Menopause: moving on from myths and misinformation

Menopause has moved into the spotlight in the last few years, helped by public figures who have shared their personal experience and contributed to normalising talking about it. We’ve also started to see menopause portrayed on the TV in programmes like Riot Women and The Assassin. This visibility has likely made many women feel seen and has drawn the attention of employers and policymakers. But it has also brought information overload, misinformation and commercial exploitation and highlighted inequities in menopause experience, education and care. Our public event, Menopause: what works, what doesn’t and what needs to change, set out to challenge issues of inequality, misinformation, and the commercialisation of menopause by bringing together experts and public figures for an open, evidence-based conversation.

While for many women menopause has become openly discussed, some groups are finding it hard to break free from the cultural stigma that surrounds it. In our research on improving communication about menopause for South Asian women, we found a prevalent culture of silence, reinforced by stigma over symptoms, the role of women as caretakers who generally don’t prioritise themselves and a lack of role modelling of self-care during menopause, either from other women in their lives (like their mothers or aunts) or public figures. This has left an education gap, which has been filled information from social media.

Information confusion

Social media has fuelled both community and confusion. While some influencers share evidence-based advice, others spread myths and fear. Too much information can undermine confidence as much as too little can, and it becomes even harder when trusted voices turn out to be selling products rather than offering impartial guidance. This, coupled with lingering fear about HRT from early 2000s studies, has allowed for the commercialisation of menopause.

Commercialisation

The booming menopause industry was estimated to be worth nearly $17 billion in 2023. Companies have capitalised on vulnerability, fears, unpredictable symptoms and ageing to sell supplements, hormone tests and “miracle” cures, lotions and potions with little scientific backing. This makes it even harder for women to know what actually helps and what is simply expensive snake oil.

So where does this leave us?

Despite these challenges, I think we’re at a place of real opportunity. The conversation about menopause is louder than ever, and the challenge now is to ensure it is led by voices that are credible, compassionate and grounded in evidence, exactly the qualities brought by our speakers at Saturday’s event.

UCL’s Professor of Reproductive Science, Joyce Harper brings four decades of expertise to her work. She drew on the many studies she’s done to learn more about what matters to women when it comes to perimenopause and menopause. She spoke about the “Wild West” of menopause from online misinformation to the dubious ingredients lists contained in menopause supplements. She’s written a book encouraging positivity for women over 50 and shared one key lesson – we should all be seeking joy in our lives as we get older.

Photograph of Joyce Harper

Dr Shema Tariq, a UCL Principal Research Fellow and medical doctor, works across women’s health and HIV. Trained in epidemiology and anthropology, she brings a unique lens to research by being able to focus on population factors and individual experiences. She and Joyce are currently developing ‘InTune’ and ‘Be Prepared’ the UK’s first accessible, evidence-based menopause education intervention for people in perimenopause and menopause, and Shema gave the audience an overview of what they’ve learned so far, stressing that their aim is to trial the intervention before it is released.

Photograph of Dr Shema Tariq

I shared my research on improving menopause communication for South Asian women and was very pleased to be able to display the postcard exhibit (pictured) featuring messages from the 52 participants to other women and to GPs. I also shared the research I’ve been doing on the evidence for and marketing strategies behind commercial products that claim to alleviate menopause symptoms. Spoiler alert: evidence is limited yet is used spuriously as a marketing tool.

Finally, we were extremely privileged to hear from award-winning screenwriter, Sally Wainwright. I have long admired her work and was honoured she agreed to come to the event, raising its profile and possibly drawing in some people who might not have come otherwise. We’d agreed that instead of a talk, that we would have a conversational style interview followed by questions from the audience. She talked about her recent hit series, Riot Women and how she came up with the idea for it. Sally spoke about her menopause experience and how it formed the basis of her characters’ experiences. She said the cast shared their experiences of menopause on set and explained the value of that camaraderie and community.

Photograph of Sally Wainwright

A lesser-known fact is that Sally learned to play the drums and guitar to see whether it was something she could ask the actors on Riot Women to do. Which she did and then they did, showing how life doesn’t have to slow down as we age. Sally was engaging and funny, and the audience hung on to her every word. And she revealed that Riot Women been commissioned for a second series, but sadly we have to wait ages to for it to come out.

Key lessons learned from the talks and discussion

The focus in the room was living well during menopause and the discussion around how to do that included finding what brings you joy and capitalising on that. Another important aspect was ensuring you have a good support network around you, so that you feel like you belong and have people to turn to in times of need. We also need more evidence-based education, advice and information to push back against the proliferation of misinformation and the commercialisation of menopause. Finally, we need to ensure that all people experiencing perimenopause and menopause receive equitable education and care regardless of age, race, ethnicity or where they live.

So, what can we do?

1. We could Riot, Women! Well, not literally or violently. But riot by stepping outside of the norm. Don’t accept everything you hear on social media. Demand answers to your questions and make no apology for asking for what you need.
2. Have a Riot, Women. Definitely focus on having a good time. Do what brings you joy and share it with other women. Take up drumming and form a band. Dance and don’t care who’s watching. Sing, write poetry, paint…
3. And watch Riot Women. This will help in realising points one and two above.

Some acknowledgements

To Ruth Davis, who helped me organise this wonderful event. Thank you for saying yes to everything and for making it all happen. Colleagues like you are worth your weight in gold. Thanks also to Julia Silas, Imelda Day and Laura Griffith, who assisted on the day. Thank you to the audience who swam or sailed to the event – it was a very, very rainy day, so I assume your passion for talking about menopause outweighed your desire to stay at home out of the horrible weather, which speaks volumes. There were a small number of men who attended, which was great to see as we need men to learn more about menopause. Finally, thank you to Joyce, Shema and Sally for being extremely informative, funny and generous with your time.