Hormone fluctuations caused by shifts in the menstrual cycle or even menopause can cause some very unpleasant symptoms. From hot flashes to mood swings, women deal with some pretty serious issues relating to their hormones. Where once women were bound to hormone therapy to alleviate their symptoms, there are now health supplements that can bring about relief.
Two women’s health supplements that are quite popular include Bonafide Serenol and Opositiv FLO PMS gummies. In order to make an informed decision regarding your health and wellness, it’s imperative to understand the differences between these two options.
Understanding Women's Health Supplements
In recent years, there has been a growing demand for women’s health supplements. There’s no need for a woman to suffer through PMS, her period, perimenopause or menopause. However, hormone therapy and prescription products tend to carry some pretty serious side effects. By using natural and safe ingredients, relief can be achieved. Supplements such as Serenol and Flo address things like PMS, hormonal imbalance, mood swings and more.
When choosing a women’s health supplement, it is important to seek evidence-based solutions from reputable companies that care about the overall well-being of their clientele. Flo is based on highly studied ingredients such as chasteberry, dong quai, lemon balm and vitamin B6. Serenol also uses natural ingredients to address issues like mood swings and irritability. Their formula is based on Bonafide pollen, royal jelly and chromium picolinate. While these ingredients may sound a little more unique, there are actually a number of studies that have looked at Bonafide pollen’s ability to provide relief from women’s health concerns.
Unveiling Serenol
Serenol tablets are based on three main ingredients. Bonafide pollen comes from four different plants in Sweden to provide relief from common women’s health symptoms such as mood swings, irritability and uneasiness.
Royal jelly is a milky substance that is made by honeybees and is very high in amino acids, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. It has been included in Serenol to also support the irritability, uneasiness and mood swings that many women experience during PMS and menopause.
Lastly, chromium picolinate has been added to Serenol. It is an essential mineral that can help support a healthy metabolism, so you can reduce calories and experience fewer cravings.
The Serenol brand claims that they spent years researching and sourcing the most potent and beneficial ingredients available. There is a link on the company’s website to their clinical trials, but that information is very limited. It was determined that 77% of women experienced some degree of relief from their PMS symptoms within 3 months of starting Serenol. There was a reduction in mood swings and irritability by month 3 in 60% of people.
Unpacking Flo
The Flo supplement is made using a combination of vitamin ingredients as well as plant-based remedies to help balance the body, regulate the menstrual cycle and provide symptom relief. The main ingredient of Flo is vitamin B6, which has been known to reduce symptoms associated with PMS, such as mood swings, low energy and food cravings.
Chasteberry is a small berry that holds tremendous powder when it comes to women’s health. It has been shown to alleviate symptoms of PMS such as breast pain, mood swings and hot flashes. Chasteberry has also been historically used for infertility and regulating the menstrual cycle.
Dong quai has been dubbed the female ginseng. This root has antispasmodic properties, so it can be very beneficial for a woman who experiences very painful cramps during her menstrual cycle.
Lastly, lemon balm has been added to Flo to help alleviate cramps, stress and digestive upsets. It’s a very calming herb that can enhance mood but also keep the body comfortable.
Flo claims that this is a scientifically created product, and the brand touches on the different studies that were done on their specific ingredients. This includes a study published in the Journal of Women’s Health & Gender-Based Medicine, where 1,634 women suffering from PMS symptoms were supplemented with chasteberry. An impressive 93% of those women experienced improvement after about three menstrual cycles.
This product does have many positive reviews on the company’s website. It has a 4.2-star rating out of 5 stars. Flo has been life-changing for many people. One review that stood out is from a woman with endometriosis who had surgery to remove a growth on her uterus. She used Flo to help her comfortably get through some of those first periods after her surgery.
Many other women have commented that Flo has allowed them to live a more comfortable life that is free of mood swings, irritability, pain, bloating and even breakouts.
Head-to-Head Comparison
While both Serenol and Flo have been created with female health and comfort in mind, they use different ingredients and have different approaches to making this happen. Let’s compare these two products.
Ingredients
Both Serenol and Flo have been formulated using natural and safe ingredients that are a much better option than hormone replacement therapy. However, Flo uses ingredients such as chasteberry, dong quai, lemon balm and vitamin B6. Serenol uses the unique but beneficial Bonafide pollen along with royal jelly and chromium picolinate.
Mechanisms of Action: How Do They Work in the Body?
Many of the benefits of Serenol and Flo are the same, but the difference in ingredients determines how these products work in the body. The Bonafide bee pollen in Serenol can address issues like hot flashes and poor quality sleep by targeting non-hormonal pathways in the body that contribute to functioning of the brain's thermoregulatory zone.
The chasteberry in Flo has the natural ability to balance hormones in the body, thus alleviating many of the unpleasant symptoms that women are looking to get rid of. Dong quai can relax the muscles, reducing cramps and pain during menstruation or PMS. Lemon balm has anti-stress benefits that can help regulate mood and decrease irritability.
