Magnetic menopause: does magnet therapy work?

With around 13 million people who are currently experiencing perimenopause or menopause in the UK, it's safe to say there's a large market for those of us looking for relief from the symptoms.

If you're looking for a natural remedy to help with symptoms of menopause, one debated option is magnet therapy.

What is magnet therapy?

Put simply, magnet therapy is when magnets are used to help treat and ease the symptoms of physical ailments. Magnet therapy comes in all sorts of forms from patches to jewellery, braces to sleeves.

Many brands produce products that they claim can work for conditions such as arthritis, back pain and fibromyalgia. The latest to be added to this list is menopause.

How do magnets help menopause?

While we already know that menopause isn't something that can be treated, magnet therapy aims to reduce the symptoms of menopause. This includes difficulty sleeping, anxiety, hot flashes, loss of libido and more.

There are a few brands in the market but Lady Care by Sassy La Femme London is by far the leader. Their device is made of two parts, a large magnetic curved disc and a smaller directional device. The larger disc is placed onto one side of your underwear next to your body while the other smaller disc is placed onto the outside of your underwear so the two parts are held firm.

Symptoms of menopause are due to a natural reduction of hormones: primarily progesterone and estrogens. These reductions cause an imbalance in the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS), which is responsible for controlling bodily functions such as sweating, body temperature, heart rate, bladder function and more.

According to LadyCare, the product "relieves menopausal symptoms by helping to rebalance part of the Autonomic Nervous System. The technology works by reducing excessive sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity and increasing parasympathetic activity, thus restoring equilibrium and creating a healthier balance between the two parts of the ANS."

Do menopause magnets really work?

Companies such as Sassy La Femme have claimed to have had successful results with their product (and offer a 90 Day Moneyback Promise for those who purchase) but there is no history, research or claims that supports magnets having an effect on menopause so you may prefer to save your money.

That said, electromagnet therapy has been found to help when treating the likes of migraines but this is a different type of magnet to those that are used in menopause magnets.

Are menopause magnets safe?

While there are no official side effects reported as a result of using menopause magnets, it's worth noting that magnets can interfere with medical devices like pacemakers and insulin pumps. It is however completely safe to use with bodily metal implants, Mirena coils or copper coils and while undertaking breast cancer treatment. You should consult your doctor before beginning magnet therapy.

Some users of LadyCare noticed a small red mark in their pelvic areas when using the product but this is likely to just be because the device causes increased blood flow under the skin and will disappear as the body adjusts.