Commercially available since 2010 and sold in South Korea, Europe, Canada and the United States, the blend is a combination of natural Cynanchum wilfordii, Phlomis umbrosa and Angelica gigas.
EstroG-100, which was invented and is manufactured by Naturalendo Tech in South Korea, has seen its popularity rise, as is reflected by the financial success of the ingredient's U.S. distributor, CK Ingredients. The distributor has experienced a year over year doubling of growth for its menopause offerings. The list of U.S. brands that have incorporated EstroG-100 includes Doctor's Best and California Gold Nutrition.
According to Verified Market Reports, the menopause supplement market size was valued at more than $100 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach over $140 billion by 2030.
“EstroG-100 is the safest, best studied and most multi-symptom ingredient for menopause symptom relief,” said Colleen Madden, vice president of innovation at CK Ingredients. “When I look at the formulas that are on the market for so many even big companies, they seem to address so few symptoms. It seems like many companies think that hot flashes are the thing, and when you have hot flashes, you'll be miserable. But once you don't have hot flashes anymore, you'll be great. That's not the case.”
EstroG-100 does not affect estrogen or its receptors. Its phytochemicals, including phenols, iridoids and coumarins, act on brain neurotransmitters such as serotonin and adenosine, and on inflammatory factors and oxidative stress control. While EstroG-100 does help improve hot flashes, it also helps with other menopausal symptoms, such as mood disorders, sleep disorders and fatigue to improve overall quality of life, according to five human clinical studies on EstroG-100.
From traditional use to synergistic effects
The blend used in EstroG-100 is based on a long tradition of Chinese and Korean herbal medicine.
Records for Phlomis umbrosa root dates back to the early 1600s when it was consumed to treat lower back pain, disease after childbirth, sterility and fracture. In Korean traditional medicine, it was also used to address diseases after child delivery, pain, skin recovery and muscle and bone issues.
Angelica gigas has been used in Korea for approximately 400 years and possibly even longer in China for pregnancy, menstrual disorders and premenstrual syndrome, while Cynanchum wilfordii has been consumed for close to 200 years in Korea and China for nutrition, tonic, blood and renal health.
The combination of the three plants were not administered for peri and menopausal symptoms until contemporary researchers discovered their synergistic effects.
More recently, three prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical studies published in 2022 showed significant improvement in climacteric symptoms in women after three months of taking EstroG-100 as compared to a placebo. Conducted in Korea, the second of these studies demonstrated improvement in 12 typical menopausal symptoms among participants. That same year, a U.S. study showed a statistically significant improvement of 62% in the Kupperman menopausal index (KMI), a test for assessing the quality of life of menopausal women via a score.
These clinical studies have not reported any associated side effects or impact on body weight, BMI, serum estradiol or follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). Additional research shows that the EstroG-100 extract has “no binding affinity to estrogen receptors and no stimulatory effects on the growth of estrogen-sensitive tissues such as female breast cells and endometrium.”
Sexual health
A 2023 prospective, single-center, single-arm, interventional study in 60 female subjects with menopause and moderate‑to‑severe symptoms evaluated the effects of EstroG‑100 consumed twice daily for 12 weeks.
Overall, at least 96% of patients were satisfied with the treatment. Among some of the noteworthy findings was that women went from 83% dissatisfied in their "interest in sex" to 100% satisfied or extremely satisfied in it after taking the supplement.
However, addressing sexual health symptoms is not always a priority for companies selling ingredients and supplements for menopause, Madden said.
“This study isn't really about sexual health only, but I’d never seen [sexual interest] as part of a menopause study," she added. "It was one of the things that stuck out to me as very indicative of great results. To me, it encapsulates this overall quality of life story. So that's why I think that it's worthwhile talking about and pointing out to people because it's something that's not discussed."
Source: Journal of Mid-life Health
"Evaluation of Efficacy and Safety of EstroG‑100 in Alleviating Menopausal Symptoms in Postmenopausal Women in India: A Prospective, Single‑center, Single‑arm, Interventional Study"
Authors: Hepzibah Kirubamani et al.
