Last checked September 2026 against 19 sources · Editorial policy
Thermella review: does Bonafide's hot flash supplement work?
This Thermella review covers Bonafide's hormone-free hot flash supplement: two tablets a day with 600 mg of Longvida curcumin, 150 mg of decaffeinated green tea extract and 85 mg of spirulina, for $60 a box. Bonafide cites its own trials, but we found no full peer-reviewed report of them, and highly bioavailable curcumin has been linked to rare liver damage.
Thermella combines Longvida curcumin, decaffeinated green tea and spirulina for hot flashes, at $60 a box. What Bonafide's data shows, liver safety, cost and how it compares with Relizen.
Thermella for hot flashes: expectation vs reality
What people often expect
“Thermella is a clinically proven alternative to hormone therapy”
What the evidence shows
Bonafide's figures come from data on file and conference abstracts. Curcumin on its own reduced hot flashes in two small trials but not in a third. NAMS says hormone therapy is the most effective treatment for hot flashes and doesn't recommend herbal supplements for them.
Thermella review: ingredients, evidence, safety and cost
What's in Thermella
Two Thermella tablets contain 600 mg of Longvida curcumin extract, 150 mg of decaffeinated green tea extract with less than 5 mg of natural caffeine, and 85 mg of spirulina extract. The coating is colored with spirulina, caramel and carmine. Bonafide says its products contain no hormones, parabens, soy, gluten or GMOs. A box of 180 tablets is a 3-month supply.
How Thermella is supposed to work
Bonafide says Thermella blocks neurokinin B, a brain signal that triggers hot flashes, and calls it the first non-prescription product to do so; the claim rests on a patent and company data. The prescription drug Veozah (fezolinetant) works on the same pathway by blocking the NK3 receptor, and it was approved by the FDA in 2023 after large trials. Thermella hasn't been through that process.
Learn more →Does Thermella work? Bonafide's trials
Bonafide cites a pooled analysis of two double-blind, placebo-controlled trials, held as data on file, in which hot flashes and night sweats fell by an average of 30% by day 14. It also says 94% of women had fewer hot flashes by month one and 97% by month three. We couldn't find these trials published in full, so we can't check how they compared with placebo.
Curcumin and Thermella: the independent evidence
In a 2020 trial of 93 women, curcumin 500 mg twice a day for 8 weeks cut hot flashes more than placebo, starting at week 4. A 2026 pilot of 40 women found 7.35 fewer hot flashes a week with 1,000 mg of curcuminoids, but no change in overall quality of life. A 2024 trial of 84 women found vitamin E, not curcumin, reduced hot flashes.
Thermella side effects and safety
Bonafide says side effects in its trials were comparable to placebo, with no serious adverse events. But Longvida is reported to give over 100 times the bioavailability of plain curcumin, and NCCIH says liver damage has been reported in some people taking bioavailable curcumin. Green tea extract has also been linked to uncommon liver injury. Turmeric supplements may be unsafe in pregnancy.
How to take Thermella
Take two tablets once a day, with or without food. Bonafide says Thermella can start working within two weeks, with the best results at month three, and recommends taking it for at least three months before you judge it. If you take regular medicines, ask your doctor or pharmacist first: green tea extract can lower levels of nadolol and atorvastatin.
Thermella and sleep
Bonafide says 60% of women slept better with Thermella and 94% had fewer night sweats and hot flashes after one month, and cites 89% with better sleep from an open-label study. Open-label means everyone knew they were taking Thermella, with no placebo group, so these figures can't separate the supplement's effect from expectation. Bonafide also says it reduced how much hot flashes interfered with sleep.
Learn more →Thermella price and subscription
On Bonafide's site a one-time box of Thermella costs $60 plus $5 shipping (checked October 2026). Subscriptions are $45 on the monthly plan, $120 every three months or $210 every six months, with free shipping. Bonafide products aren't covered by insurance, but Bonafide offers an HSA or FSA eligibility check through Truemed that can provide a letter of medical necessity.
