We did see some good reviews for this product, though there were many disappointed customers as well. Enough to demonstrate that this product may not be potent enough for women with more severe symptoms.
Avlimil Review: Don’t Buy Before You Read This!
What is it?
Avlimil is a supplement designed to help women deal with typical menopause symptoms. This product is made for reducing hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings and irritability with regular use.
Avlimil is made from an all-natural formulation which includes soy isoflavones, black cohosh and more—which work to restore hormonal balance in the body. Avlimil is made for women of all ages—whether in menopause or suffering from another issue caused by hormonal imbalances.
After reviewing the full spectrum of menopause pills, we recommend users try Femmetrinol. This product helps treat the wide ranging symptoms menopausal women experience, with an all-natural, herbal formula. Click here to learn more about the ingredients used to make Femmetrinol.
Avlimil Ingredients and Side Effects
Avlimil is made from exclusively herbal ingredients, no synthetic hormones. Based on the official product label found on the Avlimil website, here’s what users can expect to find inside this supplement:
| Soy Isoflavones | Valerian | Sage Leaf |
| Damiana | Black Cohosh | Red Raspberry Leaf |
Soy Isoflavones: Soy isoflavones are a phytoestrogen found in soy beans, which are chemically quite similar to the natural estrogens found in the body. Isoflavones are thought to have an effect on estrogen levels when ingested and may help reduce hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings or other symptoms associated with menopause.
- Side effects may include bloating, constipation or gas, or in some cases, may trigger an allergic reaction.
Sage Leaf: An herb with a number of medicinal uses, sage leaf is thought to help with depression and memory loss, as well as reduce the severity of hot flashes caused by menopause.
Damiana: Damiana is an herbal aphrodisiac that hails from Central and South America. This ingredient is thought to stimulate sex drive in both men and women and may help users increase energy and physical endurance.
Valerian: An herb often used to treat insomnia or hyperactivity, valerian is thought to help with stress and anxiety and may help sooth menopausal night sweats and hot flashes.
Red Raspberry Leaf: Raspberry leaves have been used for centuries for various medicinal uses, like blood purification and respiratory disorders. This ingredient may help with painful or heavy periods and may relax blood vessels.
Black Cohosh: Native Americans have long used black cohosh to deal with a range of uncomfortable symptoms associated with hormone imbalances like PMS and painful, heavy periods to hot flashes and night sweats during menopause.
EDITOR’S TIP: Combine this supplement with a proven menopause pill such as Femmetrinol for better results.
Avlimil Quality of Ingredients
Avlimil is made from several ingredients that are known to be safe, as well as come with a range of benefits associated with use.
In looking at the ingredients, we’re at first inclined to believe that Avlimil has some useful benefits. Black cohosh is one ingredient we often recommend for its use as a way to treat hot flashes, night sweats and the emotional symptoms of menopause.
However, we’re not sure how effective ingredients like sage or raspberry leaf are—there’s no harm (that we know of), in taking these herbal ingredients, but it’s unlikely that they do much to help alleviate menopause issues.
Based on some of the reviews we came across, it seems like this product was pretty hit of miss with a number of people who tried it—many claimed it was very slow to build up in the system or failed to live up to users’ expectations.
There’s a possibility it isn’t potent enough, or frankly, that it didn’t work with everyone’s body chemistry.
The Price and Quality of Avlimil
Avlimil is sold through an official website for this supplement, with a 30-day supply retailing for $29.95, plus $9.95 for shipping and handling charges. Users can save if they choose to buy in bulk, a 90-day supply will run shoppers $89, while a 180-day supply costs $149.
Avlimil can also be found on the Walgreens website and Amazon. Amazon sells this product for $32, but the product is Prime eligible, so users can save a few bucks on shipping. Walgreens on the other hand, offers this item for even less, at $19.99 for the same thirty-day supply.
