Many menopause supplements contain ingredients with limited evidence for symptom relief, while formulations and prices vary widely, a study has found.

Researchers analysed 201 products sold by nine major UK retailers, comparing their ingredients, doses and monthly costs.

Prices ranged from £1.50 to £95 a month, while no single ingredient or category of ingredient was common across all products.

The study, carried out by University College London, found that 80 per cent of products contained herbs, 77 per cent contained vitamins and 74 per cent contained phytoestrogens, naturally occurring plant compounds found in foods including soy and flaxseed.

Vitamin B6 was the most common vitamin, while red clover and sage were the most frequently identified plant ingredients.

Researchers said more evidence was needed on the effectiveness and safety of supplements marketed for menopause symptoms.

Professor Joyce Harper, senior author of the study and professor of reproductive science at University College London, said: “The menopause supplement market is growing rapidly, despite limited scientific evidence that many of these products improve menopause symptoms.

“Some social media influencers promote these products as effective solutions, despite many claims not being supported by scientific evidence.

“This can contribute to the spread of misinformation and help drive a rapidly growing menopause supplement market, leading some women to spend substantial amounts of money on supplements in the hope of improving their symptoms and overall wellbeing.”

Half of the supplements did not contain vitamin D, while less than 24 per cent contained calcium.

The British Menopause Society and International Menopause Society have highlighted vitamin D and calcium as important for maintaining bone health and preventing osteoporosis after menopause.

Researchers also identified botanical ingredients that may carry risks, including black cohosh.

Poppy Sullivan, first author of the study, said: “Certain botanical ingredients in some menopause supplements may also have risks.

“Black cohosh, in particular, is known to carry a potential risk of liver toxicity.”

The amounts of vitamins and minerals included in different products also varied widely.

Sullivan said: “Some nutrients can have adverse effects when consumed in excess over time.

“For example, excessive vitamin D intake can theoretically lead to high calcium levels, which could cause adverse effects such as vomiting and confusion.”

The study found little empirical evidence supporting the effectiveness of even the most expensive products.

Researchers called for more high-quality research, including clinical trials, to determine whether menopause supplement ingredients are effective and safe.

They said the findings could also help healthcare professionals understand the wide variation in supplement formulations.

The researchers acknowledged that the analysis may not have included every menopause supplement available in the UK.

Ultrasound Direct has extended its Trice Imaging partnership for three years, adding a reporting tool across its 70-clinic UK network.

The private ultrasound provider will continue using the Tricefy platform for secure image storage and patient engagement, alongside TriceIQ for efficiency and productivity analytics.

It will also introduce Trice Workspace Reporting across its network. The companies say the tool will help standardise ultrasound reporting templates and workflows and reduce variation between clinics.

Ultrasound Direct carries out an estimated 120,000 patient scans each year across services including pregnancy, fertility, women’s health, men’s health and other diagnostic pathways.

Its network uses a large pool of sonographers working across different ultrasound systems and serves referral routes including self-referring patients, GPs and commercial partners.

Mike Steward, founding director at Ultrasound Direct, said: “Having worked with Trice Imaging since 2018, we first partnered to replace manual methods of providing scan images to expectant parents with Trice’s secure electronic image-sharing platform. Today, every study performed across the Ultrasound Direct Network is recorded and stored on Tricefy, while our clinical services have expanded considerably beyond pregnancy into fertility, women’s health, men’s health and other diagnostic pathways.”

He added: “To continue futureproofing our image management strategy across a network of 70 clinics, a large team of sonographers, varying ultrasound systems and a growing number of referral partners with different needs, we decided to extend with Trice Imaging. This includes the introduction of the new Trice Workspace Reporting module to help us scale and standardise our ultrasound reporting templates and workflow, reducing variability between clinics.”

The partnership began in 2018, initially focusing on replacing manual methods of sharing pregnancy scan images with expectant parents.

Johanna Wollert Melin, founder and chief executive of Trice Imaging Europe, said: “Ultrasound Direct has been a valued partner in the UK for 8 years.”

She added: “At the heart of the relationship is a willingness to explore new ideas, test new tools and the spirit to solve real challenges across a large and complex clinical network.”

Mark A. Samii, chief revenue officer at Trice Imaging, said: “We are delighted to retain and extend our relationship with Ultrasound Direct.”

He added: “The addition of Trice Workspace Reporting addresses a challenge we hear from multi-site providers globally – keeping reporting quality consistent across many users, systems, referral or payer relationships.”

Steward said Ultrasound Direct continues to see growing demand for private diagnostics alongside NHS care from self-referring patients and an increasingly diverse range of professional and commercial referral partners.

He added: “As that development continues, scalable digital infrastructure becomes increasingly important. Our focus is on ensuring that a growing national network can support consistent clinical workflows, different referral pathways and the technology requirements of the future, while continuing to provide patients with accessible diagnostic services.”

Spain’s football federation will offer national team players egg-freezing and fertility treatment through a clinic partnership running until 2029.

The agreement with the Tambre clinic in Madrid will give Spain’s World Cup winners more options to pursue motherhood when they feel the time is right.

The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) said the agreement covers all national team players, including the futsal team, as well as Primera Division referees and assistants and all other federation employees.

It is the latest policy introduced by the RFEF as it seeks to lead the way in work-life balance and maternity protection.

The federation has also introduced measures allowing players to travel with their children during major tournaments. The scheme was extended to the men’s team during their successful World Cup campaign in North America this past summer.

RFEF president Rafael Louzán said: “If Spain and its national teams are the best in the world on the pitch, they must also be the best in matters such as work-life balance.

“This is a new, comprehensive and pioneering benefit that extends to all federation employees. Today is a great day for the entire Spanish football family.”

The agreement followed a direct request from players after discussions with national team captains, including London City Lionesses midfielder Alexia Putellas.

Putellas told Spanish outlet El País: “As a group of captains, we had a concern — because experiencing a World Cup is vital for a player — regarding the difficulty of reconciling that with the desire to become a mother.”

“It’s a desire I didn’t originally have but developed some time ago.

“Thanks to the incredible work done by the federation, an agreement has been reached with a clinic allowing us to freeze our eggs while we are still active players, for as long as we wish.

“For me, this is a huge step forward; the federation understands that you are serving your country in a way that runs counter to your biological clock — that you can’t simply pause your career to become a mother because you need your body to do your job.”

The announcement follows Chelsea becoming the first Women’s Super League club to offer similar fertility treatment options to its players.

The move has also drawn criticism.

Spanish triple jumper Ana Peleteiro-Compaoré Brión said on Instagram: “The problem obviously isn’t freezing eggs.

“The problem is: why does the institution these women work for have an interest in financing them to delay their motherhood?

“And here there’s a problem that for me changes absolutely everything.

“Is this measure intended to make it easier for women to be mothers or is it intended to make it easier for them not to be while they’re playing?”

Spain are the current world champions in both the women’s and men’s games.

The women will attempt to defend their title at the 2027 World Cup in Brazil next summer.