Menopausal Woman Laughing and Looking Healthy

Perimenopause & Menopause Supplements: Understanding the Changes Happening in Your Body (and How Nutrition Can Help)

Perimenopause isn't something to fear, it's something to understand and embrace 🖤

For many women, perimenopause arrives quietly.

Perhaps you've started waking during the night for no obvious reason. Your usual workouts feel harder than they used to. You're forgetting words mid-sentence, your joints feel stiffer when you get out of bed, or your body seems to be changing in ways you weren't expecting.

If you've found yourself wondering whether you're imagining it, you're not alone.

Perimenopause is the transition before menopause, when hormone levels, particularly Oestrogen, begin to fluctuate. Although many people associate menopause with hot flushes and changes to periods, the reality is that hormonal changes can affect almost every system in the body.

Oestrogen plays an important role in supporting our Muscles, Bones, Brain Function, Skin Health, Metabolism and Connective Tissues. So, as levels naturally decline, many women notice changes that go far beyond their menstrual cycle.

With so many women experiencing these changes, it’s natural to start asking questions about what your body needs during this stage of life and whether certain nutrients or supplements can offer meaningful support.

While supplements cannot stop menopause, and we would never claim they can, the right nutrition can help support your body through this important stage of life.

In this guide, we’ll explore some of the most researched supplements for women over 40, including Multivitamins, Collagen and Creatine, and how they may support areas such as Energy, Muscle Health, Skin, Joints, Cognition and Healthy Ageing.

Why does perimenopause affect so many different parts of the body?

One of the biggest misconceptions about menopause is that it is only about periods and hot flushes.

For many women, the most frustrating symptoms are often the ones that are less visible:

  • Brain fog and difficulty concentrating
  • Changes in energy levels
  • Poor sleep
  • Reduced muscle strength
  • Joint stiffness
  • Changes to skin elasticity
  • Hair thinning
  • Mood changes
  • Feeling like their body is responding differently than it used to

These changes are not happening because your body is “giving up”. They are happening because your body is adapting to a new hormonal landscape.

During midlife, supporting your health often becomes less about chasing quick fixes and more about creating strong foundations: eating enough protein, moving regularly, strength training, prioritising sleep and ensuring your body has the nutrients it needs.

What vitamins should women take during perimenopause?

There is no single “best” vitamin for menopause because every woman’s needs are different.

However, ensuring you are consistently meeting your nutritional requirements can provide a strong foundation for overall health and wellbeing.

A quality women’s multivitamin for perimenopause can be particularly useful during busy periods of life, when eating a perfectly balanced diet every day isn’t always realistic.

At Vigor, we believe supplements should complement a healthy lifestyle, not replace it.

That is why Vigor Essential was created to provide 13 essential vitamins alongside two carefully selected ingredients chosen with women’s health in mind: Inositol and Choline.

Supporting brain health and menopause brain fog

One of the most commonly reported symptoms during perimenopause is brain fog.

Many women describe feeling like they are losing their sharpness:

  • Forgetting words
  • Struggling to focus
  • Feeling mentally slower
  • Finding multitasking more difficult

While brain fog can have many contributing factors, including stress, sleep changes and hormonal fluctuations, supporting overall nutrition is an important part of caring for your brain.

Choline is an essential nutrient involved in normal brain function, memory and the production of acetylcholine; a neurotransmitter involved in communication between nerve cells.

Although no supplement can guarantee improvements in cognition, ensuring your body has the nutrients it needs can help support normal psychological function as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Inositol, hormone health and PMOS (previously known as PCOS)

Many people know about Inositol because of its connection with PCOS supplements UK searches, but the terminology around this condition has evolved.

PMOS (previously known as PCOS; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) is a hormonal and metabolic condition affecting many women, and Inositol has become one of the most researched nutrients in this area.

Research has explored Inositol’s role in:

  • Insulin signalling
  • Metabolic health
  • Hormone regulation
  • Ovarian function

We specifically included Inositol because women’s health doesn’t begin or end with menopause. Hormonal wellbeing is something many women navigate throughout adulthood, and Inositol is an ingredient with growing scientific interest.

For those wanting to learn more about PMOS and the role of Inositol, we have explored this topic in more detail in our dedicated PMOS blog.

Why do women lose muscle during menopause?

One of the biggest changes during menopause that receives far less attention than it deserves is muscle loss.

From around our thirties, we naturally begin to lose muscle mass as part of ageing. However, declining Oestrogen during menopause can accelerate this process.