Business of Avlimil
Avlimil is made by a company known as Vianda, who appear to be based both in the US and Malta. Per the official website, here are their contact details:
Phone: 800-503-7058
Address: 11260 Cornell Park Drive, Suite 706
Cincinnati, Ohio 45242
The Avlimil website doesn’t look especially eye-catching, but it gets the job done. Consumers can easily find the product and the checkout page is fairly straightforward.
There’s information available for people to learn more about menopause and the use of isoflavones to treat the symptoms, which may be helpful resources for a number of users. However, many users may find it difficult to learn more about the science behind this product. We don’t get to see any documented clinical trials or anything else that lends some credibility to the formula.
Vianda, the company that makes this product sells a number of supplements across several verticals like male enhancement, probiotics and stress relief. Their company website serves as a showcase for their myriad products and allows consumers to place an order through their e-commerce portal, as well.
Vianda offers a free trial for all of the products listed on the website, which does include Avlimil. Unfortunately, users must pay $10 for shipping and are automatically enrolled in a monthly autopay cycle unless they decide to cancel before the 14-day trial period ends.
Vianda doesn’t force people to sign up for their autopay program, but these marketing techniques are notoriously hard to get out of once you’ve enrolled, and marketers know this. Plus, this particular pill may take some time to start working (as many herbal menopause products do), so a sample pack is likely not going to do much for consumers and they are likely better off springing for the full bottle.
Customer Opinions of Avlimil
Reviews for Avlimil were all over the place, many people felt that this product was not effective. Here is some of the feedback we came across for this product:
“I didn’t think this product was going to help with my symptoms, but so far I’ve been pleasantly surprised. I like that this is made with natural ingredients, too.”
“No noticeable changes after trying this product. Tried for about two months and am finally going to throw in the towel.”
“Didn’t really feel better or worse after using. I used two whole bottles, which seems like sufficient time for something to happen.”
“Having been on Avlimil for three months now, I’m starting to notice an improvement in my hot flashes, but nothing else. Might try for another month.”
Avlimil seems to be designed for menopausal women, but much of the marketing literature suggests it’s for women of all ages who are trying to achieve hormonal balance. It’s unclear based on the reviews if this is meant to be this catch-all product or something more targeted.
We did see some good reviews for this product, though there were many disappointed customers as well. Enough to demonstrate that this product may not be potent enough for women with more severe symptoms.
We also never got to see a clinical study for this product, so we don’t know much about how long this product is supposed to take to kick in.
Conclusion – Does Avlimil Work?
After our full review of the contents of the Avlimil formulation, as well as the feedback posted online by past users, we likely wouldn’t recommend this product as a supplement to combat the effects of menopause on its own.
We really like a lot of the ingredients, maca and damiana have some great benefits, and pomegranate has long been touted as a nutritional powerhouse.
That being said, it seems like most of the glowing reviews by women who had used this product expressed that they were more pleased with the sexual benefits than anything related to reducing hot flashes or night sweats.
There were several mentions from users who felt that this product was not particularly effective in taking on the more common menopause-related complaints and many of the were women who had not yet entered this phase in life—many were in their 20s, 30s and early 40s.
After looking over the above information, we believe that there are better products out there for dealing with menopause holistically. Avlimil does clearly have the potential to be a way to increase energy and sexual desire in women who are in menopause, but they may need to shell out for an additional supplement if they want all menopause symptoms addressed.
After reviewing all kinds of creams and pills aimed at treating menopause, we’ve found that Femmetrinol is the most effective in helping women get some relief from the hot flashes, night sweats and mood swings they experience during this time.
Femmetrinol is made under strict guidelines put into place to ensure that consumers receive a safe and effective product they can count on. Get more info about how Femmetrinol works – click here.
Avlimil is a natural supplement used for hormonal balance and relieves symptoms of menopause.
Avlimil includes herbal components that are thought to relieve symptoms produced by fluctuating hormones, such as hot flashes and night sweats. Many women report results in as little as 10 days. However, 60-90 days should be allowed to assess the complete benefits.
