The key facts
- Supplements do not undergo effectiveness testing comparable to medicines, so advertising promises are not a proven therapeutic effect
- Thyroid disease, high prolactin, or PCOS may lie behind an irregular cycle
- When planning pregnancy, the doctor advises not to delay examination and not to choose supplements based on social media advice
Supplements instead of diagnostics: what this threatens
Attempts to restore the menstrual cycle with popular dietary supplements may result in lost time and a delay in necessary treatment. This warning was issued in an interview with Gazeta.Ru by reproductive medicine physician and obstetrician-gynecologist Gunay Salayeva. According to her, it is especially dangerous to replace medical examinations with supplements in cases of hormonal disorders or when preparing for pregnancy.
Why manufacturers' promises are not the same as a therapeutic effect
Supplement manufacturers often promise to normalize hormonal balance, restore ovulation, and increase the chances of conception. However, unlike medicines, dietary supplements do not undergo a comparable procedure for confirming effectiveness, so advertising claims should not be taken as a proven therapeutic effect.
What may lie behind an irregular cycle
The main problem arises when a woman starts taking supplement complexes on her own without understanding the causes of the cycle disorder. Irregular periods may hide thyroid disease, elevated prolactin levels, or polycystic ovary syndrome — each of these conditions requires its own approach to diagnosis and treatment. There is no universal supplement capable of restoring ovulation regardless of the diagnosis.
Caution with herbal formulations
Salayeva recommends particular caution with herbal supplements: the natural origin of the ingredients does not guarantee safety, since some substances can affect hormonal processes, interact with medications, or cause adverse reactions.
What supplements can still do
At the same time, the doctor emphasized that supplements are not useless in themselves: folic acid is recommended for women planning pregnancy, and other supplements may be prescribed for a confirmed deficiency or specific indications. The problem arises when taking them replaces finding out the cause: a woman may take products 'for ovulation' for months, considering this full preparation for conception, while the cause of the problem remains unknown.
The doctor's recommendation and related advice
Salayeva advises against choosing products for correcting hormonal balance based on recommendations from social media: if the cycle remains irregular or pregnancy does not occur, it is wiser to see a gynecologist or reproductive specialist and find out the cause than to successively test various complexes on oneself. Earlier, Life.ru reported which cycle changes require an unscheduled visit to a gynecologist: physician Elena Gorbunova warned that severe menstrual pain, intermenstrual bleeding, and unusual discharge should not be ignored, and she also recommended keeping a cycle calendar and avoiding self-treatment.
