The Vitamin Protocol for Perimenopause

If you’re in your 40s and feeling off—brain fog, stubborn weight gain, irritability that hits out of nowhere—you’re not imagining things. Perimenopause is happening, and your body is navigating a massive hormonal shift that impacts everything from your metabolism to your mood to how well you sleep at night.

Unlike your 20s and 30s, where a balanced diet and decent sleep might have been enough to keep you feeling good, hormonal balance in your 40s requires targeted support—and that’s where supplementation comes in.

There’s no “reset” button for perimenopause, but you can support your body naturally—without synthetic hormones—by giving it the right nutrients, adaptogens, and herbal support to help restore balance.

This is the foundation of The Baseline by Not Young: a carefully formulated, naturopath-approved supplement designed to tackle weight gain, mood swings, cravings, and the exhaustion that comes with hormonal shifts.

If you’re feeling out of control, these are the essential nutrients your body needs to recalibrate.

1. Magnesium: The Sleep and Stress Regulator

Magnesium is a non-negotiable for perimenopause. Declining estrogen messes with your ability to regulate cortisol (the stress hormone), which leads to higher anxiety, disrupted sleep, and weight gain. Magnesium helps calm the nervous system, ease muscle tension, and improve insulin sensitivity—making it essential for metabolism and stress resilience.

What it does:

Promotes deep, restful sleep (because waking up at 3 a.m. for no reason is not normal).
Helps regulate cortisol and ease anxiety.
Improves insulin sensitivity, which is crucial for weight management.

2. Vitamin B-6: The Mood & Thyroid Stabilizer

Your serotonin and dopamine production depend on Vitamin B-6, and perimenopause can deplete this crucial nutrient. Low B-6 levels are linked to mood swings, irritability, and even worsening PMS symptoms. It also plays a key role in supporting thyroid function, which is critical for metabolism and preventing hair loss.

What it does:

Boosts serotonin and dopamine to stabilize mood and prevent emotional crashes.
Helps balance progesterone levels, which can ease breast tenderness and irritability.
Supports thyroid health, improving energy and metabolism.

3. Chaste Tree: The Progesterone Rebalancer

Chaste Tree (Vitex) is the ultimate perimenopause ally for progesterone support. As estrogen levels become erratic, progesterone tends to tank first, leading to irregular periods, worsened PMS, and that feeling of always being on edge. Chaste Tree helps gently restore progesterone levels, making the transition into menopause smoother.

What it does:

Supports progesterone production, which helps regulate cycles and mood.
Reduces PMS-like symptoms like bloating, breast tenderness, and cravings.
Helps improve fertility if you’re still cycling and trying to conceive.

4. Ashwagandha: The Cortisol & Libido Reset

Ashwagandha is a powerhouse adaptogen known for its ability to lower cortisol, balance stress hormones, and improve energy levels. Chronic stress can make perimenopause symptoms worse, leading to adrenal fatigue, increased belly fat, and brain fog. This adaptogen helps regulate your nervous system and even supports libido, which often takes a hit during this phase.

What it does:

Lowers cortisol, reducing belly fat accumulation.
Improves energy levels and reduces brain fog.
Supports libido and sexual function, helping you feel more like yourself.

5. Schisandra: The Hormone Detoxifier

Schisandra is a lesser-known but powerful herb that helps the liver process and metabolize excess hormones. As estrogen levels fluctuate wildly, your liver is responsible for clearing out what’s no longer needed—but in perimenopause, this process can slow down, leading to estrogen dominance symptoms like bloating, fatigue, and weight gain.

What it does:

Supports liver detoxification of estrogen.
Helps stabilize mood and reduce irritability.
Improves skin elasticity and hydration, keeping your glow intact.

6. Red Clover: The Natural Estrogen Support

Unlike synthetic estrogen, Red Clover provides phytoestrogens, which gently support declining estrogen levels without disrupting your body's natural rhythms. This can help reduce hot flashes, improve bone density, and support cardiovascular health.

What it does:

Reduces hot flashes and night sweats.
Supports bone density, which starts to decline in perimenopause.
Helps maintain heart health as estrogen naturally decreases.

7. Hops: The Sleep & Anxiety Soother

Hops isn’t just for beer—it’s a well-researched plant compound that calms the nervous system and supports GABA production, the neurotransmitter responsible for relaxation. In perimenopause, GABA levels can drop, leading to increased anxiety and sleep issues. Hops is one of the best natural sleep aids, especially when paired with magnesium.

What it does:

Helps regulate sleep cycles, reducing nighttime wake-ups.
Lowers anxiety and stress by boosting GABA levels.
Supports hormone balance by modulating estrogen receptors.

8. Black Pepper Extract: The Absorption Enhancer

It’s not enough to take good ingredients—they need to be absorbed properly. Black Pepper Extract enhances the bioavailability of vitamins, minerals, and herbal compounds, ensuring your body actually gets the full benefit of every ingredient in The Baseline.

What it does:

Increases absorption of all active ingredients.
Supports digestion and gut health, which impact hormone balance.

WHY SUPPLEMENTATION IS NON-NEGOTIABLE IN PERIMENOPAUSE

Balancing hormones naturally takes at least 90 days. Unlike quick fixes, hormonal recalibration happens gradually—which is why consistency is key.

By this stage in life, diet and lifestyle alone aren’t enough to balance hormones. Your body’s natural production of estrogen, progesterone, and key neurotransmitters is changing, and supplementation bridges the gap between what your body used to do effortlessly and what it struggles to do now.

This is exactly why The Baseline was formulated—to give your body the exact blend of nutrients it needs to navigate perimenopause without the wild ups and downs.

If you’re exhausted, craving carbs 24/7, or staring at yourself in the mirror wondering why your hairline looks thinner than it used to—this is the protocol your body has been asking for.

It’s time to stop suffering through it. Start feeling like yourself again.

➡ Try The Baseline today.