Further update. This was the original reply I received from NYBT Europe:
Thanks for your enquiry regarding menopause mood relief tablets. The tablets are not intended for consistent long term use. As a general guide I would suggest an initial intake of 8 weeks on and 2 weeks off until symptoms improve . If you find after 3 months or so your symptoms have not improved please visit your GP for further advice.
I replied to the email asking why this information was not on their leaflets but got no reply. I then also emailed Schwabe Pharma who have the licence to manufacture these tablets (Menomood is their brand which is exactly the same as the Holland and Barrett one). Their response was entirely different and stated that there was no reason why Menomood cannot be taken long term - so conflicting advice.
I then emailed Holland and Barrett since they sold both but the email goes straight to NYBT Europe and got the following reply to my questions:
Are these products identical? Yes, they have the same active ingredients.
If so, why would I receive different guidelines on their long term use and which is correct?
The advice received from our nutrition team is “general adviceâ€, in line with Schwabe pharma if you are benefitting from the product, there is no reason why you cannot take it long term.
If long term use is indeed not recommended then why is this not indicated on the information leaflet? It is not “not recommendedâ€. That is why there is no reference to this on the leaflet. However, as good practice and general advice an initial intake of 8 weeks on and 2 weeks off until symptoms improve set safety boundaries for individuals that may need to consider medical intervention.
If they are different, then in what way? They are not different
Could you please explain what the Traditional Herbal Registration number is? A number that is provided by the regulatory authorities to licence a company to manufacture and sell the product.
This was from the same help desk as the original email so I replied again suggesting that they ensure their staff are better informed as it is not great when conflicting advice comes from the same company. I got the following response:
As mentioned in my previous email, we offer tailored advice to customers in the nutrition team at Holland and Barrett. My colleague *** recommended eight weeks on and two weeks off as a guideline to measure symptoms and ensure ongoing suitability for the product, as it may not be necessary to continue the product long term if symptoms have improved. Whilst the product is safe for long term use, our personal advice would be using a method to assess requirements and continue use or discontinue accordingly.
I hope this has provided further clarification, please do not hesitate to reply if you require any further information.
Though I feel more comfortable that taking the product long term is ok, I'm annoyed about the conflicting advice and am considering making a complaint to the pharmaceutical ombudsman. What do others make of how they have responded and what would you do?