Please check this list first
Who should not use it
Pueraria mirifica products are often not recommended for the people below. If any of this applies to you, please speak with your doctor before using any product that contains it.
- Anyone who is pregnant or nursing.
- Anyone with a hormone-sensitive condition, or taking medicine that affects hormones.
What the research looked at
Here are four pieces of research, with the facts you need to judge them. Most of the human studies were done in postmenopausal women and looked at vaginal health, not breast skin. They help with safety questions, but they do not show what our products do.
Study 1 RCT · oral
Shinryo to Shinyaku, 2017
- Design
- Randomized controlled trial of Pueraria mirifica taken by mouth
- Duration
- 12 weeks
- Measured
- Firmness of the skin on the upper breast, and the angle between the breast fold and the nipple
Study 2 RCT · oral
Manonai and colleagues, Menopause, 2007
- Design
- Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of capsules taken once daily, at three dose levels
- People
- 71 healthy postmenopausal women aged 45 to 60 (51 received Pueraria mirifica, 20 received placebo)
- Duration
- 24 weeks
- Measured
- Vaginal symptoms, vaginal health index, vaginal pH and vaginal cell tests
Safety finding
The authors reported no significant difference in adverse effects between the Pueraria mirifica and placebo groups.
Study 3 RCT · vaginal gel
Warinsiriruk and colleagues, Maturitas, 2022
- Design
- Randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial of a vaginal gel (applied to the skin and tissue, not taken by mouth)
- People
- 72 postmenopausal women with genitourinary syndrome of menopause
- Duration
- 12 weeks
- Measured
- Vaginal blood flow, vaginal maturation index, vaginal health index, womb lining thickness and symptoms
Related trial
A related 2016 randomized trial (Suwanvesh and colleagues, published in Menopause in 2017) compared a Pueraria mirifica gel with a conjugated estrogen cream in 82 postmenopausal women over 12 weeks. The estrogen cream did better at improving signs of vaginal atrophy and restoring the vaginal lining at 6 and 12 weeks.
Study 4 Systematic review
Kongkaew and colleagues, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2018
- Design
- Systematic review of clinical trials (searches ran to February 2017)
- People
- Eight studies in 9 articles, using data from 309 menopausal women
- Duration
- Varied between studies
- Measured
- Menopausal symptoms, reproductive hormones, urinary and genital function and bone markers
Limits noted by the authors
The active ingredients and sources of Pueraria mirifica were not defined, and they called for long-term safety studies and ongoing monitoring.
What we do not know
The limits of the evidence.
- Long-term safety
- The trials above lasted 12 to 24 weeks.
- Who the studies included
- Most participants were postmenopausal women.
- Which product was tested
- The systematic review noted that the active ingredients and the plant sources were not defined across studies, so results from one product do not automatically apply to another.
Side effects reported in research
24-week trial · 71 women
Adverse effects did not differ significantly between the Pueraria mirifica groups and placebo. A second paper on the same trial found no estrogen-like effect on the womb lining and reported mild adverse effects in both the Pueraria mirifica and placebo groups.
2018 systematic review
Similar rates of breast tenderness, vaginal spotting and dizziness across the groups it looked at. It also reported that serum C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation, doubled.
Pueraria mirifica and HRT
Pueraria mirifica is not hormone replacement therapy, and it should not be used in its place. In the 2016 trial of 82 postmenopausal women, a conjugated estrogen cream was more effective than a Pueraria mirifica gel at improving signs of vaginal atrophy. If you are considering hormone therapy, please talk with your doctor about the options.
Questions about cancer
Pueraria mirifica contains plant compounds that bind estrogen receptors. For that reason, anyone with a history of, or risk factors for, a hormone-sensitive cancer should speak with their doctor first and should not start on their own.
Choosing a product with care
Because the review noted that ingredients and sources were not defined across studies, it helps to know what is in the product you choose. Root age, the extraction method and how the extract is standardized all matter, and may matter more than the shape of the product.
What to look for
- Where the plant was grown and how old the roots are.
- How the extract is made.
- Testing of each production lot.
- Certificates from the factory that makes the product.
You can read how we handle each of these, and see our certificates, on the two pages below.
Quality and extraction Quality and certifications
Questions people ask
What are the side effects of Pueraria mirifica?
In the research above, adverse effects were reported as mild and similar to placebo in the trials we cite, but those trials were small and short. Please read the section on side effects and talk with your doctor if you have concerns.
Does it increase estrogen?
It contains plant compounds that bind to estrogen receptors, so it can act like an estrogen. It does not contain estradiol, the body's own estrogen. Responses vary from person to person, which is why some people are asked to speak with a doctor first.
Is it linked to cancer?
Please see the section on cancer above. In short, people with hormone-sensitive conditions should speak with their doctor first.
Can I ask someone before I buy?
Yes. Message a specialist on WhatsApp and ask whether a product is suitable for you. For medical questions, your doctor is the right person.
