L'équilibre hormonal

What was studied 100 perimenopausal women with climacteric symptoms took 300 mg of an ashwagandha root extract twice daily or a placebo for 8 weeks; 91 completed. The Menopause Rating Scale, a menopause quality-of-life score, hot flashes and hormones (estradiol, FSH, LH, testosterone) were measured.

What was found Total Menopause Rating Scale and quality-of-life scores improved significantly more than with placebo; serum estradiol rose and FSH and LH fell in the ashwagandha group.

What it means here One 8-week trial of a specific standardised extract at 600 mg a day, not an unspecified powder. Bust Bunny includes ashwagandha powder within a 950 mg blend, and the finished product was not studied.

Source: Effect of an ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) root extract on climacteric symptoms in women during perimenopause: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research, 2021 (randomised controlled trial).

Also noted: 64 stressed adults, 300 mg twice daily for 60 days: stress scores and cortisol fell more than with placebo. A Prospective, Randomized Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of Safety and Efficacy of a High-Concentration Full-Spectrum Extract of Ashwagandha Root in Reducing Stress and Anxiety in Adults, Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, 2012.

What was studied 57 outpatients with mild to moderate generalised anxiety disorder took a chamomile extract or a placebo for 8 weeks; the Hamilton Anxiety Rating scale was the main measure.

What was found Anxiety scores fell more with chamomile than with placebo (p = 0.047), a modest difference. Side effects were similar in both groups.

What it means here A small anxiety trial, not a menopause study, and the effect was modest. The finished Bust Bunny product was not studied.

Source: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of oral Matricaria recutita (chamomile) extract therapy for generalized anxiety disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 2009 (randomised controlled trial).

Also noted: A 2011 pilot trial in 34 adults with insomnia found no significant sleep benefit over placebo. Preliminary examination of the efficacy and safety of a standardized chamomile extract for chronic primary insomnia: a randomized placebo-controlled pilot study, BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2011.

What was studied A systematic review of seven randomised trials of ginger for primary dysmenorrhoea (period pain); four placebo-controlled trials were pooled, all giving ginger during the first 3 to 4 days of the period.

What was found Ginger reduced pain scores compared with placebo (pooled difference of 1.85 points on a visual analogue scale). Most trials had a low to moderate risk of bias.

What it means here The doses were 750 to 2,000 mg of ginger powder a day for a few days, far more than the share of ginger in a Bust Bunny serving. Period pain, not menopause, was the outcome. The finished product was not studied.

Source: Efficacy of Ginger for Alleviating the Symptoms of Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials. Pain Medicine, 2015 (systematic review and meta-analysis).

Also noted: A 2020 review of 109 ginger trials across all uses: consistent evidence mainly for nausea, inflammation markers and digestion. Ginger on Human Health: A Comprehensive Systematic Review of 109 Randomized Controlled Trials, Nutrients, 2020.

What was studied 14 postmenopausal women took 3.5 g a day of powdered maca for 6 weeks and a placebo for 6 weeks, in random order. Hormones (estradiol, FSH, LH, SHBG) and the Greene Climacteric Scale were measured.

What was found Psychological symptom scores, including anxiety and depression, and sexual dysfunction scores were lower after maca than after placebo. Hormone levels did not change.

What it means here A very small crossover study at 3.5 g a day, seven times the 500 mg in a Bust Bunny serving. The finished product was not studied.

Source: Beneficial effects of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on psychological symptoms and measures of sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women are not related to estrogen or androgen content. Menopause, 2008 (randomised crossover trial).

Also noted: A 2024 review reports maca as generally safe, with menopause findings described as promising rather than established. Exploring the chemical and pharmacological variability of Lepidium meyenii: a comprehensive review of the effects of maca, Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2024.

What was studied 70 women with menopausal symptoms in a double-blind, multicentre randomised trial took an Ayurvedic shatavari (Asparagus racemosus) root extract formulation or a placebo, 35 per group.

What was found The shatavari group reported larger reductions in hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, anxiety, vaginal dryness and loss of libido, and a larger improvement in quality-of-life score, with no significant adverse events.

