Botanical Supplement Mitigates Menopausal Vasomotor Symptoms

A botanical supplement marketed as Thermella by Bonafide was shown in a recent randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to relieve hot flashes in women experiencing menopause. The findings were published in Maturitas.

The finished product, which is a formulation of 600 mg of Longvida curcumin extract, 150 mg of decaffeinated green tea extract, and 85 mg of phycocyanin spirulina extract, was shown in vivo to inhibit the neurokinin 3 receptor activity, modulating temperature-regulating neurons in the brain by blocking neurokinin-B.

The present study involved 68 menopausal women with 5 or more moderate-to-severe hot flashes daily. Participants received either the supplement or a placebo for 12 weeks. They were evaluated for changes in daily vasomotor symptom frequency and score on the Hot Flash Related Daily Interference Scale (HFRDIS), Menopause-Specific Quality of Life (MENQOL), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Serum estrogen and liver function were assessed in a subgroup of participants.

BNI supplementation reduced VMS frequency by an average of 2.2 hot flashes per day, compared to 0.003 for the placebo, corresponding to a 47.7% relative decrease. HFRDIS was improved in the BNI group (p=0.037) with a significant reduction in all subscales. No significant differences were observed in the MENQOL or PSQI. No changes in serum estradiol or liver function were detected, and the supplement was well-tolerated with no difference in adverse events between groups.

“Among women seeking care for vasomotor symptoms, over 60% concurrently use a plant-based supplement,” the authors wrote. “Although not currently endorsed by major society guidelines, there is broadening acceptance of complementary herbal and nutraceutical strategies within a shared decision-making framework, particularly among women ineligible for [hormonal therapy].”

The present findings, according to the authors, “position neurokinin modulation as a practical strategy for women seeking effective alternatives to hormone therapy or prescription neurokinin antagonists.”