances in Therapy, 2011).
Ashwagandha
Perimenopause symptomsIn an eight-week randomized trial of 100 women in perimenopause, 300 mg of root extract twice a day significantly improved total menopause symptom scores (including the psychological and physical parts) and quality-of-life scores compared with placebo (J Obstet Gynaecol Res, 2021).
Evening primrose oil
SeverityIn a six-week trial of 56 women, evening primrose oil improved hot flash severity more than placebo, along with social activities, relationships and sexuality scores (Arch Gynecol Obstet, 2013).
Turmeric (curcumin)
Newer researchA 2026 pilot trial gave postmenopausal women 1,000 mg of curcuminoids a day. By week 12, their weekly hot flashes had dropped by about seven more than in the placebo group (2026 pilot trial).
Magnesium
Worked for someIn a small pilot of 25 women with breast cancer, magnesium oxide cut weekly hot flashes by 41% (Support Care Cancer, 2011). It didn’t do it for me, but plenty of women swear by it.
For a deeper look at the herb side, see herbal remedies for hot flashes.
Lifestyle remedies that cost little or nothing
Cool your environment
Mayo Clinic suggests dressing in layers, using a fan or air conditioning, lowering the room temperature, and sipping a cold drink when you feel a hot flash coming on (Mayo Clinic).
Know your triggers
Hot and spicy foods, caffeine and alcohol can set off hot flashes, and smoking is linked to more of them (Mayo Clinic). In a Mayo Clinic survey of 1,806 women, caffeine use was associated with more bothersome hot flashes after menopause (Menopause, 2015).
Strength training
A 2023 review of 12 trials found resistance training improved physical function and bone density in postmenopausal women and was linked to fewer hot flashes (Menopause, 2023).
Eat more plants
In the WAVS trial, postmenopausal women who ate a low-fat plant-based diet with half a cup of cooked soybeans a day saw moderate-to-severe hot flashes drop 84% over 12 weeks (Menopause, 2021).
Slow, deep breathing
Paced breathing, meditation and guided imagery may help you sleep better when hot flashes are disrupting your nights (Mayo Clinic).
What women in forums say helps
A few patterns from UK forum threads on Mumsnet (where they say “hot flushes”):
- Bedding swaps come up again and again. Women describe ditching a heavy duvet for a sheet and layered blankets, choosing cotton or linen, using a cooling mat or pillow, and keeping cold gel packs or a fan by the bed (Mumsnet; Mumsnet).
- Cutting alcohol. Several women say cutting back on wine made a difference, and one said it stopped her night sweats (Mumsnet; Mumsnet).
- Sage. A few women report sage tablets or supplements helped a lot, one after a few weeks (Mumsnet).
- Less sugar and refined carbs. Some women say cutting bread, pasta and sugar improved their sleep and night sweats (Mumsnet).
- Black cohosh and red clover. Both come up as suggestions, and one woman said black cohosh worked for her (Mumsnet).
Many women in the same threads also use hormone therapy, which is a reminder that natural and medical options aren’t either-or.
My pick: She+
My symptoms started about a year ago: low energy, then poor sleep, then hot flashes, mostly at night. Magnesium didn’t help me, so about two months ago I started She+ by Immunotec. It’s a single apple blueberry jelly stick a day with black cohosh, red clover, ginger and glucomannan, a konjac fiber. My sleep was the big change. My Oura ring had shown me waking what looked like every ten minutes, and now my sleep scores land in the 80s and 90s. My energy came back and my hot flashes have reduced a lot. I also really like the taste. You can read the details in my full She+ review.
I’m not the only one. In Immunotec’s 30-day tester group (more in my She+ review), 95% noticed changes, 59% in the first week, and sleep was the most reported improvement at 78%. Individual results vary.
When to talk to your doctor
- Liver problems. Black cohosh has rare reports of liver injury with no proven cause. Stop and call your doctor if you notice yellowing skin, dark urine or belly pain (NIH ODS). See black cohosh side effects.