What it means here One trial of a specific formulation with a small sample and a short duration; the authors call for larger and longer studies. The finished Bust Bunny product was not studied.

Source: Efficacy and Safety of Shatavari Root Extract for the Management of Menopausal Symptoms: A Double-Blind, Multicenter, Randomized Controlled Trial. Cureus, 2024 (randomised controlled trial).

Also noted: 80 perimenopausal women, 300 mg a day for 8 weeks: symptom, stress and hot-flash scores improved more than placebo; estradiol and FSH rose in the shatavari group. Efficacy and Safety of Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus) Root Extract for Perimenopause: Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study, International Journal of Women's Health, 2025.

What was studied 71 postmenopausal women with hot flashes took dong quai on its own or a placebo for 24 weeks. Endometrial thickness, vaginal cell maturation, hot flashes and the Kupperman symptom score were measured.

What was found No differences between dong quai and placebo in endometrial thickness, vaginal cells, number of hot flashes or symptom score.

What it means here A null result: used alone, dong quai did not show estrogen-like effects on tissue and was no better than placebo for symptoms. It is listed for completeness and does not support a hormonal effect. The finished Bust Bunny product was not studied.

Source: Does dong quai have estrogenic effects in postmenopausal women? A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Fertility and Sterility, 1997 (randomised controlled trial).

What was studied 304 women with menopausal symptoms in a randomised, multicentre, double-blind trial took tablets equal to 40 mg a day of an isopropanolic black cohosh extract, or a placebo, for 12 weeks. The Menopause Rating Scale was the main measure.

What was found The extract was more effective than placebo, with the hot-flush score responding most; women early in menopause benefited more. Side effects did not differ from placebo.

What it means here This tested a specific isopropanolic extract (Remifemin type), not an extract standardised to 2.5% triterpenes like the one in Bust Bunny. A larger 12-month US trial of a 2.5% triterpene extract found no benefit over placebo (below), and the NIH says the evidence is insufficient overall. The finished product was not studied.

Source: Efficacy and safety of isopropanolic black cohosh extract for climacteric symptoms. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2005 (randomised controlled trial).

Also noted: 351 women, 160 mg a day of a 2.5% triterpene glycoside extract for 12 months: hot flashes did not differ from placebo. Summarised in the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements black cohosh fact sheet. Treatment of vasomotor symptoms of menopause with black cohosh, multibotanicals, soy, hormone therapy, or placebo: a randomized trial, Annals of Internal Medicine, 2006.

What was studied 75 postmenopausal women with raised blood lipids in a 6-month randomised trial: 39 took 40 mg of red clover isoflavones twice daily and 36 took a starch placebo. Menopause Rating Scale scores and cholesterol were measured at 3 and 6 months.

What was found Menopause symptom scores, total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides fell, and HDL rose, more with red clover than with placebo at most time points.

What it means here A study of menopausal symptoms and cholesterol using 80 mg a day of concentrated isoflavones, not 80 mg of herb. Other trials of red clover isoflavones have had inconsistent results, as the NIH notes. It did not measure breast tissue, and the finished Bust Bunny product was not studied.

Source: Isoflavones obtained from red clover improve both dyslipidemia and menopausal symptoms in menopausal women: a prospective randomized placebo-controlled trial. Climacteric, 2024 (randomised controlled trial).

What the source is The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements fact sheet on vitamin E, a government summary rather than a single trial.

What it says Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant involved in immune function and cell signalling. The adult recommended intake and the label Daily Value are 15 mg a day, and the synthetic dl-alpha form is about half as active by weight as the natural form.

What it means here A two-capsule serving of Bust Bunny Hormonal Balance provides 4.5 mg (30% of the Daily Value), a nutrient-level amount. Hot-flash studies used about 400 IU a day, many times more (below), so those results do not transfer. The finished product was not studied.

Source: Vitamin E: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (government fact sheet).

Also noted: 51 menopausal women, 400 IU a day for 4 weeks after a placebo period: hot flashes were fewer and milder, at a dose far above the amount in this product. The effect of vitamin E on hot flashes in menopausal women, Gynecologic and Obstetric Investigation, 2007.