FiberNEW2026-09

Biotics in Menopausal Health: A Two-Decade Bibliometric Analysis and Narrative Review.

Olawale Femi, Alake Sanmi E, Chandrashekar Ranjitha, Kim Yoo et al. — Current nutrition reports

Summary

This paper reviews how 'biotics' – beneficial bacteria and the fibers that feed them – might help women manage health changes during menopause. It suggests that these gut-friendly interventions could offer a non-hormonal way to support bone, heart, and metabolic health by improving gut balance, especially for those who cannot or choose not to use hormone therapy.

AI-generated summary — read the original

Key points

Biotics, including beneficial bacteria and certain fibers, are being explored as potential aids for menopausal health.
These interventions may help manage menopausal symptoms by positively influencing gut health and its connection to the body.
They offer a non-hormonal strategy to support bone, metabolic, and cardiovascular well-being during this life stage.
While promising, more extensive long-term clinical trials are needed to fully understand their benefits.

What the study looked at

**What question did this study ask?** This paper explored how 'biotics' – a term encompassing beneficial bacteria (probiotics), the fibers that feed them (prebiotics), and their byproducts – might impact women's health during menopause, especially considering the role of gut health. The goal was to understand if these interventions could offer a non-hormonal approach to managing menopausal symptoms. **How was it studied?** This was a comprehensive review of scientific literature published over the last two decades. Researchers performed a 'bibliometric analysis' to identify trends in publications and a 'narrative review' to summarize the existing evidence. This means they didn't conduct new experiments with participants but rather synthesized findings from many previous studies. **What did it find?** The review found a significant increase in research on biotics and menopause, particularly focusing on bone health. It suggests that specific biotics, including certain types of bacteria and fibers, can help rebalance gut microbes, improve gut lining integrity, and reduce inflammation. These actions may contribute to better bone, metabolic, cardiovascular, and even hot flash-related health, offering a promising alternative for managing menopausal changes without hormones.

Dietary takeaway

For women navigating menopause, this review suggests that incorporating more fiber-rich foods and fermented products into your diet could be a gentle way to support overall well-being by fostering a healthy gut. Foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and fermented items such as yogurt or kimchi provide beneficial fibers and microbes. Remember, while promising, this is a review of existing research, and individual studies are not definitive; always consult with a healthcare professional for personalized advice.

Abstract

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Menopause, defined as amenorrhea due to loss of ovarian function, is associated with osteoporosis, metabolic syndrome, vasomotor disturbances, and cardiovascular disease. While menopause hormone therapy (MHT) remains the gold standard for high-potency symptom management, biotic interventions offer a safe, alternative approach for those who cannot or choose not to use MHT. This review examines biotic interventions (probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, postbiotics) and their influence on the gut-menopause axis. RECENT FINDINGS: Declining estrogen during menopause alters gastrointestinal physiology, including shifts in gut microbiota composition and impaired gut barrier function. Bibliometric analysis of the past two decades shows a sharp rise in publications after 2017, peaking in 2024. The intellectual landscape centers on "probiotics," "menopause," and "osteoporosis," highlighting bone health as a key focus. Evidence indicates that biotic interventions, particularly Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species and selected fibers, can restore microbial balance, enhance short-chain fatty acid production, improve gut barrier integrity, modulate the estrobolome, reduce systemic inflammation, and support bone, metabolic, cardiovascular, and vasomotor health. Biotic strategies represent a multi-targeted, non-hormonal approach to managing menopausal health, addressing underlying physiological changes. These findings highlight emerging research trends while underscoring the need for long-term clinical trials, and support further exploration of personalized, microbiome-targeted interventions in menopause.

View on PubMed →DOI: 10.1007/s13668-026-00798-6