Avlimil was manufactured by Vianda, in 2001. Their goal is to create premium quality natural supplements without utilizing chemical substances. Avlimilhas been sold since 2003 and is rated as one of their beneficial products.
Avlimil Review – Health Web Magazine Images
By Sasha de Beausset Aparicio, MSc, Rebecca Williams, MD, MA, MB, BChir (Expert Reviewer) alt=”Rebecca Williams” width=”70″ height=”70″ />Rebecca Williams studied medicine at Cambridge University where she also obtained a degree in Experimental Psychology. A widely known General Practitioner in London, Rebecca also served in Community Pediatrics, and has published research in the field of complementary and alternative medicine. Rebecca relocated to Johannesburg, South Africa where she has been able to pursue holistic community healthcare by developing a community health training program which she has taught in Mozambique, Zambia, Uganda and Nepal. Some of Rebecca’s published research can be viewed on Researchgate.
What Are Avlimil Menopause Relief Ingredients?
Avlimil Menopause Relief contains the following ingredients per serving: Genistein (soy isoflavone, 54mg), Black Cohosh Root standardized extract (2.5% 27-deoxyactein, Actaea racemosa, 40mg), Organic Proprietary Blend (611mg) – Organic Sage Leaf 4:1 Extract (Salvia officinalis), Organic Red Raspberry Leaf (Rubus idaeus), Organic Cayenne Pepper (Capsicum annuum), Organic Damiana Leaf (Tumera aphrodisiaca), Organic Ginger Root (Zinigiber officinale), Organic Licorice Root (Glycyrrhiza glabra), Organic Valerian Root (Valeriana officinalis).
How regulatory agencies view the matter is unclear. The FDA says it has no authority over Avlimil’s advertising, and the FTC, which does have the power to review supplement ads, won’t confirm or deny investigations of any particular product or company.
Bed Medicine?
For those for whom the sexual revolution has deteriorated into some sort of battle-of-the-sexes arms race, a company called Warner Health Care says it can offer women something to keep competitive with their Viagra-enhanced mates in the quest for sexual satisfaction.
Warner’s product, Avlimil, is a widely advertised, slickly packaged set of pills designed to be taken daily. Readers of magazines as varied as Parenting and Forbes have seen the ads, with their soft-focus photos suggesting a solution to a problem called female sexual dysfunction. “They have Viagra,” goes the two-page pitch. “Now we have Avlimil.” The fine print (and what worth-its-salt medical ad would be without fine print?) suggests the pill “is an effective formula for improving female sexual response.”
The fine print also mentions one distinction between the little blue pill and Avlimil: “Avlimil is not a prescription drug. It is a non-synthetic, once-daily, non-hormonal supplement.” Skip the fine print and you might never know.
That’s what’s bothering some industry observers and experts in the fields of sexual dysfunction and drug advertising, who say Avlimil is setting a dangerous precedent. What sets the product apart, they say, are not the curative claims made on its behalf — though there is slim scientific basis for these. In the freewheeling dietary supplement market, that hardly qualifies as extraordinary. What’s unusual about Avlimil is its slick marketing campaign, which borrows liberally from strategies used to push prescription medication.
“These ads have the look and feel of a drug ad, and people might not believe it’s a dietary supplement,” said Ivan Wasserman, a lawyer at Collier Shannon Scott, a Washington firm specializing in drug regulation and advertising issues. While the fine print notes that Avlimil is not a prescription drug, Wasserman said he wonders if the ad makes the product look enough like a bona fide prescription drug to mislead consumers.
The ads include a Latin name for Avlimil (Salvia rubus), two columns of official-looking fine print and the exhortation to “ask your doctor” about the product. That gives it the appearance of a drug product approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), advertising experts said — something that wouldn’t be true.
“It’s amazing,” marveled Andrew Goldstein, co-director of the Sexual Wellness Center in Annapolis and an instructor at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. “It looks like a Claritin ad. It’s misleading, at best.”
