Clinicians Urged to Screen Women for Supplements
New data shows most midlife women take dietary supplements, but often fail to report their usage to their doctors.
Updated on Oct. 26, 2026 in Women’s Health
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A new presentation at The Menopause Society 2026 Annual Meeting highlights that 64% of midlife women use dietary supplements. Researchers emphasize that these patients often do not disclose their supplement intake to physicians, creating potential health risks.
Why it matters
Understanding supplement use is critical because certain products, like St. John's wort or green tea extract, can interfere with prescription medications or cause adverse side effects. Clinicians are being encouraged to perform systematic screenings to ensure patient safety as supplement marketing proliferates online.
Researchers report that 64% of midlife women take dietary supplements, yet 70% of these individuals fail to disclose this usage to their physicians. The US market currently contains more than 180,000 distinct supplement products.
The players
Annina Burns
A researcher who presented new findings on supplement usage patterns among midlife women.
The Menopause Society
A professional organization that provides guidance on menopause-related health and clinical standards.
The details
Annina Burns presented findings indicating that social media platforms significantly drive supplement trends, with two thirds of top menopause posts promoting these products while only 18% originate from credentialed physicians. Because nutrient needs change during midlife, experts suggest clinicians update intake forms to explicitly track specific products, brands, doses, and durations.
Timeline
2023: The Menopause Society issued a position statement on nonhormone therapies.
October 2026: Annina Burns presented findings at The Menopause Society meeting.
Health Landscape
This research follows the clinical framework established by The Menopause Society's 2023 nonhormone therapy position statement. The findings underscore a need for greater physician oversight in a medical landscape increasingly influenced by unregulated online supplement marketing.
Patients should prepare a list of all dietary supplements, including exact brands and dosages, to share during their next doctor's visit. Openly discussing these products helps your physician identify potential interactions with current medications.
The takeaway
When discussing your health with a doctor, treat supplements with the same seriousness as prescription medication. Being proactive about disclosing everything you take can prevent dangerous health complications and ensure your care plan remains effective.
Further reading
Learn more about managing midlife health at /health/womens-health/.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Medscape.
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Do you proactively disclose all vitamins and supplements you take to your primary care physician?