Thermella vs Relizen
Both are hormone-free Bonafide hot flash supplements taken as two tablets a day. Relizen is a Swedish flower pollen extract that Bonafide says takes two to three months to work, and it costs $58 a box. In a 2024 meta-analysis of pollen extract, the benefit wasn't significant when only controlled studies were pooled. Thermella is newer, claims faster relief and costs $60.
Learn more →Thermella by the numbers
From the studies on this page
higher bioavailability than plain curcumin, reported for Longvida in a 2018 review
100x
Relative odds vs comparison group (1× = same odds)
600 mg
$60
7.35
Thermella figures come from Bonafide. The curcumin trials tested curcumin alone, not the Thermella formula.
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Thermella vs other hot flash options
Thermella
Good for
Curcumin, green tea and spirulina; Bonafide says relief can start in two weeks.Watch
Check price on Amazon →
Company data only; bioavailable curcumin carries a rare liver risk.Bonafide Relizen
Learn more →Good for
Hormone-free pollen extract with a 2005 placebo-controlled trial.Watch
Check price on Amazon →
Takes two to three months; pooled controlled data not significant.Estroven Complete
Learn more →Good for
Rhubarb extract ERr 731 with a 12-week randomized trial.Watch
Check price on Amazon →
Most trials come from one research group.Black cohosh (Remifemin)
Learn more →Good for
The most studied herb for menopause, at 40 mg a day.Watch
Mixed trial results; rare liver reports.Prescription non-hormonal treatment
Learn more →Good for
Fezolinetant, SSRIs, SNRIs and gabapentin are recommended by NAMS.Watch
Need a prescription; Veozah needs liver blood tests.
Before you buy Thermella
- If you've had liver problems, ask your doctor first: bioavailable curcumin and green tea extract have been linked to rare liver injury.
- Don't take it if you're pregnant: turmeric supplements may be unsafe in pregnancy.
- Check the coating if you avoid carmine: it's one of the colors listed.
- Compare one-time and subscription prices: $60 a box, or $120 every three months.
- Plan for three months of daily use before you decide whether it works for you.
When hot flashes need a doctor, not Thermella
Tiredness, nausea, poor appetite, dark urine or yellow skin
Stop taking curcumin products and see your doctor: these can be signs of liver damage.
Hot flashes or night sweats disrupting sleep or work
Ask about hormone therapy or prescription non-hormonal treatment.
More →You take regular medicines
Ask a doctor or pharmacist before starting: green tea extract can interact with some heart and cholesterol drugs.
Thermella: questions women ask
Does Thermella really work?
We can't say for sure. Bonafide reports a 30% average drop in hot flashes by day 14 in two placebo-controlled trials, but those trials are data on file, not full published papers. Curcumin alone reduced hot flashes in two small independent trials but not in a third.
What are the side effects of Thermella?
Bonafide says side effects in its trials were comparable to placebo, with no serious adverse events. The main concern is rare liver injury, which has been reported with bioavailable curcumin and with green tea extracts. Turmeric supplements may also be unsafe in pregnancy.
Is Thermella safe for your liver?
Probably for most people, but it isn't risk-free. Longvida curcumin is far more bioavailable than plain curcumin, and NCCIH says liver damage has been reported with bioavailable curcumin products. Stop and see a doctor if you get tiredness, nausea, dark urine or jaundice.
Thermella vs Relizen: which is better?
There's no head-to-head trial. Relizen, a pollen extract, has a 2005 placebo-controlled trial but takes two to three months to work. Thermella claims relief within two weeks, but its trials aren't published in full. They cost about the same: $58 and $60 a box.
Related →How long does Thermella take to work?
Bonafide says Thermella starts reducing hot flashes as early as two weeks, with the best results at month three, and recommends taking it for at least three months. In independent curcumin trials, effects appeared from week 4 to week 6.
