Relizen Review - 18 Things You Need to Know

Relizen claims to provide non-hormonal and safe relief of hot flashes. It’s endorsed by more than 3,000 Gynecologists, so there are benefits of this supplement.

Our research team started digging deeper into this one and found research showing a direct connection between menopause and weight gain. So, will Relizen help with the changing numbers on the scale? We research for you and focus on the benefits of the ingredients while also studying the potential side effects. Then, we’ll tie everything together with relevant research. Then, we compiled the data to give you the facts.

Relizen can be purchased through their Official Site.

What is Relizen?

Relizen is a supplement for the treatment of hot flashes in women who are going through menopause. It comes in tablet form and contains no hormones.

Instead, the ingredients are plant-based. Relizen contains pollen extract from flowers that come from Sweden.

The official website paints the ingredients they use in a picturesque light saying the flowers used are “grown in the fields of Sweden” where there are no pesticides.

It sounds lovely, but does Relizen stop hot flashes?

• Obstetrics & Gynecology – “Relizen®, a non-hormonal treatment option, exhibited significant efficacy and safety on climacteric symptoms in both peri- and postmenopausal women.”
• Menopause – “A nonhormonal purified Swedish pollen extract (Relizen is also prescribed in other countries under different registered trade names: Sérélys, Femal, Femalen), has shown efficacy versus placebo in treating VMS [vasomotor symptoms] in a randomized, double-blind controlled trial.”
• Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine – However, not all research is supportive. “Pollen extract, made from flower pollen and sold under the brand names Serelys, Femal, Femalen, and Relizen, has not been sufficiently tested to determine efficacy or safety.”

How Did Relizen Start?

JDS Therapeutics, founded by Phillip and Michael Satow, is the manufacturer of Relizen. Established in 2011, JDS Therapeutics emerged when Phillip and Michael Satow acquired Nutrition 21, a patented ingredients manufacturer. Over the years, they expanded Nutrition 21’s portfolio with products such as Nitrosigine, Velositol, nooLVL, and Lustriva, consolidating their presence in sports nutrition, esports, and beauty-from-within markets. This served as the foundation for the establishment of JDS Therapeutics.

The management team at JDS Therapeutics, led by the Satows and comprising six men and one woman, oversees operations. The company boasts a board of directors and a scientific advisory board, the latter comprising scientists and healthcare professionals.

JDS Therapeutics operates through two entities: Nutrition 21 and JDS Women’s Health. However, on Nov. 11, 2021, the company announced the sale of its Nutrition21 subsidiary to Everwell Health.

Distribution of Relizen is now managed by JDS Women’s Health, also known as Bonafide Health, a company dedicated to creating natural products for women. Bonafide Health offers six core products, including Revaree, Relizen, Ristela, Clairvee, Serenol, and The Silvessa System, with Serenol specifically designed to alleviate PMS symptoms.

On November 30, 2023, Pharmavite revealed its acquisition of Bonafide Health for $425 Million. Pharmavite, based in California, is a pioneer in health and wellness, operating as a subsidiary of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Noteworthy products under the Pharmavite umbrella include Nature Made, Bonafide, Nature Made Wellblends, Equelle, MegaFood, Nurish by Nature Made, and Uqora.

JDS Therapeutics earned an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), with a file initiated on the BBB website in May 2016. Although listed as a relatively new business starting in 2012, JDS Therapeutics has garnered a favorable BBB rating. In contrast, the current owner of Bonafide Health, Pharmavite, does not have a BBB page.

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Relizen Claims

The official website for Relizen states that the product is non-hormonal and completely safe. They also claim that more than 3,000 gynecologists in the United States recommend that their patients use Relizen.

The website states that the main ingredient in Relizen has “been tested in multiple studies” and that the studies indicate there is no effect on hormones, and the ingredient is effective.

Primarily, Relizen is to relieve hot flashes. However, the company says that it can also help with:

• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Mood swings
• Quality of life
• Night sweats
• Better quality sleep

Relizen for Hot Flashes

What are Hot Flashes?

Hot flashes are a symptom associated with menopause and perimenopause (the transition into menopause), according to the National Institute of Aging. Hot flashes occur in over 66 percent of menopausal North American women.

The symptom can go on for many years, and hot flashes can be mild to severe, even interrupting regular daily activities. The length of time a woman experiences hot flashes can depend on the age at which they started and their race.

Women who begin having hot flashes at younger ages tend to have them for more years, and women of Hispanic and African descent have them longer than Caucasian and Asian women.

When a woman has a hot flash, she suddenly feels intensely hot. The sensation of heat is accompanied by sweating and a rapid heartbeat.

