NewsRegulatory & legal
Nigeria's regulator flags an unregistered menopause supplement over liver concerns
NAFDAC says Menofix Capsules, marketed by PureEve, were never registered, and that some of their reported ingredients have been linked to rare liver problems. What happened, what the research says about liver safety in menopause herbs, and what to check on your own label.
What happened
On 18 July 2026, Nigeria's National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) published Public Alert No. 035/2026 about Menofix Capsules, a product marketed by PureEve as a hormone-free herbal and multivitamin supplement for perimenopause and menopause.
The alert followed a complaint. NAFDAC's investigation found that the capsules have never been registered in Nigeria, which means nobody has checked their safety, their quality or the claims on the pack. The agency also said that some ingredients reportedly in the product have been linked to rare liver-related side effects: hepatitis, raised liver enzymes, jaundice and, very rarely, liver failure. Its officers have been told to find the product and take it off sale. Nigerian news outlets, including THISDAY, reported the alert in August.
Two products with similar names are registered and are not part of the alert: Menofix Herbal Capsule (NAFDAC Reg. No. A7-103321L) and Menofix Powder (A7-103342L), both made by Gudugudu Herbal Worldwide Enterprises. NAFDAC asks buyers to check the registration number on the pack.
What the research says
NAFDAC did not name the ingredients it was concerned about, and we have not seen this product's label, so we can't say what it contains.
Liver safety is, however, a known question for some herbs used in menopause supplements. The most studied is black cohosh. The US National Institutes of Health's LiverTox database records more than 50 reports of liver injury linked to products labelled as black cohosh, a few of them severe. Yet in clinical trials involving more than 1,200 women, no liver injury was seen. One explanation researchers give for the gap is product quality: some supplements sold as black cohosh have turned out to contain other plants.
That is why registration matters. A registered product has been checked for what is actually inside it. An unregistered one has not.
What it means for you
- If you live in Nigeria and have Menofix Capsules from PureEve, NAFDAC's advice is to stop using them and to report where you bought them.
- Questions to bring to your doctor or pharmacist:
- Do any of the herbs in my supplement carry liver warnings?
- If I take it for months, should my liver enzymes be checked?
- Is this product registered or independently tested where I live?
- Liver problems can show up as yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, unusual tiredness, or pain under the right ribs. If you notice any of these while taking a supplement, see a doctor promptly.
- To report a product or a side effect in Nigeria: call NAFDAC on 0800-162-3322, email sf.alert@nafdac.gov.ng, or use the Med Safety app. In the US, use the FDA's MedWatch.
Sources
- NAFDAC, Public Alert No. 035/2026: Marketing and sale of unregistered Menofix (18 July 2026)
- THISDAY, "NAFDAC Flags Unregistered Menopause Supplement, Warns of Potential Health Risks" (August 2026)
- NIH LiverTox: Black Cohosh
- FDA MedWatch: report a problem
We summarise news in our own words and link to the original reporting and the primary sources. This is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor before starting or changing any supplement.