The biotechnology company known for products for intimate health has launched the range to “educate, destigmatize and offer community support” by empowering more women to take control of their health and well-being, according to Daria Costantini, brand lead for Canesten at Bayer Consumer Health UK.
The new CanesMeno range includes a day and nighttime supplement, a vaginal gel and an educational hub that features downloadable information and a menopause tracker, providing private and personalized insights.
A growing market
Menopause can cause an array of burdensome symptoms, including mood changes, brain fog, hot flushes and difficulty sleeping.
While hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the first-line treatment for menopause, many women are reluctant to use exogenous hormones and are turning to dietary supplements for relief.
This has caused an upsurge in demand for menopause supplements, with the UK market projected to reach £100m by 2028, up from £42m in 2020, according to GenM data fielded by Kantar.
“The number of shoppers purchasing menopause-related products has hit record highs in 2024, with both online and in-store visibility playing a key role,” said Heather Jackson, CEO and co-founder of menopause brand partner GenM.
“Women aged 45–55 account for a £2.4 billion market in health and beauty, making them the fastest-growing shopper segment—however, their needs are underserved,” she told NutraIngredients.
Menopause products are an ‘underdeveloped category’, according to Jackson, who says there is a growth opportunity within the market to better educate, serve and support women through their menopause transition.
“Through Bayer’s partnership with GenM […] the brand has committed to better understanding, serving and supporting the 15.5m menopausal women in the UK,” she said.
Supporting specific nutritional needs
CanesMeno Multi Support is a daily food supplement designed to support hormonal regulation, cognitive function, mental performance, and bone and skin health.
Containing 19 vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins, iron, zinc and manganese, the supplement also aims to address the specific nutritional needs of menopausal women.
CanesMeno Multi Support also contains red clover extract, an ingredient which numerous studies have shown supports overall menopause symptoms.
David Evendon-Challis, chief scientific and marketing officer at Bayer, says these studies have found that products containing red clover extract, especially those with at least 80 mg of isoflavones, have demonstrated positive benefits on hot flushes, vasomotor symptoms, psychological symptoms and sleep and tiredness.
“The extensive range of demonstrated benefits associated with red clover support its use as the ideal herbal extract for a food supplement which addresses the diverse symptoms of menopause,” he told NutraIngredients.
Relieving nighttime menopause symptoms
Bayer has also launched CanesMeno Night, a blend of hops and ashwagandha extracts, along with vitamins and minerals.
Traditionally used to relieve mild mental stress and to improve sleep, hop extract has been shown to be effective in managing menopausal symptoms in several clinical trials, according to Evendon-Challis.
Meanwhile, ashwagandha, which is known for its adaptogenic properties, was chosen for its ability to help the body manage stress and enhance sleep quality.
“Studies have showed that ashwagandha can improve sleep efficiency, increase total sleep time, reduce the time needed to fall asleep and improve wakefulness,” he said. “Interestingly, ashwagandha has been studied on menopausal women and was shown to provide an improvement in menopausal symptoms following supplementation.”
Vitamin B6 and magnesium were also added to the formulation to regulate hormonal activity and reduce tiredness and fatigue.
“Collectively, the clinical and scientific data make ashwagandha and hops the best-in-class herbal ingredient combination to help women manage sleep disturbances associated with menopause,” Evendon-Challis said.
The range is complemented by a vaginal gel containing Ectoin, providing relief from vaginal atrophy symptoms associated with menopause such as dryness, itching and burning.
Delivering shopper confidence
Bayer’s CanesMeno range, which has been specifically formulated to support key signs that women in menopause experience, is certified with the GenM ‘MTick’—the universal shopping symbol for menopause-friendly products, undergoing strict criteria and demonstrating evidence as to how the products ease, relieve or support one or more of the menopause signs.
“Through CanesMeno’s certified range, the brand is delivering greater shopper confidence, knowing that the product has scientific evidence to demonstrate how it can support specific menopause signs,” Jackson said.
Speaking about how other brands can succeed in an overcrowded market, she added retailers and manufacturers should consider their role in educating and informing patients about menopause—a topic often clouded by conflicting information.
“Not only looking towards new product development, brands should consider their current product portfolio, and how through better signposting and education their products can support menopausal women,” she said.