A hot flash can last for just a couple of minutes up to a half-hour. They can also happen infrequently or several times throughout the day. They can again occur during the night, causing night sweats.

The feeling of heat most often starts in the chest and face but can begin in other parts of the body. A hot flash can also spread throughout a woman’s body, making them feel hot all over.

The skin may feel warmer than usual and can also take on a red hue. When the hot flash is accompanied by redness, it is called a hot flush.

As National Institutes of Health says, no one knows precisely why hot flashes happen, but experts suspect they have something to do with circulation changes. When a hot moment occurs, the blood vessels that are close to the surface of the skin dilate to help cool the body and cause the woman to sweat.

Relizen Ingredients

The main Relizen ingredient is Swedish flower pollen extract. Relizen uses a patented form of the extract called Serelys.

According to the official website, the plants from which the pollen is obtained are collected mechanically and then inspected for quality before being shipped to the U.S. to make Relizen.

Some of the other ingredients used in Relizen are:

• Isomalt
• Maltodextrin
• Microcrystalline cellulose
• Acacia
• Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose

Does Relizen Work?

The truth of whether a product works lies in what science says about the ingredients used in the product.

Relizen relies primarily on Swedish flower pollen extract, using the patented product Serelys.

According to the makers of Relizen, there has been clinical research conducted on the ingredient, proving that it works. But, we can’t just take their word for it.

We decided to do some research of our own and look at the studies referenced on the Relizen website.

First, let’s get a better understanding of pollen in general. Pollen is produced as part of a plant’s reproductive process.

It comes from the male part of the plant, the stamen. The plant is pollinated when the pollen is transferred to the pistil, the female part of a plant.

The pollen used in Relizen is not collected by bees, but by mechanical means.

Flower pollen is quite nutritional. Among the nutrients found in flower pollen are:

• Amino acids
• Vitamins
• Minerals
• Enzymes
• Antibiotic substances
• Steroid hormones

We were able to locate only some of the studies that are referenced on the Relizen website. One study published in Climacteric: The Journal of the International Menopause Society, looked at the use of Femal, another brand name product that uses pollen extract.

The study involved 64 women who were in menopause. During the three-month study, some women recieved Femal, and the others took a placebo.

The study participants evaluated their menopause symptoms periodically and also kept track of specific symptoms daily. Sixty-five percent of the women who took Femal said they had fewer hot flushes.

However, their daily tracking of symptoms indicated only a 27 percent decline.

Relizen claims they use a particular blend of flower pollen, so we do not know if the pollens used in Femal are the same as those in Relizen or used in similar quantities.

Also, Relizen’s website talks about the subjective 65 percent reduction in hot flushes rather than the actual result based on tracking, which was only 27 percent.

Another of the studies mentioned on the Relizen website was authored by AC Hellstrom and J. Muntzing and published in the journal Menopause.

This study was conducted on rats to determine if the pollen extracts used in Femal had effects similar to the hormone estrogen.

Researchers concluded that “the pollen extract in Femal does not give the preparation any estrogenic effect.”

Again, this study was not performed using Relizen. It was also conducted on rats and not humans. While the results indicate how the substance may affect humans, it is not a sure thing.

Relizen Benefits and Results

The main Relizen benefit is supposed to be relief from hot flashes. Unfortunately, there isn’t enough reliable research to support the use of Swedish flower pollen extract for treating hot flashes or any other menopause symptom.

However, we always like to look at what real users are saying about a product. Although there are testimonials on the Relizen website, we prefer to look at customer comments on third-party websites.

Relizen and Weight Gain

Menopause is not a cause of weight gain. However, because women often gain some weight as they grow older, many people attribute those extra pounds to menopause. Weight gain with aging happens for some reasons, such as:

• Reduced metabolism as the body naturally slows down.
• People tend to exercise less as they get older.

Changes in hormone levels and your genes may cause your body to distribute fat in ways it previously did not, which may change your shape.

So, if menopause doesn’t cause weight gain, will you gain extra weight if you take Relizen? We’re happy to say that we did not find any scientific evidence that suggested taking Relizen will cause you to put on weight. We also didn’t find any user comments that suggested weight gain as a Relizen side effect.

Details on Relizen and Weight Loss

Relizen is not sold as a weight-loss supplement, so don’t expect to lose any weight while taking it. We also didn’t find any clinical research that suggested any weight loss due to the ingredients in Relizen. Therefore, if you’re looking for a supplement to help you lose weight, we suggest you skip Relizen and look elsewhere.

How to Take Relizen

To take Relizen, the official website says to take two tablets once per day. You can take the tablets either in the morning or before bed. It is not necessary to take Relizen with food, but you can if you want to. If you happen to forget to take Relizen one day, you should not double the dose the next day. Instead, continue to take it as before.

