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Menopause Symptoms: Do Asian women have symptoms?
- Abigail Acquaviva
- Jul 17
- 3 min read
If you've ever read adverts for menopause supplements or herbal remedies, you've probably seen claims that women in some Asian countries don't experience menopause symptoms. While researching my dissertation, I wanted to find out whether the evidence actually supports this idea.
It doesn't.
In my review of the research comparing menopause symptoms reported by women in China and the UK, I found that women in both populations experience menopausal symptoms. The difference isn't whether symptoms occur—it's which symptoms are most commonly reported. This pattern isn't unique to China. In the literature I reviewed, I found evidence of menopause symptoms among women in India, China, and Japan.
One of the most influential studies in this field was conducted by anthropologist Margaret Lock in the 1990s. Her research found that Japanese women experienced menopause symptoms, but their most common complaint was shoulder pain rather than hot flushes. Fewer than 10% of the women surveyed reported hot flushes.
Location | Japan | US |
Top symptom | Shoulder stiffness 52% | Joint pain 39% |
Second | Headaches 28% | Headaches 37% |
Third | Digestive issues 25% | Hot flush 35% |
Fourth | Back pain 24% | Irritability 29% |
From "Encounters with Aging – Mythologies of Menopause in Japan & North America" (1995) M. Lock
Interestingly, Lock also observed that Japanese women who migrated to the United States and adopted a more Western diet and lifestyle reported menopause symptoms that more closely resembled those experienced by American women. This suggests that lifestyle and environmental factors may play an important role in shaping how menopause is experienced.
In my own review of literature women in China do report hot flushes, but they rank much lower than they do among women in the UK. In one study, hot flushes were only the sixth most commonly reported symptom. This distinction is important because some marketing materials imply an absence of menopause symptoms altogether, rather a difference in one symptom. The evidence suggests something quite different: women are experiencing menopause, but their symptom profiles vary across populations.
Location | China | UK |
Top symptom | Urogenital issues | Hot flushes |
Second | Emotional issues | Insomnia |
Third | Fatigue | Brain fog |
Fourth | Insomnia | Mood changes |
Fifth | Headaches | Urinary incontinence |
Sixth | Hot flushes | Vaginal dryness |
From *Research Papers listed below
So why are women in Asia having a different menopause symptoms?
I've seen suggestions that soy might be the answer and various 'magic bullet' prescriptions. But the answer is much more complex than that. Margret Lock (1995) noted that women who moved from Japan to the US and changed their diet and lifestyle to the Western model had the same menopause symptoms as US women. Menopause is influenced by a combination of biological, lifestyle, cultural, and environmental factors, and there is unlikely to be a single food, herb, or supplement that explains the differences between populations.
My advice is to focus on the symptoms you are actually experiencing rather than looking for a universal menopause remedy. Different treatments are effective for different symptoms, so it's worth consulting a qualified professional who can assess your individual situation and recommend an appropriate treatment. The transition through perimenopause and menopause is not a single, uniform experience, and there is no one herb or medication that will address every symptom.
In my next blog post, I'll explore why hot flushes appear to be reported much more frequently in Western populations than in many Asian populations. Join my mailing list to receive the rest of the series as it's published.
If you'd like to discuss your own symptoms and explore treatment options tailored to your needs, you can book an appointment here.
*Papers referred to in research:
