Pharmavite has launched the mail-order and information website equelle.com for easy purchase of the product, which has won the support of a large number of women for its reduction of symptoms associated with menopause. This D-to-C channel is more than just a sales route; the site provides information about equol and the physical changes that accompany aging, and supports interaction via email (telephone inquiries also accepted) about how to live life comfortably during menopause. The site also supports women's understanding of their personal health, with the aim to further contribute to the maintenance and promotion of women's health.
Equol is a metabolite of soy isoflavone daidzen, which is produced through the action of intestinal bacteria. Consumption of soybeans or soy isoflavones is expected to contribute to maintenance and improvement of women's health. Through many years of research into soybeans and clinical research in Japan and the U.S., Otsuka Pharmaceutical has identified equol as the active ingredient in soy and clarified its health benefits.
The American diet offers few opportunities to consume soybeans,*1 and only around 20 to 30 percent of American women are able to produce equol in their digestive tracts.*2 More than two million women in the U.S. enter menopause each year*3, around 85 percent of whom experience troublesome symptoms.*4 While hormone replacement therapy or other pharmaceutical treatments are common approaches to treating menopausal symptoms, a growing number of women would prefer to use a natural approach that does not rely on pharmaceuticals.*5 As a result, in 2017 EQUELLE was introduced as a new option in the U.S. through channels targeting healthcare professionals as a dietary supplement to reduce the frequency of hot flashes and relieve shoulder muscle stiffness associated with menopause.