The makers of Relizen say that you should take the product each day for a minimum of three months to get the best benefits.

Where to Buy Relizen

Relizen is only available through the official website. You can purchase one box at a time or sign up for a monthly membership. With a monthly membership, the company automatically ships a month’s supply of Relizen to the customer at a discounted cost. The membership can be canceled at any time as long as you contact the company at least five days before your processing date.

Relizen cannot be returned, and there are no refunds available. The only thing the company will do for unhappy customers is to replace the product if it is defective.

The product is also available on Amazon.

How Much Does Relizen Cost?

The cost of Relizen depends on how you purchase it. If you do not sign up for the monthly membership plan, the cost per box is $50. Each box contains 60 tablets, which is a one-month supply. There is also a $5 shipping fee.

If you sign up for the monthly membership plan, the price is reduced to $35 per box, and there is no shipping fee.

Potential Relizen Side Effects

The Relizen website claims that the product is safe for all women who have hot flashes. They make no mention of possible Relizen side effects.

The ingredients used in Relizen as fillers and preservatives also have the potential for side effects. Acacia may cause:

• Gas.
• Bloating.
• Nausea.
• Loose stool.

Maltodextrin is an artificial sweetener commonly used as a food additive. It is made from grains like corn, wheat, and rice. It can also be made from potato.

There are two kinds of maltodextrin. One of them is a carbohydrate that the body can digest and use for energy. The other is a form that resists digestion and works in the body like fiber.

Whether maltodextrin has any effect on your body depends on the kind used and how much is contained in the product.

Relizen Product Warnings

The Relizen website does not provide images of the full product label or any literature that is included with the product, so we’re not certain if customers receive any warnings when they buy Relizen.

However, the FAQs found on the website contained the following information:

• If you are allergic to pollen and have concerns, consult your doctor before taking Relizen.
• Relizen shouldn’t be used by people under the age of 18.
• If you are on hormone replacement therapy (HRT), talk to your doctor before using Relizen.
• Talk to a doctor if you are taking other medications.

Any Relizen Lawsuits?

The only lawsuits our research turned up that was related to Relizen are patent lawsuits that JDS Therapeutics filed against other companies, including CVS Pharmacy and Pfizer.

However, we did not find information about any legal actions filed against JDS Therapeutics.

Relizen Alternatives

So, what can you do to reduce your hot flashes? Well, you could certainly turn to other supplements that are supposed to treat menopause symptoms. There are several others on the market, including:

• Amberen
• NusaPure Menopause Relief
• Source Naturals Hot Flash
• Concepta Menopause Support
• Estroven

There are also natural ways that may help you to control the frequency and intensity of your hot flashes. Some ways to naturally manage your hot flashes include:

• Identifying and avoiding triggers
• Quit smoking
• Lose weight
• Drink cold water and use a little to spritz your face and wrists during a hot flash
• Carry a handheld fan
• Use relaxation techniques, like yoga and meditation
• Follow a healthy diet

What Users Are Saying

“This doesn’t eliminate hot flashes, but I’ve noticed my hot flashes are not as frequent or intense.”

“I tried this after my gyno was hesitant to put me on hormone or bio hormone replacement because of my family history of high blood pressure and suggested this. I was having several dripping with sweat, unbearable hot flashes, chills night sweats, and several other complications attributed to perimenopause. I took it for about a month and noticed no difference. In month 2, I noticed there were days when the symptoms weren’t as severe and attributed it to this supplement. I set up a pill container to easily take whatever meds I needed, and that was when I realized I’d accidentally put an iron supplement in place of the Relizen and hadn’t noticed because I was taking them with other meds in a dark room and the pills are virtually identical in shape and size.

In other words, I had been taking a placebo without knowing, and the results were the same as if I’d not taken it at all. My improved symptoms were simply the result of other circumstances such as alcohol intake, sleep, dehydration, and fluctuation hormones. It was an expensive experiment. The best thing I can say about it was that it didn’t seem to cause any other problems.

I’m sorry to say, this doesn’t work. Those of us who are not taking HRT will have to continue our search for relief.

*I’m getting a new gyno. Besides suggesting this quackery, she also suggested acupuncture. I should have run from this office, despite her being a Northwestern doctor. I’d have gotten medical as good from my friend who reads tarot as this PhD.”

“They taste horrible but it has taken the edge off of my hot flashes. Not total relief, but I would recommend it.”

The Bottom Line on Relizen

Backed by doctors and research, Relizen appears to be a legit supplement for women wanting to fight symptoms of menopause. We also like that some of the ingredients are backed by scientific research. One thing we found relating to menopause is weight gain. While Relizen appears effective for hot flashes, there’s no mention of it helping with weight loss.

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