Nutremys Menopause Observatory – key figures and clinical study

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Menopause in France: The Key Figures Dossier

An overview of verified data on menopause and perimenopause — demographics, symptoms, bone health, skin, and treatments — with their sources. This page is available to journalists, bloggers, and healthcare professionals, free to cite with a link back to this page. Each figure is attributed to its source; proprietary data from Nutremys LAB are identified as such.

Last updated: June 2026. Documentary synthesis for informational purposes — not a substitute for medical advice.

1. Menopause in France

Menopause affects approximately 14 million women in France, and 500,000 women enter it each year. The average age is 51 years (between 45 and 55 years), with menopause confirmed after 12 consecutive months without periods. (Sources: Inserm, Menopause Dossier; Ameli.fr.)

2. Perimenopause: A Long and Underestimated Transition

Perimenopause generally begins between 45 and 47 years of age (sometimes as early as 40). It is a phase of strong hormonal fluctuations that precedes the cessation of periods: the transition lasts on average about 4 years (from 2 to 8 years depending on the woman), and associated symptoms can extend over several years. This is often the most confusing period, as symptoms appear while cycles are still present. (Sources: MSD Manuals; clinical data on menopausal transition.)

3. Symptoms: Prevalence and Duration

Menopause is not just about hot flashes: it affects sleep, mood, skin, mucous membranes, joints, and cognition.

4. Hormonal Treatment: The Great French Disaffection

France is notable for its very low use of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT). While approximately one in two menopausal women was treated around 2000, today it is less than 6%. The proportion of women aged 45-60 treated decreased from 6.6% (2012) to 3.6% (2022), before a slight recovery to 4.4% in 2025, representing approximately 496,000 women. (Sources: ANSM, 2025; ELISA survey; Santé publique France.)

This decline, following alerts in the early 2000s, partly explains the surge in demand for non-hormonal approaches — lifestyle, phytotherapy, and micronutrition.

5. Bone Health: A Critical Window

Estrogen deficiency accelerates bone loss. It is maximal in the year preceding the last period and the 2-3 years thereafter: women can lose up to ~10% of their bone mass in the first 5 years post-menopause, at a rate of approximately 2% per year. Hence the importance of calcium, vitamin D, and physical activity from perimenopause onwards. (Sources: RPC CNGOF / GEMVi; bone literature.)

6. Skin & Collagen: What Science (Really) Says

Estrogen decline directly affects skin collagen. Benchmark studies (Brincat et al.) show a loss of approximately 30% of skin collagen in the first 5 years following menopause, then about 2% per year. This explains the thinning, dryness, and loss of firmness often experienced during this period.

Does collagen peptide supplementation help? Several meta-analyses of randomized trials conclude an improvement in skin hydration and elasticity: one review (10 trials, 646 participants) reports a favorable effect on hydration and elasticity; another, larger one (26 trials, 1,721 participants), shows similar results. (Indian J. Dermatol. Venereol. Leprol.; reviews 2021-2023.)

7. Our Expert

Dr. Mariam E.K. — gynecologist, medical advisor for Nutremys LAB, 18 years of clinical practice (Paris). Available for interviews and expert quotes on menopause, perimenopause, urogenital health, and female nutrition. Discover Dr. Mariam E.K. →

8. Sources & Methodology

• Inserm — Menopause Dossier (demographics, mechanisms).
• Ameli.fr (Health Insurance) — menopause, sleep, treatments.
• ANSM (2025) — Menopausal hormone therapy: ~496,000 women treated, evolution 2012-2025.
• ELISA Survey (2021, n=3,685) — prevalence of vasomotor disorders in France.
• SWAN — Avis et al., JAMA Internal Medicine (2015) — duration of vasomotor symptoms (median 7.4 years).
• CMAJ — Canadian Medical Association Journal (2025) — genitourinary syndrome of menopause.
• CNGOF / GEMVi — menopause, MHT, and osteoporosis recommendations.
• Brincat et al. — postmenopausal skin collagen loss.
• Meta-analyses of collagen peptides (Indian J. Dermatol. Venereol. Leprol. and reviews 2021-2023) — skin hydration and elasticity; methodological limitations noted.

Prevalence figures vary depending on the populations studied and methodologies; ranges are indicated where relevant. We update this page as new data becomes available.

This page is for informational purposes and does not replace medical advice. Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied and balanced diet or a healthy lifestyle.