- Breast or uterine cancer history. It’s uncertain whether black cohosh is safe after hormone-sensitive conditions (NCCIH), and the same caution applies to isoflavone herbs like red clover and soy supplements.
- Blood thinners. Ginger may raise bleeding risk with warfarin (BJCP, 2020).
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding. Black cohosh may not be safe (NCCIH).
- Severe or unusual symptoms. Drenching night sweats, unexplained weight loss or fever can signal something other than menopause. See a doctor, and read my night sweats guide.
If natural options aren’t enough, prescription choices include hormone therapy, fezolinetant (Veozah), low-dose antidepressants such as paroxetine, and gabapentin (Mayo Clinic). They’re worth a conversation with your doctor.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best natural remedy for menopause?
It depends on your main symptom. For hot flashes, black cohosh, red clover and soy isoflavones have the most research. For sleep, black cohosh has a sleep lab trial behind it. Many women combine an herbal option with lifestyle changes.
How long do natural remedies take to work?
Most studies run 6 to 12 weeks. Give one option a consistent few weeks and track your symptoms before deciding.
Can I combine natural remedies?
Many women do, and products like She+ combine herbs. Check with your pharmacist if you take prescription medicines, especially blood thinners.
Are natural remedies the same as hormone therapy?
No. Herbs like black cohosh and red clover are plant extracts, not hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Do diet changes really help?
They can. In the WAVS trial, a plant-based diet with daily soybeans was linked to far fewer moderate-to-severe hot flashes. My perimenopause diet guide covers the details.
Sources
- Duration of menopausal vasomotor symptoms over the menopause transition (SWAN). JAMA Internal Medicine, 2015. PubMed
- Sleep duration and quality among women aged 40 to 59, by menopausal status. CDC NCHS Data Brief 286, 2017. CDC
- Black cohosh extracts in women with menopausal symptoms: an updated pairwise meta-analysis. Menopause, 2023. PubMed
- Black cohosh improves objective sleep in postmenopausal women with sleep disturbance. Climacteric, 2015. PubMed
- Evaluation of clinical meaningfulness of red clover extract to relieve hot flushes. Nutrients, 2021. PubMed
- The effectiveness of red clover on hot flash in menopausal women. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol, 2026. PubMed
- Extracted or synthesized soybean isoflavones reduce menopausal hot flash frequency and severity. Menopause, 2012. PubMed
- First time proof of sage’s tolerability and efficacy in menopausal women with hot flushes. Adv Ther, 2011. PubMed
- Effect of an ashwagandha root extract on climacteric symptoms in women during perimenopause. J Obstet Gynaecol Res, 2021. PubMed
- The effect of oral evening primrose oil on menopausal hot flashes. Arch Gynecol Obstet, 2013. PubMed
- Curcuminoid supplementation for vasomotor symptoms in postmenopausal women: a pilot trial, 2026. PubMed
- A pilot phase II trial of magnesium supplements to reduce menopausal hot flashes in breast cancer patients. Support Care Cancer, 2011. PubMed
- Caffeine and menopausal symptoms: what is the association? Menopause, 2015. PubMed
- Resistance training for postmenopausal women: systematic review and meta-analysis. Menopause, 2023. PubMed
- The Women’s Study for the Alleviation of Vasomotor Symptoms (WAVS). Menopause, 2021. PubMed
- Hot flashes: diagnosis and treatment. Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic
- Black cohosh fact sheet for health professionals. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. NIH ODS
- Black cohosh: usefulness and safety. NCCIH. NCCIH
- Warfarin and food, herbal or dietary supplement interactions. Br J Clin Pharmacol, 2020. PubMed
- Mumsnet menopause forum threads. Thread 1, Thread 2, Thread 3
Denise Walsh
Michigan woman in perimenopause, writing about what’s actually helped her sleep, energy and hot flashes.
Jesse Ovlasuk, RN
ICU registered nurse in Grand Rapids. Reviews every post for medical accuracy and safety.
This article reflects one person’s experience and is for general information only. It is not medical advice. Talk with your healthcare provider before starting any supplement.