Half of women between 45 and 55 don’t understand the full range of physical impacts of menopause, according to a 2026 survey from the Cleveland Clinic Women’s Comprehensive Health and Research Center. So it’s no surprise that menopause myths can spread and make it harder for women to get accurate information.

Menopause experts Dr. Christy James Guepet and Dr. Angela McCool-Pearson of Southern Women’s Specialists in Alabama shared the top myths they want to see busted.

“One myth that I think has been devastating is the myth that … natural is better medically,” Dr. Guepet said. She’s referring to the idea that women should rely on lifestyle adjustments, or just “grin and bear it” instead of seeking out medications, such as menopause hormone therapy or other treatments.

“Data, our research does not support that that is true. And I think that’s a myth that needs to be busted,” she said.

Dr. Pearson explained that when she started practicing medicine in 1999, hormone therapy for menopause was commonly prescribed.

Doctors and women quickly abandoned hormone therapy after results from the Women’s Health Initiative study were published in 2002. The study found that hormone therapy was linked to higher rates of breast cancer, stroke, and other health problems.

Unfortunately, the way the data was reported and interpreted was overgeneralized and didn’t appropriately distinguish the risks for women of different ages.

Dr. Guepet explained that she and Dr. Pearson provide fact sheets to women in their practice to help them better understand the WHI results and the potential benefits of hormone therapy.

“Women are grasping at supplements to relieve their symptoms,” Dr. Pearson said. But supplements aren’t regulated the same way as medications and can cause harm in some cases.

“There are consequences to supplements,” Dr. Guepet said. While something may be natural, too much can have serious side effects. For example, she noted that ashwagandha, an herbal supplement with claims to help hot flashes and other symptoms, can cause liver problems “if overdone.”

In addition to potentially causing harm, there is little guarantee that you’ll see a benefit. “There’s really no good human data for almost any of that stuff,” Dr. Pearson said.

If you’re interested in supplements, make sure you have a thorough discussion with a healthcare provider first. “After a careful consultation with patients, there are supplements that we recommend, but we are vigilant,” Dr. Guepet said.

There are lots of health trends that pop up on social media that can be dangerous. “There’s this trend on social media that you need to be taking these antiparasitic medicines to get your parasite cleanse,” Dr. Pearson said.

These “cleanses” supposedly will resolve menopause symptoms like fatigue or brain fog by fixing “hormone imbalances.”

These programs are bunk. “If you had a parasite infection, you would know it,” Dr. Pearson said. If you actually had a parasite infection, you’d have symptoms like diarrhea, fever, and unexplained weight loss.

Real parasite infections are treated with prescription medications. You would not follow a special diet or buy special antiparasite supplements, like menopause parasite cleanses recommend.

“There’s so much information out there right now,” Dr. Pearson noted. Instead of following the latest influencer trend, “you’ve got to find somebody that you trust, their clinical wisdom and experience, and get your information from them.”