Bonafide’s nonhormonal supplements may relieve common menopause symptoms. Here’s what to know.
- For sexual stimulation: Ristela | Skip to review
- For vaginal dryness: Revaree | Skip to review
- For hot flash relief: Relizen | Skip to review
- For mood swings: Serenol | Skip to review
- For vaginal odor: Clairvee | Skip to review
- For hair and skin health: Silvessa | Skip to review
It’s no secret that women’s hormones change a lot throughout their lifetime.
As you approach menopause and your hormone levels drop, you may experience hot flashes, mood swings, and vaginal dryness.
While following a nutritious diet, exercising, and, in some cases, undergoing hormone replacement therapy can help with symptom relief, taking supplements may be another option.
Bonafide is one supplement company. While there are many supplements geared toward women experiencing menopause, Bonafide is the most comprehensive and focused on menopause.
It’s worth noting that while the names of Bonafide’s products sound like medications, they are, in fact, supplements. They aren’t regulated by the
With that in mind, we explore the brand’s offerings and share our takeaways.
Pros
- Bonafide has done extensive research and in-house testing
- comprehensive line of supplements
- clear instructions and indications for which supplements to use
- many positive reviews online
Cons
- supplements, in general, are not regulated by the FDA for safety or efficacy
- some supplement ingredients may have unknown side effects
- can be expensive
Ristela
- Form: tablet
- Number of servings: 30 per bottle
- Dose: 2 tablets per day
- Active ingredients: pine bark extract (80 mg), rose hips extract (200 mg), L-arginine (800 mg), L-citrulline (800 mg)
- Price: $42–$57 per bottle
- Price per serving: $1.90 per serving with one-time purchase, $0.71 per serving at subscription price
- Accepts insurance: no, but may be eligible to purchase with some FSA or HSA funds
- Returns: returns within 30 days
- Shipping: shipping calculated at checkout, free shipping for all subscription orders
Ristela is a Bonafide supplement that aims to increase sexual satisfaction for women in menopause. The product claims to increase vaginal blood flow, arousal, and the ability to climax.
Key ingredients include the amino acids L-arginine and L-citrulline and two plant extracts: rose hips and French maritime pine bark extract.
L-arginine is a naturally occurring amino acid that acts as a nitric oxide precursor, which can improve blood flow and enhance sexual arousal.
In a
Many reviewers state that the product has helped them achieve better levels of sexual satisfaction. Ristela must be taken daily (two tablets per day). Bonafide says you can achieve best results after 8 weeks of consistent use.
Revaree
- Form: suppository
- Number of servings: 10 per box
- Dose: 1 suppository every 2–3 days
- Active ingredients: hyaluronic acid sodium salt (5 mg)
- Price: $42–$62 per box
- Price per serving: $4.20–$6.20 per dose, depending on purchase type
- Accepts insurance: no, but may be eligible for use with some FSA or HSA plans
- Returns: returns within 30 days
- Shipping: shipping calculated at checkout, free shipping for all subscription orders
Vaginal dryness and inelasticity are common symptoms of lower levels of estrogen, a hormone that declines during menopause.
Some vaginal estrogen-based creams can help with this, although some people have concerns about their safety. A 2019 systematic review did not find any obvious safety concerns but said more research is needed to say for sure.
Revaree, an alternative to these creams, is a hyaluronic acid suppository that you insert into the vagina. Bonafide recommends using one insert every 2–3 days while sleeping. The moisturizing effects increase with consistent use.
Hyaluronic acid is also a naturally occurring compound found in your skin, eyes, and connective tissue that attracts water and keeps you moisturized.
In a
Relizen
- Form: tablet
- Number of servings: 30 servings per box
- Dose: 2 tablets per day
- Active ingredients: purified cytoplasmic blend (320 mg) (Swedish flower pollen extract, Sérélys, in the form of pollen + pistil extract PI-82, and pollen extract GC-FEM)
- Price: $41–$57 per box
- Price per serving: $1.90–$1.23 per serving, depending on purchase type
- Accepts insurance: no, but may be eligible for use with some FSA or HSA plans
- Returns: returns within 30 days
- Shipping: shipping calculated at checkout, free shipping for all subscription orders
Hot flashes and sleep issues are common symptoms of perimenopause and menopause.
