MPowder is the brainchild of Rebekah Brown – and you may recognise her as a guest on our Menopause Your Way live shows, where she shared her expertise as a brand and community founder. This exciting new range offers targeted, whole food-packed supplements for perimenopause and menopause. Keep scrolling to find out how it all began…
What did your menopause experience look like, and how did it inspire you to start MPowder?
My own perimenopause journey was pretty bumpy! In fact, it was my own route back to getting well that led me to launch MPowder. I’m a researcher by trade. I had spent my whole career listening to people and trying to identify new and improved ways of supporting them. I loved my job.
Until slowly, over a period of around six months, I didn’t. I went from being relatively confident to being crippled by anxiety. My hair was falling out. I was bloated. I had terrible outbreaks of hormonal acne. Nothing in my wardrobe fitted. I couldn’t sleep. And I couldn’t concentrate. As someone who had worked really hard to reach a senior level, I felt the answer was simply to work harder! It got to the point where I was getting up at 5am to rehearse presenting documents I used to talk through with ease.
I finally ended up at the doctor and, like so many women in our community, I was told I was ‘too young to be menopausal’ – and offered antidepressants instead. And I think this is where my training as a researcher saved me. I knew I wasn’t depressed. My moods were too variable – and there were times in the month when I felt like superwoman! It felt like something else was happening. So, I decided to make myself my next project! I spent a long time researching my symptoms and I landed on this word ‘perimenopause’ – a life stage that every single female will experience – but no one had told me about!
We’re very lucky to be living through a moment in time when the world – and the media – is finally focusing on female health. Three years’ ago, I could only really find references to it in medical papers and journals. But slowly I started learning about this 8-12 year timespan that has a significant impact on how we age. I also started to learn more about the brilliance of our biology! I met with forward-thinking medical doctors, functional practitioners, acupuncturists, nutritionists… even cold water therapists! I became a menopausal guinea pig! I tried everything. Some things worked for me, some things didn’t. But I started to get better. The biggest breakthrough for me was learning about the impact of nutrition on our bodies and minds. It led to the beginnings of an idea.
What if I could harness the collective wisdom of expert practitioners to create wholefood-led supplements for perimenopause and menopause that really make a difference? What if I could ‘bake in’ feedback from our community to make our products better and better over time? And what if we could offer educational programmes, personal stories and hands-on support with every purchase so each of us felt supported in working out what works on an individual level?
What’s the ethos behind MPowder?
We believe that Part 2 is your time to shine! You’ve earned it! And that what we eat has a big impact on how well we feel in menopause. Our blends have 29+ wholefood-led ingredients in every scoop, each selected for the potential seen in the lab and in real life. Our hope is that they give you the foundation layer – and that you can then ‘layer up’ other practices and habits, based on what feels right for you.
Around 29% of our perimenopause community and 60% of our post-menopause community will take HRT too. Many attend our digital Meno.Well Masterclasses to learn more about everything from acupressure to cognitive behavioural therapy; or yoga nidra and cold water swimming…or how to make the best sourdough! We also run monthly open-mic lives on social media with leading experts on midlife health. The reviews we receive capture the impact we can have – and keeps us working to do even more.
What can customers expect to notice after a few weeks of taking their chosen formula?
Every individual’s body is different, but what we have seen in our community is that, after around 15 days of daily use, they feel less bloated, less anxious. They may see a calming to their skin and an increase in energy levels. Then, at around month one we often see improvements to sleep, a reduction in bone aches and improved mood and libido too.
It’s important to highlight that MPowder is more than a product range; we are a community. And that our formulas are a foundation layer, not a silver bullet. We’re here to support you with all of it. So join us for our masterclasses, try out our recipes, find us on social media so you can join our lives and ask our experts your questions – and contact our health concierge team if you struggle. It’s what we’re here for.
Who are the menopause role models you look up to in the industry?
I admire every single celebrity that has chosen to speak up about their own menopause journey. Because, by using their influence to get the topic talked about, they are helping to normalise it. But, to be honest, the people I admire the most are the people in our community navigating their way through to Part 2. I am blown away by their resilience. Females are phenomenal!
Collectively we carry so much – and we offer so much – to those around us, to work colleagues, to society. Can you imagine what we would be capable of if we felt well?! Too often menopause is presented as an ‘end of life’ category. We are made to feel like we have to fade into the shadows. And yet, post menopause research shows we have more empathy, we’re often more purpose-driven, we’re happier and we’re more confident of our views. We rock! All we need are the right tools and the support around us – and then then watch us fly!
Browse the MPowder brand page here.
For more stories, advice and interviews, head to the Menopause Your Way Stories hub. To browse and shop a curated edit of menopause products, visit the Menopause Your Way page on QVC.
The content of the QVC website is for information only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the QVC website.
We understand there’s a lot of information out there on the menopause. You can read through the NICE guidance on menopause management, as well as the NHS overview on the menopause.