Irwin Goldstein (no relation to Andrew Goldstein), a professor of urology and gynecology at Boston University and the director of the school’s Institute for Sexual Medicine, said he was alarmed enough to bring the matter to the attention of regulators at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Even the name of Warner’s parent company, Wagner Pharmaceuticals, suggests this is the work of a drug firm. But neither Warner nor Wagner makes a prescription drug. Instead, the same group that owns Warner and Wagner sells other supplements, including Enzyte, one of the top-selling pills to “help maximize a man’s erection potential,” and Ogoplex, designed to prolong male orgasm.
Warner officials say the sophisticated campaign reflects its confidence in the product, not any effort to dupe customers. “Avlimil is a very premium, natural supplement and it deserves a high-quality ad campaign,” Steve Warshak, the marketing manager for Warner, wrote in an e-mail. “We were not trying to make people think it was a pharmaceutical.”
Irwin Goldstein takes issue with that argument. “I think at some point . . . lines have to be drawn about what [ads for] nutritional supplements can say,” he argues. “I think that line has been crossed.”
How regulatory agencies view the matter is unclear. The FDA says it has no authority over Avlimil’s advertising, and the FTC, which does have the power to review supplement ads, won’t confirm or deny investigations of any particular product or company.
Want to know what Viagra is or how it works? More than 1,300 medical and scientific journal pieces mention sildenafil, Viagra’s active ingredient. And the big little blue pill has the FDA stamp of approval.
Avlimil’s record is harder to trace. There are no patents covering its blend of herbal components. Warner’s label lays out the ingredients — which range from raspberry leaf to sage to black cohosh root; it doesn’t break out their concentrations.
And like all dietary supplements, Avlimil didn’t need an FDA signoff before the product hit the market. Because there is limited regulatory oversight of the supplement industry, there’s no assurance that what’s on the label is actually in the bottle or that a product is harmless.
That hasn’t kept buyers away. Lynn Schwartz, a company spokeswoman, said about 500,000 orders for the supplement have been placed since it was introduced at the beginning of the year. While she declined to give revenue figures, at the product’s lowest price — roughly $35 for a month’s supply — that translate into at least $17 million in sales. Some of those sales have come from patients of Mark Silver, a Long Island gynecologist who said he began recommending the supplement as soon as a patient mentioned it to him last winter. “Because it fit right into my armamentarium, I started recommending it,” said Silver, who added that he prides himself on working with nutritional supplements as much as he can. “I started getting good feedback within four to six weeks.”
It took only two and a half weeks for 57-year-old Ida Campagna, a gynecologist in Amherst, N.Y., to feel the effects. After a new relationship left her in love but not aroused, she tried Avlimil and found success. “I thought, my God, I feel like I’m 20 again,” she said, adding that her mood and sleep improved as well.
Silver said he believes Avlimil works because two ingredients — black cohosh root and red clover — are weak estrogens and serve as a low-dose hormone therapy. That suggests Avlimil, touted as non-hormonal, would work best on women who are at or approaching menopause, Silver said, though he says he has also seen success in younger women.
Likewise, Campagna said she believed the product’s benefits seemed primarily from its estrogenic effects. She said menopausal patients in her practice had also had success, though she hasn’t yet received feedback from younger women using the supplement.
Avlimil’s Web site says that the product is backed by clinical evidence. In a three-month trial of the drug involving 49 women (32 on Avlimil and 17 who received a placebo), according to the site, women on Avlimil were more easily aroused and reached orgasm more quickly.
But the trial hasn’t been presented at a medical meeting or published in a peer-reviewed medical journal. Experts said the study wasn’t large enough, properly randomized or adequately blinded, characteristics that lend credibility to studies. In addition, the study relied on self-reports of effectiveness, another source of potential bias.
The group that oversaw the study said those drawbacks were the result of cost constraints, not a disregard for scientific investigation. Still, the lead researcher said that the shortcomings weakened the results. “This is one I would probably take back, if I could,” said James Blum, who conducted the study at a single clinic in Bangor, Maine.
