Key takeaways:
Relizen is a non-hormonal supplement made from pollen extract. It may help relieve vasomotor menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes. In turn, this may also help improve sleep and overall quality of life.
Relizen seems to work by increasing serotonin levels in the body. Early research suggests it may be effective after 2 to 3 months of regular use, but larger studies are needed to confirm its benefits.
Relizen has a low risk of side effects, but it isn’t approved or regulated by the FDA, and its interactions with other drugs aren’t fully known. So it’s best to talk to your healthcare team before trying it.
Many women are turning to natural alternatives for managing menopause. Relizen is a non-hormonal, pollen-based supplement that claims to help with hot flashes, night sweats, and mood changes. But does it work? Here’s what the research says.
What is Relizen?
Relizen is an over-the-counter (OTC) supplement that contains a powdered pollen extract harvested in southern Sweden. Relizen has been widely available in Europe since 1999 under a variety of names, including Femal, Femelis Meno, Serelys, and PureCyTonin. Bonafide Health distributes the supplement in the U.S. You can buy it in stores or online.
Pollen extracts, such as Relizen, claim to help relieve vasomotor symptoms (VMS) of menopause, including hot flashes and night sweats. As a result, they may also help improve sleep, mood, and overall quality of life.
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Relizen is also a hormone-free supplement. Other supplements for menopause often contain phytoestrogens. These are natural plant compounds that act like estrogen in the body. Relizen doesn’t contain phytoestrogens or other hormonal ingredients. So it may be a helpful alternative if menopausal hormone therapy isn’t an option for you.
How does Relizen help with menopause symptoms?
We don’t know exactly how Relizen works. But studies suggest that the pollen extract in Relizen works similarly to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Like SSRIs, pollen extract seems to increase serotonin levels in the body. Serotonin is a chemical messenger in your brain that helps regulate body temperature, mood, and sleep.
Relizen also seems to have antioxidant effects. Antioxidants may also reduce hot flashes when taken during menopause.
How do you take Relizen?
The recommended Relizen dosage is 2 tablets by mouth once daily. You can take Relizen with or without food.
How long does Relizen take to work?
It may take some time for Relizen to start working. One clinical study showed results after 2 to 3 months of taking a pollen-based supplement on a daily basis. Based on this, it’s unlikely that Relizen would work if you only take it as needed for VMS.
How effective is Relizen?
Most studies on pollen extract supplements such as Relizen are small. But they do show that pollen extract seems to improve VMS, sleep, and quality of life. One study showed that pollen extract reduced hot flashes and improved sleep quality better than isoflavones (a common OTC phytoestrogen for menopause symptoms).
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Another study found that 65% of people who took pollen extract had fewer hot flashes, versus 38% of people taking a placebo (a pill with no medication in it). Larger studies are needed to confirm Relizen’s benefits. But these early results are promising.
Good to know: The FDA doesn’t regulate pollen extracts and other dietary supplements the same way it does prescription and OTC medications. Relizen and other pollen extracts aren’t required to go through testing for safety and effectiveness. This means we don’t know for sure whether Relizen works or is safe to take.
Does Relizen have any side effects?
Relizen seems to have a low risk of side effects. Fewer than 2% of women reported side effects after taking a pollen extract product such as Relizen for 3 months. Reported side effects included:
Migraine
Upset stomach
Runny nose
Irritability
Itching
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You may be wondering if you can take Relizen if you’re allergic to pollen. Well, great news! The pollen extracts in Relizen are collected from plants. But then they’re processed to purify the pollen. This process removes allergens — substances that can trigger an allergic reaction.
As mentioned, Relizen doesn’t have estrogen-like effects on the body. So it doesn’t carry the same risks and side effects as estrogen-based menopause treatments.
It’s still a good idea to discuss pollen extract supplements with your healthcare team — especially if you have a history of hormone-sensitive cancers, such as breast cancer. Relizen hasn’t been well-studied in people with these health conditions.
Does Relizen have any interactions?
We don’t know for sure if Relizen interacts with any medications. It doesn’t seem to affect certain liver enzymes that are often associated with drug interactions. But since Relizen may raise serotonin levels, there’s a chance that your serotonin levels may get too high if you’re taking any medications with this effect, such as antidepressants.
It’s best to review your medication list with your pharmacist or prescriber before taking Relizen. And if you notice any new or troublesome symptoms after you start taking it, seek medical care.
Frequently asked questions
No. Relizen doesn’t contain hormones or plant-based estrogen compounds. Instead, it’s a pollen extract supplement. Relizen seems to help with vasomotor menopause symptoms (such as hot flashes) by increasing serotonin levels in the body. So it may be a safe alternative if menopausal hormone therapy isn’t an option for you.
There isn’t a certain time of day that’s best to take Relizen. And you can take it with or without food. But it’s a good idea to be consistent, so choose a time of day that works best for your routine.
No. Relizen doesn’t contain hormones or plant-based estrogen compounds. Instead, it’s a pollen extract supplement. Relizen seems to help with vasomotor menopause symptoms (such as hot flashes) by increasing serotonin levels in the body. So it may be a safe alternative if menopausal hormone therapy isn’t an option for you.
There isn’t a certain time of day that’s best to take Relizen. And you can take it with or without food. But it’s a good idea to be consistent, so choose a time of day that works best for your routine.
The bottom line
Relizen is a pollen extract supplement that’s marketed for the relief of vasomotor menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes. It doesn’t contain hormones or plant-based estrogens, so it may be a safe alternative if menopausal hormone therapy isn’t an option for you.
Relizen seems to work by increasing serotonin levels. Small studies show that it improves hot flashes, sleep, and overall quality of life after 2 to 3 months of regular use. But more research is needed to confirm these benefits.
Relizen has a low risk of side effects, but it isn’t approved or regulated by the FDA, and its interactions with medications aren’t fully known. So it’s best to talk to your healthcare team before trying it.
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References
Czuczwar, P., et al. (2017). The safety and tolerance of phytotherapies in menopausal medicine – a review of the literature. Menopause Review.
De Franciscis, P., et al. (2020). Non-hormonal treatments for menopausal symptoms and sleep disturbances: A comparison between purified pollen extracts and soy isoflavones. Current Pharmaceutical Design.
Doshi, S. B., et al. (2013). The role of oxidative stress in menopause. Journal of Mid-Life Health.
Elia, D., et al. (2008). Assessment of the tolerance and effectiveness of a food supplement Sérélys (Femal) for menopausal women. Genesis.
Genazzani, A., et al. (2020). Purified and specific cytoplasmic pollen extract: A non-hormonal alternative for the treatment of menopausal symptoms. Gynecological Endocrinology.
Goldstein, S. R., et al. (2015). Does purified Swedish pollen extract, a nonhormonal treatment for vasomotor symptoms, inhibit the CYP2D6 enzyme system? Menopause.
Hellström, A.-C., et al. (2012). The pollen extract Femal--a nonestrogenic alternative to hormone therapy in women with menopausal symptoms. Menopause.
Johnson, A., et al. (2019). Complementary and alternative medicine for menopause. Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. (2022). Pollen extract.
Winther, K., et al. (2010). Femal, a herbal remedy made from pollen extracts, reduces hot flushes and improves quality of life in menopausal women: A randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel study. Climacteric.
