Menopause and nutraceuticals
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Abstract
65 A survey involving users of alfemminile. com (a popular Italian forum) showed that women are often the family cornerstone for prevention, healthcare, and supplements purchase [3]. Women purchase 40% more supplements and botanical remedies than men [4]. Specialists, pharmacists and general practitioners help women most in the choice of the nutraceuticals (accounting for 25%, 23%, and 19%, respectively of the suggestions given to women) [3]. Also the web, the suggestions of friends and the advertisements play a role in these choices (15%, 11%, and 7%, respectively) and, together with the fascination with natural products, a false perception of absence of side effects and the possibility of self-medication, are the main determinants of the women’s desire of nutraceuticals [3]. Just after pediatricians, gynecologists are the main prescribers of nutraceuticals. Gynecology accounts for 125 million/year of nutraceutical market in Italy [3]; 14% of gynecologists’ prescriptions concern supplements [5]. In the first three months of 2014, menopause accounted for the 12% of the total gynecology prescriptions (almost half were for pregnancy) [3].