A significant number of Australian women are using complementary and alternative medicines that are known to be ineffective for managing the symptoms of menopause, researchers say.

A survey by Professor Susan Davis, Dr Roisin Worsley and fellow researchers from Monash University in Melbourne found that 13% of 2020 women aged 40–65 years had used at least one complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in the past month for vasomotor symptoms (VMS) such as hot flushes and night sweats.

“Applying our findings to the 3.7 million Australian women aged 40–65 years would mean that 490 000 women had used CAMs for VMS in the past month, and 303 000 would have consulted a CAM practitioner for menopausal symptoms in the past year”, the researchers wrote in the study which was published in this week’s MJA.

Phytoestrogens were most commonly used for VMS (6.29%), followed by evening primrose oil (3.91%) and ginseng (1.73%), despite no evidence to show they were effective. 

According to the authors one particularly concerning finding was that a significant proportion of Australia practitioners supported their use.

“It is a cause for concern that a sizeable proportion of Australian practitioners are recommending ineffective therapies”, they wrote.

“Health care providers need to actively guide women in the management of VMS and other menopausal symptoms.”