Efficacy
Flo provides substantially more information on their website regarding different studies that support the use of the ingredients in their product. Each ingredient is broken down, explaining how it affects the body and any supporting studies that can help increase reliability. Flo also shares customer reviews on their website.
Serenol, on the other hand, doesn’t include anywhere near as much information. There aren’t any customer reviews listed on the site currently. There are a few studies and statistics referenced, but there is a lack of explanation regarding how the ingredients benefit the female body during times like PMS, menstruation and menopause.
Side Effects
The great thing about Serenol and Flo is that they are very natural, without any real risk of side effects like you would experience with hormone replacement therapy. Because of the Bonafide pollen in Serenol, you’ll want to be careful of an allergic reaction. Some users of this natural therapy have reported skin rashes, stomach pain or trouble breathing. Of course, these are extreme side effects, but they should be nonetheless noted.
Flo doesn’t have very many negative reviews. Those who gave the product a low star count simply didn’t experience the results that they had hoped for. A few people mentioned that they experienced stomach pain when first trying Flo.
Price and Availability
The cost of Serenol is $62 for a one-time purchase of one box of product. You can purchase this product through the Hello Bonafide website. You can save some money if you sign up for the monthly or three-month plan. The monthly plan drops the cost down to $47 per month, while purchasing a 3 month supply costs $42 per box.
Flo currently costs $34.99 for a one-time purchase, or you can subscribe to drop the price down to $27.99 per bottle. You unlock free shipping by subscribing as well. Flo is available on the Flo Vitamins website, but this is also a product that you can find in retail stores and pharmacies. It’s widely available.
User Experiences and Testimonials
It’s much easier to find real-life experiences from people who have used Flo. The company includes reviews on their website, and you can also find reviews on the individual websites of the companies that carry Flo, such as Target. Flo seems to provide excellent support to women who experience common issues around menstruation, such as cramps, mood swings and pain. It does seem to be a product that is used more for menstruation than menopause. With excellent reviews on the Flo website and on other sites, it seems this is a very effective product. However, there is a small group of consumers that didn’t notice any effects.
Serenol doesn’t have reviews listed on their website, but it is a product that is supposed to be beneficial for women that are menstruating, experiencing PMS symptoms or are approaching menopause. Serenol references results from a rolling survey that they conducted between July 2016 and November 2017. This survey questioned 290 women who used Serenol for at least 3 months. The results showed that 77% of women experienced relief from their PMS symptoms in that 3-month time frame, 60% of women saw a positive change in their mood and 87% of women would recommend this product to their friends.
Expert Opinions and Medical Insights
Serenol claims that their product has been recommended by more than 6,200 doctors all across the United States. This is based on the data and safety of this product. The Serenol team is comprised of more than 50 different professionals with experience in medical drug discovery, clinical research and patient advocacy.
Making an Informed Choice
When taking a thorough look at Serenol and Flo, their formulas stand out as being quite different from one another. While both products claim to be quite effective when it comes to alleviating common women’s health symptoms, Serenol uses Bonafide pollen, royal jelly and chromium picolinate to remedy things like pain, cramping, mood swings and hot flashes.
Flo utilizes more herbal-based ingredients like chasteberry, lemon balm and dong quai to support many of the same symptoms. How these products work on the female body is quite different, though many of the same benefits can be achieved with regular use.
When choosing a women’s health supplement, it’s important to conduct plenty of research to understand what a product has to offer. Looking into what ingredients are used and how safe they are is imperative. You should always take into account what your individual needs are, what your medical history is and how much money you’re able to spend on a supplement that needs to be taken on a regular basis. If you have any concerns about the safety of a product, you should always consult your doctor before taking anything. If you’re currently using hormone replacement therapy, this could affect your ability to take an additional supplement, even if it has natural ingredients.
Which is Better: FLO PMS Vitamins or Hello Bonafide Serenol?
While both Flo and Serenol seem to be very effective when it comes to alleviating commonly-experienced women’s health symptoms, Flo definitely has a much more established online presence. Not only is this product found in more locations, but there are reviews all over the place from real-life women who found relief from this product. When shopping for a supplement of any kind, being able to read about other customers experiences is an important part of the process.
Hello Bonafide Serenol is a supplement that is backed by science, and there is a good deal of information available on the Hello Bonafide website. However, it would be helpful to see some more real-life reviews listed. This is especially true since Serenol isn’t available in as many locations as Flo.
Flo is also the more affordable option and more accessible, so it may be a good idea to start with Flo to see how it improves your symptoms. Moving on to Serenol is an option if Flo doesn’t provide you with the results that you’re looking for.
Conclusion
When selecting a women’s health supplement, it’s incredibly important to make an informed decision. You can do this by spending plenty of time reading about the ingredients, studies and customer reviews of a product. The more information that a product provides, the more educated you’ll be able to be when you make your final decision.
Both Serenol and Flo show great promise for women who are looking for a safe and effective way to manage symptoms associated with PMS, menopause and menstruation. Which product you choose will really depend on your personal situation and what you’re looking to accomplish. However, choosing a more holistic approach to your health can be a very wise choice. It incorporates supplement use, lifestyle changes, dietary changes and professional advice.