Amberen review, what is in it and who ran the trials

The short version.

Amberen is unusual in the supplement aisle because it has several randomized, placebo controlled trials. That is the good news. The caveats are that every trial we found was run in Russia by an overlapping group of researchers, one author is a paid consultant to the company that made it, and the trials found a rise in blood estradiol in women taking it. Amberen is a reasonable thing to try for mild to moderate symptoms if you know those caveats going in. It is not a substitute for a conversation about hormone therapy or the newer nonhormonal prescriptions if symptoms are disrupting your life.

What is in Amberen.

The published trials describe the formula as two capsules taken once a day with a meal. One white capsule holds 200 mg of ammonium succinate. One orange capsule holds calcium disuccinate, monosodium L-glutamate, glycine, magnesium disuccinate, zinc difumarate and tocopherol acetate, which is vitamin E. Succinate is a molecule your cells already use to make energy. The brand describes the mix as hormone free, herb free and drug free.

Check the label on the box you buy. Retail listings describe the blend as succinates, amino acids, vitamin E and minerals, and Amberen sells several versions, including Amberen Perimenopause, whose formula may differ from the menopause version in the trials. The capsules list ingredients as a proprietary blend, so not every amount is printed. Two points stand out on the label: the small amount of monosodium glutamate, which some people prefer to avoid, and the absence of soy and black cohosh, which matters if you have been told to steer clear of either.

Amberen is a dietary supplement. The FDA does not review supplements for safety or effectiveness before they are sold, so the trials below are the only independent check you have, and they are not fully independent.

What the evidence shows.

The 2016 trial. A randomized, double blind, placebo controlled trial of 125 women aged 42 to 60 with menopause symptoms ran for 3 months. Women taking Amberen improved on 13 of 21 symptoms on the Greene Climacteric Scale and showed less anxiety than the placebo group. No negative effects showed up in blood tests, urine tests or vital signs.

The 2019 pooled analysis. The same network then pooled two identical 90 day trials, 114 women on Amberen and 113 on placebo, all Caucasian women of Russian ancestry, most within 3 years of their last period. Compared with placebo, Amberen improved 16 of 21 symptoms, including hot flashes, night sweats, difficulty sleeping and low mood. Women on Amberen also lost an average of 3.5 kg, while the placebo group gained a little. No side effects were reported.

The estradiol finding. Serum estradiol in the Amberen group climbed from 35.7 pg/ml at baseline to 58.0 pg/ml at 90 days, while the placebo group ended at 39.9. The authors noted the increase was much smaller than with hormone therapy and that the cause is unknown, since none of the ingredients are hormones. They also wrote that women who should not use estrogen, for example after an estrogen receptor positive breast cancer, may not wish to use it. That sentence deserves more attention than it gets on retail pages.

The 2024 perimenopause trial. A randomized, placebo controlled trial of 106 women up to age 50 in perimenopause tested Amberen combined with a B vitamin complex and reported improvements in symptom, anxiety and mood scores. Its lead author is listed at Alliance Pharma, the company that has owned Amberen since buying its maker, Biogix, in December 2020.

Who was behind the trials. The 2019 paper discloses that one author is a paid consultant for Biogix, formerly Lunada Biomedical, and that the others were investigators in the trials. Industry involvement does not make results wrong, but it is why outside replication matters, and we found none.

What the Menopause Society says. Its 2023 nonhormone position statement reviewed supplements and herbal remedies as a group and does not recommend them for hot flashes. It lists cognitive behavioral therapy, clinical hypnosis, some antidepressants, gabapentin and fezolinetant among the recommended nonhormone options, all of which are things to ask a clinician about.

Amberen Multi-Symptom, our Amberen pick.

Amberen Multi-Symptom is the version closest to the formula in the published trials and the one to choose after periods have stopped. Plan on about three months and track symptoms.

Amberen Perimenopause, for perimenopause.

Amberen Perimenopause is sold for women who still have periods. The 2024 trial tested Amberen with a B vitamin complex in perimenopausal women; read the label to see how closely the box matches.

Estroven Complete, single extract alternative.

Estroven Complete has one active ingredient, ERr 731 rhubarb root extract, which beat placebo in a 12 week trial of 109 perimenopausal women. One ingredient is easier to judge. Our Estroven review covers the whole line.

Remifemin, black cohosh alternative.

Remifemin is a standardized black cohosh extract. The evidence for black cohosh is mixed and it carries a rare liver warning; our Remifemin review and black cohosh guide explain both.

Bonafide Relizen, pollen extract alternative.

Relizen uses a purified Swedish flower pollen extract, with a small placebo controlled trial behind it and no plant estrogens.

Amberen compared with Estroven and black cohosh.

Product	Main ingredients	Best published evidence	Notes
Amberen	Succinates, glycine, zinc, magnesium, vitamin E	Several placebo controlled trials, one network, 90 days	Estradiol rose in trials; contains monosodium glutamate
Estroven Complete	ERr 731 rhubarb extract	Placebo controlled trial, 109 women, 12 weeks	Single ingredient
Remifemin	Black cohosh extract	Mixed; Cochrane review found no clear benefit for black cohosh	Rare liver warning
Bonafide Relizen	Swedish flower pollen extract	Placebo controlled trial, 64 women, 3 months	No plant estrogens

For the full ranking across brands, see best menopause supplements.

Who Amberen suits.

• A good fit. Mild to moderate hot flashes, sleep trouble or mood changes, a preference for a nonprescription start, no reason to avoid estrogen, and patience for a 90 day trial.
• Think twice. A history of breast or other hormone sensitive cancer, a clotting history, sensitivity to monosodium glutamate, or several medicines. Ask your clinician first and bring the box.
• Not the right tool. Severe or disabling hot flashes, or vaginal dryness and painful sex, which supplements do not treat. For dryness, see lube for menopause dryness and vaginal atrophy.

How to give it a fair trial.

Count hot flashes and night wakings for a week before starting, then once a week. Take it as the label directs, with food. At 90 days, compare your notes. If nothing has changed, stop and take the notes to an appointment; our hot flashes guide lists the questions to ask.

When to see a clinician.

See a clinician if hot flashes or night sweats disrupt your sleep or work, if you have any bleeding after menopause, or before starting Amberen if you have had a hormone sensitive cancer, a blood clot, liver or kidney disease, or take other medicines. Ask about hormone therapy and nonhormonal prescriptions such as fezolinetant if a supplement is not enough. This page is general information, not medical advice.