Estroven Review: A Safe and Effective Solution for Menopause Symptom Relief

Things Estroven Gets Right

• Contains just a single active ingredient with long-term clinical studies proving efficacy and safety.
• Compared to leading menopause supplements, Estroven has the largest body of clinical research supporting its use. It has also been trusted as an alternative menopause treatment in Europe since 1993.
• Easy to take, requiring a single daily dose of one caplet.
• Uses a standardized version of the active ingredient (which ensures that every batch has the correct concentration of the active ingredient present).
• Affordable for long-term use when compared to other menopause symptom relief brands.
• Widely available online and in brick-and-mortar stores from many popular retailers.

Important Considerations

• While some studies show that the ingredient in Estroven produced initial benefits in 28 days, the results may vary for everyone (clinical trials lasted at least 12 weeks).
• Although Estroven was shown to be generally safe, it may not suit everyone (more on that below in the safety section).
• Contains some common artificial additives that act as preservatives.
• The product is not third-party tested for ingredient purity.

Get Started With Estroven

Estroven in a Snapshot

Although menopause is a natural process, the onset of problematic symptoms associated with this transitional period may severely impact a woman’s life. These symptoms often include hot flashes, night sweats, sleeplessness, low energy, mood swings, mental and physical exhaustion, low sex drive, vaginal dryness, anxiety, joint and muscle pain, and difficulty concentrating.

The standard treatment for menopause symptoms has been hormone replacement therapy (HRT). However, HRT comes with a serious risk of side effects, which some women want to avoid, while others can’t undergo HRT for health reasons.

Estroven Complete is an over-the-counter (OTC), hormone-free supplement designed to be an alternative treatment to conventional hormone treatments. It’s plant-based and has been shown to reduce the symptoms of menopause in as few as 28 days.

Estroven Complete is Estroven's original formula and contains only one ingredient — a standardized version of rhapontic rhubarb extract (ERr 731). It works by promoting beneficial estrogen-like activities, which have been shown to relieve all major symptoms of menopause.

ERr 731 was standardized and commercially registered in Germany in 1993 as a prescription drug. In 2005, after additional evidence on its safety, it was offered as an OTC treatment. Then, in 2012, ERr 731 was introduced in the United States under the brand name Estroven.

In addition to its original formula, Esroven offers several other menopause products targeting specific conditions, such as weight management, sleep support, and stress relief. These products use a different active ingredient (black cohosh) and will not be discussed in this review.

How to Take It

The recommended dosage of Estroven is 1 caplet once daily at any time, with or without food. Do not exceed the recommended dosage. Estroven is meant to be taken long-term during your menopause symptoms.

A Large Body of Research Has Shown Estroven Can Help Reduce Menopause Symptoms

Estroven uses only 4 mg of one ingredient, ERr 731, extracted from Siberian rhubarb (Rheum rhaponticum). As mentioned, it’s been used safely and effectively in Europe for nearly three decades for treating menopausal symptoms and has strong research supporting this. (1)

Studies conducted on ERr 731

• A 2008 study showed that 252 out of 363 peri- and postmenopausal women taking ERr 731 daily for six months experienced a significant reduction in menopause symptoms. There were also no safety issues reported at the end of the study. (2)
• A 2007 12-week study showed that perimenopausal women experienced a reduction in menopause-related anxiety, which researchers concluded was correlated with the fewer daily hot flashes they experienced. (3)
• A 2021 study done on 129 perimenopausal Indian women showed taking 4 mg of ERr 731 per day for 12 weeks alleviated menopausal symptoms. The study also concluded that ERr 731 was safe. (4)
• A 2009 study on 56 perimenopausal women taking ERr 731 daily for 12 weeks showed they experienced a significant reduction in the number and severity of hot flashes. This study also confirmed that the majority of women tolerated ERr 731 well. (5)
• A nearly two-year observational study on perimenopausal women taking ERr 731 showed a significant reduction in menopause symptoms. Specifically, at the end of the two years, hot flashes were reduced to an average of 1.4 mild episodes per day between the participants, and no adverse side effects were reported. (6)

Is Estroven Safe?