Maintaining muscle is about far more than appearance.

Muscle supports:

  • Strength and mobility
  • Metabolism
  • Blood sugar regulation
  • Balance
  • Bone health
  • Independence as we age

This is why strength training has become one of the most recommended forms of exercise for women over 40.

Alongside resistance training, adequate protein intake and good nutrition, certain supplements may also help support muscle health.

Creatine for women over 40: why is everyone talking about it?

Creatine has traditionally been associated with athletes and bodybuilders.

However, research is increasingly exploring Creatine’s role in women’s health, particularly during midlife and beyond.

Creatine helps the body produce ATP; the primary energy source used by our cells. This is especially important for tissues with high energy demands, including muscles and the brain.

Research suggests Creatine supplementation, particularly when combined with resistance exercise, may support:

  • Muscle strength and performance
  • Lean muscle maintenance
  • Exercise recovery
  • Cellular energy production
  • Cognitive function
  • Healthy ageing

As awareness grows around the importance of maintaining muscle and cognitive health during menopause, Creatine is becoming an increasingly popular supplement for women looking to support healthy ageing.

 

Can you take Creatine during menopause?

Yes, Creatine Monohydrate is one of the most researched forms of Creatine and has been widely studied for safety and effectiveness.

A common concern among women is whether Creatine causes bloating.

Creatine does not cause fat gain. Some people may experience a small increase in water stored within their muscle cells, which is part of how Creatine works and is different from the uncomfortable bloated feeling many women worry about.

For many women, Creatine is becoming less about sports performance and more about supporting strength, energy, confidence and healthy ageing.

Why does skin change during menopause?

Many women notice changes to their skin during perimenopause and menopause.

It may feel:

  • Drier
  • Less elastic
  • Thinner
  • Slower to recover

This is partly because Oestrogen plays an important role in Collagen production.

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body and provides structure for:

  • Skin
  • Hair
  • Nails
  • Tendons
  • Ligaments
  • Cartilage
  • Bones

As we age, and particularly around menopause, Collagen production naturally declines.

It’s no surprise that many women begin exploring how nutrition and lifestyle can support their skin through these changes, particularly when it comes to maintaining hydration, elasticity and a healthy glow as they move through midlife.

Marine vs Bovine Collagen: which is better?

This is one of the questions we are asked most often and the honest answer is that both Marine and Bovine Collagen have their own benefits.

Marine Collagen is naturally rich in Type I Collagen, which is the most abundant Collagen type found in skin.

Bovine Collagen contains Type I and Type III Collagen, with Type III being commonly found in muscles, connective tissues and organs.

Rather than choosing one over the other, Vigor Collagen combines both Wild-caught Marine & Grass-fed Bovine Collagen Peptides.

This provides a broader range of Collagen peptides, supporting a more complete approach to Collagen supplementation.

Can Collagen support joints, skin and healthy ageing?

Collagen research continues to grow, with studies exploring its potential role in supporting:

  • Skin hydration
  • Skin elasticity
  • Joint comfort
  • Connective tissue health
  • Healthy ageing

Collagen also naturally contains Amino Acids such as Glycine, which plays many important roles throughout the body, including supporting restful sleep. 

As with all supplements, results vary between individuals and Collagen works best as part of an overall healthy lifestyle.

Bone health, energy and healthy ageing during menopause

Declining Oestrogen can also influence bone health, which is why supporting your body during menopause becomes increasingly important.

Regular movement, resistance training, sufficient protein and a balanced diet all contribute to maintaining strength and wellbeing.

A nutrient-rich diet, supported by a quality multivitamin where needed, can help ensure your body has the building blocks required for normal bodily functions.

There is no single menopause supplement, and that’s okay

If there is one thing we want women to take away from this article, it is this:

Menopause is not something that needs to be “fixed”, it is a natural stage of life.

However, that does not mean women should simply accept feeling unlike themselves.

Supporting your body during perimenopause and menopause is about understanding what is changing and giving yourself the tools to navigate that transition.

The foundations still matter most:

  • Eating enough protein
  • Strength training regularly
  • Moving your body daily
  • Prioritising sleep
  • Managing stress
  • Spending time outdoors
  • Eating a wide variety of whole foods

Supplements such as a quality Multivitamin, Collagen and Creatine can then complement those foundations by providing targeted nutritional support where it may be beneficial.

At Vigor, we believe supplements should never be about unrealistic promises or quick fixes.

They should be about giving your body the support it needs, so you can continue feeling strong, healthy and confident through every stage of life.

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