Relizen is a small tablet containing a blend of four pollen and pistil extracts sourced in Sweden, according to Bonafide. These pollen extracts are believed to help the body regulate temperature more effectively.
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Serenol
- Form: tablet
- Number of servings: 30 servings per box
- Dose: 2 tablets per day
- Active ingredients: chromium 1,000 mcg (2857% DV), purified cytoplasmic blend (624 mg) (pollen + pistil extract PI-82, pollen extract GC-FEM), royal jelly (24 mg)
- Price: $47–$62 per box
- Price per serving: $1.40–$2.06 per serving, depending on plan
- Accepts insurance: no, but may be eligible for use with some FSA or HSA plans
- Returns: returns within 30 days
- Shipping: shipping calculated at checkout, free shipping for all subscription orders
Serenol is a supplement designed to help alleviate mood changes, such as irritability and uneasiness, that can accompany menopause.
This supplement has many positive reviews from women in premenopause with premenstrual syndrome or premenstrual dysphoric disorder. The primary ingredients are chromium picolinate, a proprietary pollen blend, and royal jelly.
Royal jelly is a bee-derived product, so avoid taking Serenol if you’re allergic to bees.
Studies looking at chromium suggest that it shows promise in helping modulate blood sugar, cravings, binge eating, inflammation, and mood changes.
Clairvee
- Form: capsule
- Number of servings: 15 capsules per bottle
- Dose: 1 capsule per day for 15 days of the month
- Active ingredients: folate (100% DV), Clairvee vaginal blend (Lactobacillus acidophilus + Lactobacillus rhamnosus) (65 mg), lactoferrin (50 mg)
- Price: $39–$55 per box
- Price per serving: $1.16–$1.83 per serving, depending on plan
- Accepts insurance: no, but may be eligible for use with some FSA or HSA plans
- Returns: returns within 30 days
- Shipping: shipping calculated at checkout, free shipping for all subscription orders
Vaginal odor can result from hormonal changes or bacterial disturbances in the vaginal microbiome. While some vaginal odor may be caused by infections that require antibiotic treatment, some causes may be treatable with probiotics.
Probiotics plus lactoferrin, a protein found in milk that has antibacterial properties, may help restore the vaginal microbiome, according to a
Clairvee contains folate, lactoferrin, and two probiotic strains that may help restore the vaginal microbiome and alleviate odors, itching, and discharge. Clairvee should be taken once per day for 15 days, and results last for the full month. Bonafide says that you can achieve best results after several months of consistent use.
Don’t take Clairvee if you have a milk allergy or are pregnant.
Silvessa
- Form: capsule and serums
- Number of servings: 30 capsules per bottle
- Dose: 1 capsule per day
- Active ingredients: biotin from magnesium biotinate (10,000 mcg), inositol-stabilized arginine silicate (145 mg), phycocyanin (150 mg)
- Price: $47–$57 per bottle
- Price per serving: $1.56–$1.90 per serving, depending on plan
- Accepts insurance: no, but may be eligible for use with some FSA or HSA plans
- Returns: returns within 30 days
- Shipping: shipping calculated at checkout, free shipping for all subscription orders
The Silvessa system is a collection of products focused on supporting hair and skin health. It includes an oral supplement, a hair serum, and a skin serum. These can be purchased together or individually.
Here, we’re focusing on the oral supplement, which contains ingredients thought to boost collagen production and protect skin from damage over time. Other key ingredients target skin rejuvenation and protection from oxidative stress.
It also includes magnesium biotinate, a potent form of biotin, which is a vitamin that plays a crucial role in skin, hair, eye, liver, and nervous system health.