Estroven should be safe for most women. Based on studies referenced in this review, women who took ERr 731 had no reported adverse effects, including during the two-year observational study. However, the Estroven package directs users to take one caplet daily and warns about exceeding this dosage, which may cause health issues.

According to a scholarly paper written in 2016 about the safety history of ERr 731, only 5.9 adverse effects were reported for every 6.7 million doses sold in Germany and 14.6 adverse effects for every 2.4 million doses in North America. Amongst these cases, the adverse effects most often reported were hypersensitivity or rash, gastrointestinal problems like bloating and diarrhea, and headaches. (7)

Always speak to your doctor before starting any supplement intended to address menopause symptoms (including Estroven) to ensure it's safe for you, especially if you are taking medication.

How Much Does Estroven Cost?

Estroven is available from the brand’s website, as well as from Amazon, Costco, and local pharmacies. Prices and return policies vary between retailers, so you could find a deal if you shop around.

From the brand’s website, Estroven is available at the following price points:

When purchased directly from the brand, shipping is free, and products can be returned within 60 days of purchase. In addition, if you tried the product and are unsatisfied with the results, contact their customer service to check if you qualify for a refund.

Try Estroven

How Estroven Compares to Alternatives

Although menopause is a natural process, its symptoms — which can last a long time — can severely impact a woman’s life. We appreciate several brands on the market offering effective, over-the-counter, hormone-free solutions, but choosing the best one for you is not always apparent.

When researching a menopause supplement, it is important to consider the following factors:

• Which menopause symptoms does the supplement address? (Some address all while others a specific few.)
• How does the supplement relieve menopause symptoms (aka its mechanism of action)?
• Is there evidence for safety (preferably long-term) and effectiveness?
• How long will it take to see initial relief?
• What would be the ongoing cost of using the product?
• If you are taking any medications, are there any known drug interactions? (The more ingredients a supplement has, the higher the risk of possible interactions.)

Here’s how Estroven compares to several popular hormone-free brands we have evaluated, followed by our insights on how to pick the best one for you:

*The price estimates in the chart above are calculated on the standard prices without any promotions or discounted rates that companies typically offer.

How Do I Choose?

The four products above are all excellent options, but Estroven excels in a few key attributes compared to alternatives:

• It has the largest studies showing effectiveness in providing relief from all major menopause symptoms.
• It has the longest studies (two years) showing safety. This is especially important as menopause supplements are meant to be taken as long as symptoms persist.
• It is easy to take, requiring only one small caplet per day.
• It is the most affordable treatment, especially when considering long-term use.

Based on this, we believe Estroven is an excellent choice for a menopause supplement.

However, everyone is different, and not everyone’s body will respond to Estroven. There are times when considering other brands makes sense as well:

• If you want another supplement that addresses all major symptoms of menopause for a similar price point, Amberen is the ideal option. However, it is not plant-based.
• If you want to try another supplement with the most similarities to the mechanism of action as Estroven, Equelle is your choice. However, it is twice as expensive and addresses fewer symptoms, so make sure it covers the ones you are experiencing. (It also contains soy, so not appropriate for those with a soy allergy.)
• Lastly, if you want a different mechanism of action that is not mimicking estrogen or aims at regulating hormone levels, Relizen is worth considering. But it only addresses hot flashes and night sweats and is the most expensive product in our comparison.

When it comes to managing your hormones, it’s best to talk to your physician before starting a new supplement to be sure it is right for you. Our aim with this review is to provide you with all the relevant information so you have everything you need when speaking with your healthcare professional.

Try Estroven

Estroven is a clinically-proven safe and effective treatment for common menopause symptoms. It’s reasonably priced and easy to take, and the company offers free shipping and a 60-day return policy.

Shop Now