menoelle® vs. menoelle® PLUS: what is the difference, and why does saffron matter?

If you have been researching menoelle®, you have probably come across two products: menoelle® (the classic) and menoelle® PLUS. Both share a common base, but they have important differences worth knowing before deciding which one suits what you are looking for.

What they have in common

Both products are built on the same base: the patented extract EstroG-100®, made from three roots used in traditional Korean medicine (Cynanchum wilfordii, Phlomis umbrosa and Angelica gigas). Both are vegan and free from isoflavones, soy and phytoestrogens. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) assessed EstroG-100® as a novel food and concluded that it is safe in food supplements at up to 175 mg a day in postmenopausal women.

The main difference: the vitamin and mineral complex

menoelle® (classic) includes a broader vitamin and mineral complex: biotin, folic acid, calcium, vitamin C, zinc, vitamin D, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12. It is designed to give all-round support for different needs that can appear during menopause (energy, immune system, hair, nails, bones). It is taken as 2 tablets a day.

menoelle® PLUS, on the other hand, has a smaller selection of vitamins (vitamin D, vitamin B6 and folic acid), but adds an ingredient that is not in the classic version: saffron extract. It is taken as 1 tablet a day.

Why does saffron matter?

The saffron extract in menoelle® PLUS is affron®, a standardised extract of Crocus sativus which, according to the product information, comes from cultivation in the European Union. It is not the usual culinary saffron: it is a concentrated extract that has been studied specifically in relation to mood.

During peri and menopause, many women experience mood changes, greater irritability or difficulty sleeping well, on top of the better-known physical symptoms such as hot flushes. This is what the research says about affron®: in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 86 women aged 50 to 70 with low mood and poor sleep, 28 mg a day for 12 weeks reduced depressive symptoms more than placebo. Improvements in self-esteem and in the daytime impact of poor sleep were exploratory secondary outcomes, and there were no significant differences in sleep disturbance itself.

That said, the logic behind menoelle® PLUS is clear: it does not replace the main extract, it complements it, adding an ingredient focused on emotional wellbeing.

So, which one to choose?

• If you are looking for broader support for different needs typical of menopause (energy, immune system, bones, hair, nails), classic menoelle® offers that wider vitamin complex.
• If, besides hormonal support, you are looking for something focused on mood and you prefer to take a single tablet a day, menoelle® PLUS with saffron may be the best-aligned option.

---

Sources