How much does Thermella cost?
A one-time box costs $60 plus $5 shipping on Bonafide's site (checked October 2026). The monthly plan is $45, the 3-month plan $120 and the 6-month plan $210. Insurance doesn't cover it, but HSA or FSA may.
Does Thermella have caffeine?
Very little. Its green tea extract is decaffeinated and contains less than 5 mg of naturally occurring caffeine per dose, according to Bonafide. For comparison, Estroven's Stress Relief & Energy Boost lists about 52 mg per caplet.
Can I take Thermella after breast cancer?
Thermella is hormone-free, but we found no trials of it in breast cancer survivors. Check with your oncology team first. NAMS lists SSRIs, SNRIs, gabapentin and fezolinetant as proven non-hormonal options for hot flashes, and these have been studied far more.
Related →Is Thermella the same as Veozah?
No. Veozah (fezolinetant) is an FDA-approved prescription drug that blocks the NK3 receptor and needs liver blood tests. Bonafide says Thermella targets the same neurokinin B signal, but it's a supplement and hasn't been through FDA approval.
Related →Sources
- Bonafide. Thermella product page (checked October 2026).
- Jamwal R. Bioavailable curcumin formulations: A review of pharmacokinetic studies in healthy volunteers. J Integr Med. 2018;16(6):367-374.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Turmeric: usefulness and safety.
- Ataei-Almanghadim K, Farshbaf-Khalili A, Ostadrahimi AR, et al. The effect of oral capsule of curcumin and vitamin E on the hot flashes and anxiety in postmenopausal women: A triple blind randomised controlled trial. Complement Ther Med. 2020;48:102267.
- Buntoonprayuk J, Chattrakulchai K, Vallibhakara O, et al. Curcuminoid supplementation for vasomotor symptoms in postmenopausal women: a pilot, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled proof-of-concept trial. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2026;26(1):164.
- Yousefi-Nodeh H, Farshbaf-Khalili A, Sadeghzadeh Oskouei B, et al. Curcumin and vitamin E improve hot flashes, lipid profile, and fasting blood glucose without any detrimental effect on the liver and renal function in postmenopausal women: A triple-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Health Care Women Int. 2024;45(11):1184-1206.
- The North American Menopause Society. The 2023 nonhormone therapy position statement of The North American Menopause Society. Menopause. 2023;30(6):573-590.
- US Food and Drug Administration. Drug safety communication: FDA adds warning about rare occurrence of serious liver injury with use of Veozah (fezolinetant). December 2024.
- NCCIH. Green tea: usefulness and safety.
- Bonafide. Relizen product page (checked September 2026).
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Dietary Supplement Label Database: Bonafide Relizen label.
- Acquarulo EL, Hernandez EC, Kodzodziku F, et al. The efficacy of purified pollen extract for reducing vasomotor symptoms in women: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Menopause. 2024;31(2):154-159.
- Winther K, Rein E, Hedman C. Femal, a herbal remedy made from pollen extracts, reduces hot flushes and improves quality of life in menopausal women: a randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel study. Climacteric. 2005;8(2):162-70.
- Heger M, Ventskovskiy BM, Borzenko I, et al. Efficacy and safety of a special extract of Rheum rhaponticum (ERr 731) in perimenopausal women with climacteric complaints: a 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Menopause. 2006;13(5):744-59.
- Hasper I, Ventskovskiy BM, Rettenberger R, et al. Long-term efficacy and safety of the special extract ERr 731 of Rheum rhaponticum in perimenopausal women with menopausal symptoms. Menopause. 2009;16(1):117-31.
- Leach MJ, Moore V. Black cohosh (Cimicifuga spp.) for menopausal symptoms. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012;2012(9):CD007244.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Black cohosh: usefulness and safety.
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Dietary Supplement Label Database: Maximum Strength Estroven Menopause Relief + Stress label.
- US Food and Drug Administration. Dietary supplements.
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