The literature associated with the 11 herbs, extracts and roots that make up Avlimil sheds little light on how the supplement — the primary component of which is said to be Salvia officinalis (also available in your cupboards as sage) — might light fires in the bedroom.
“Evidence tying the components to sexual action is weak to nonexistent,” said Gary Elmer, a professor of medicinal chemistry at the University of Washington in Seattle.
While black cohosh and red clover have been studied for relief of menopausal symptoms such as vaginal dryness and hot flashes (a study earlier this month in the Journal of the American Medical Association found red clover little better than placebo in reducing hot flashes), there’s little research on their effect on sexual function in a wider population of women.
Some ingredients do have ties to sex, like Turnera diffusa, or Damiana leaf, which was once found to improve “copulatory performance.” In rats. Male rats.
All of the questions about Avlimil don’t mean sex won’t seem better after popping your daily pill, researchers are quick to note. It’s just tough to imagine that it’s the mix of sage and black cohosh that’s doing the trick. Leonore Tiefer, an New York University psychiatrist and a vocal critic of efforts to “medicalize” female sexual dysfunction, dryly noted that the stuff would probably work, “in the right circumstances.”
Tiefer’s advice? Take it before slipping beneath red satin sheets on Valentine’s Day. “Then it definitely will work.”
Brian Reid last wrote for the Health section about reader questions on SARS.
An ad for Avlimil that ran earlier this year in Forbes apes the look of drug ads, down to the fine print at left and the comparison with a prescription product (Viagra). Some critics fear consumers could be fooled into thinking it’s medicine. Fine-print warnings use language reminiscent of prescription information that appears in many pharmaceutical ads.A key disclaimer — stating that Avlimil is a supplement, not a prescription drug — is easy to miss, in this size type and placement. A list of possible side effects for Avlimil includes headaches, nausea and dry throat. Drug ads are required to include such information.
Since Avlimil is a natural supplement, you’ll see benefits increase over time as the ingredients build up in your system. Most women take Avlimil for a full 90 days to experience the optimal benefits of the program. Regain your spark for life with Avlimi!*
WARNING: Avlimil contains black cohosh, which is not to be used while pregnant or nursing. If you are taking any medications, consult your health care provider before taking this product.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: How do I take Avlimil?
A: Avlimil is taken once daily, just like a vitamin. Two capsules each day supplies you with a gentle blend of nutrients designed to restore your natural balance and vitality to relieve the symptoms associated with hormonal imbalance and menopause including hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, and more.
Q: Does Avlimil contain hormones?
A: Avlimil contains no synthetic estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, or other steroid hormones.
Q: How does Avlimil compare to Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)?
A: The great thing about Avlimil is that it is a gentle, natural supplement made with organic ingredients. Unlike HRT, Avlimil is not a drug and does not require a prescription or a visit to the doctor. It is also adaptogenic, which means your body uses only what it needs to restore its own natural hormonal balance. Your body can adapt Avlimil to your unique hormonal needs, resolving the hormonal imbalance that is causing your symptoms. Please keep in mind that HRT is a drug and like all drugs, HRT has known side effects, information on specific side effects is available from your doctor or the manufacturer’s website.
Q: How does Avlimil Work?
A: Avlimil helps relieve many symptoms caused by fluctuating hormones, such as night sweats and hot flashes, without the use of steroids or drugs. Many women notice benefits in as little as 10 days, but since Avlimil is a natural supplement, results may occur gradually so please allow 60-90 days to evaluate the benefits.
Q: Will Avlimil improve my libido and sexual arousal?
A: Hormonal fluctuation can affect all aspects of your life – including your relationships. Every woman will respond differently, but with balanced hormones you should experience the restored vitality you need to pursue all your passions.
Q: Is Avlimil safe?
A: Avlimil is a natural supplement, made with organic ingredients and containing only those ingredients considered to be safe for on-going use without the likelihood of side effects. However, it is always possible, as with any food or supplement, that results may vary and every woman’s body responds differently, therefore we always recommend that you consult your doctor or healthcare provider before making changes to your healthcare regimen.