Inositol-stabilized arginine silicate — also known as ASI — is a nitric oxide precursor with benefits for the connective tissue, joints, bones, and vascular system. While more research is needed, a
Phycocyanin is an algae-derived protein used in foods and cosmetics products. It’s the main ingredient in spirulina and the main source of spirulina’s powerful antioxidant properties. Phycocyanin has been shown to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties.
Bonafide Health LLC was established in March 2017. The company is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), although it has an A- rating on the BBB for responding to customer complaints, addressing concerns, and being transparent with its business practices.
However, the BBB states that it reached out to Bonafide in March 2023 asking the company to prove the following claims: “safe and hormone-free,” “scientifically validated,” “recommended by over 8,300 doctors,” and “7 out of 10 experience symptom relief in 2 months or less.”
The BBB says these statements violate its code of conduct for advertising. Bonafide didn’t respond to the Better Business Bureau or to change its advertising claims.
Bonafide states that it does quality testing on all of its ingredients prior to use. It also says it works with
The FDA doesn’t have to
Bonafide says it’s committed to high quality products. The company indicates that it uses an ISO-17025 certified laboratory for its testing. It also states that it uses ingredients that are
Bonafide supplements are evaluated by the National Sanitation Foundation, a rigorous third-party testing measure that requires ongoing evaluation and compliance to maintain certification.
It also claims its products are USP certified. USP (United States Pharmacopeia) is a nonprofit scientific organization that sets public quality standards for medicines, foods, and supplements.
Since the 1960s, HRT has been one of the most effective and widely used methods for treating severe symptoms of menopause. However, it’s not effective for everyone and is not without risks.
There’s some evidence that HRT may increase risk of cancer, blood clots, and gallbladder disease. Given the potentially serious risks of HRT, many women prefer to try vitamins or supplements to help alleviate menopause symptoms.
A 2018 review of three randomized, controlled trials evaluating omega-3 fatty acid supplementation to help with symptoms of menopause did not find very promising results. Some women did experience a decrease in night sweats, but more research is needed.
Following a nutritious, well-balanced diet can help reduce menopause symptoms. To help make sure you’re getting proper nutrients, you may also want to consider taking a multivitamin if you’re over age 50.
There are a number of nonmedical interventions that may help with menopause discomfort, such as yoga, meditation, hypnosis, and CBT, though there is not much research supporting their use.
People have used a number of other herbs and vitamins throughout history to help address menopause symptoms. These include black cohosh, St John’s wort, evening primrose oil, vitamin E, dong quai, and red clover leaf extract.
But a large 2017 review did not find any conclusive evidence to support these substances as treatments for symptoms of menopause. It concluded that more research is needed to understand their effects.
Specifically for vaginal dryness, there are a number of topical creams or gels on the market that may relieve sexual discomfort.
The main ingredient in Revaree is hyaluronic acid. A 2013 study of hyaluronic acid used to treat vaginal dryness did not find any significant side effects.
Some users experience dripping if they get up during the night or move around a lot while the insert is in place.
Hyaluronic acid, the main ingredient in Revaree, is well known for its moisture retention properties. More than 1,500 online reviews indicate positive results when using Revaree to relieve postmenopausal vaginal dryness.
The FDA does not regulate supplements before they hit the market in the United States. However, Bonafide does go to great lengths to ensure its product quality and safety, such as meeting all FDA manufacturing safety requirements, in-house testing, and third-party testing and certifications. These include NSF and USP certifications.
The company states that while its ingredients are sourced from around the world, all of its products are manufactured in the United States.
The FDA does not approve dietary supplements. Bonafide manufactures its products, such as Revaree, in facilities that meet the FDA’s standards for CGMPs.
If you’ve been looking for relief from common menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness, sleep issues, mood swings, or hair and skin changes, Bonafide supplements may help.
The company has a strong commitment to quality and safety and has scientific research backing up its ingredient selections. If you have questions about whether a certain supplement is safe for you, talk with your doctor.