Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the questions we hear most, from what's actually in each product to how subscriptions and shipping work. If you don't find what you're looking for here, our Help Center and support team at support@semainehealth.com are ready.
About Semaine
What is Semaine Health?
Semaine is a women's supplement company founded in 2020 by twin sisters Lauren and Cath, with Dr. Matt (Lauren's husband, a scientist) developing the original formulations. It started with Lauren's own experience: years of symptoms nobody explained well, until Matt applied his scientific training to find what actually worked. Our approach is to work at the root of a symptom rather than just cover it up, which is why most of our products pair a daily foundation (Hormone Balance) with a second product built for a specific stage of life or system in your body.
Who are Semaine's products for?
The full line is built to support women from their first period through post-menopause. Some products are broad (Pre+Probiotic for Women is relevant at any age; Stress Less Gummy isn't tied to a life stage). Others are targeted: PMS Relief Capsule and Hormone Balance speak to women in their 20s and 30s navigating cycle health, Menopause Hormone Support is for perimenopause and menopause, and Urinary Tract Cleanse & Protect is most relevant for women post-menopause, when declining estrogen raises the frequency of urinary tract issues.
Where can I learn about the science behind Semaine?
Our Semaine Journal is where we publish the research behind our formulations, in plain language, with sources linked throughout. It covers everything from how estrogen affects the brain during perimenopause to what actually happens in a recurring UTI.
Products & Protocols
What's the difference between a "formula" and a "protocol"?
A formula is a single product, like Hormone Balance on its own. A protocol is a specific, intentional pairing of two products that together address something neither one fully covers alone. We only call something a protocol when it has its own clear reason for the pairing, not just because two products happen to work well together.
What is Hormone Balance, and why is it in every protocol?
Hormone Balance is the daily foundation every woman's body needs, at every age, every cycle, every era. It combines active-form B vitamins, magnesium, and zinc (the nutrients most multivitamins skip or underdose) with passionflower, berberine, and grapeseed extract, plant compounds chosen to support the nervous system, blood sugar, and vascular health your body leans on every day. Your hormones change throughout your life. What your body needs to use them well doesn't. That's why Hormone Balance sits underneath every Semaine protocol, no matter what else you add.
What protocols does Semaine offer?
Five, each pairing Hormone Balance (or, in one case, two products that work together directly) for a specific need:
- The Hormone Protocol (Hormone Balance + Menopause Hormone Support), for perimenopause and menopause, addressing both the changing hormones and the daily foundation underneath.
- The Cycle Protocol (Hormone Balance + PMS Relief Capsule), cycle biology on two timescales: a daily foundation and cycle-windowed symptom support.
- The Microbiome Protocol (Hormone Balance + Pre+Probiotic for Women), the gut-hormone connection, supporting both the gut side and the daily foundation that helps your body use what the gut produces.
- The Urinary Protocol (Hormone Balance + Urinary Tract Cleanse & Protect), daily hormonal foundation plus daily urinary support, especially relevant post-menopause.
- The Bladder Resilience Protocol (Urinary Tract Cleanse & Protect + Pre+Probiotic for Women), for women dealing with recurring urinary tract concerns specifically, supporting defense at two layers: the bladder itself, and the gut-and-vaginal environment upstream of it.
I don't know which product is right for me. Where do I start?
Start with what's changing for you right now: your cycle, your transition into perimenopause or menopause, your gut, your stress response, or urinary tract concerns. Our quiz walks through this in a couple of minutes and recommends a starting point, and Hormone Balance is always a reasonable place to begin since it's the foundation underneath everything else.
Can I take more than one product at a time?
Yes. Most of our products are designed to be taken together as protocols, and Hormone Balance in particular is meant to be paired with whichever other product matches your current need. If you're combining Semaine products with other medications or supplements, check with your doctor or pharmacist first.
Ingredients & Science
What does "active forms" mean, and why does it matter?
Many multivitamins use the inactive forms of B vitamins, the forms your body has to convert before it can actually use them. Up to 40% of women carry a genetic variation (called an MTHFR variant) that makes that conversion incomplete, so the vitamins never fully do their job. Hormone Balance uses the active forms, the already-converted versions your cells can use directly, so the nutrients work whether or not you carry that variant.
What is a phytosome, and why does Semaine use them?
A phytosome is a delivery technology that binds a plant compound to phospholipids, the same fat molecules your cell membranes are made of, so the compound survives digestion and actually reaches your bloodstream instead of breaking down before it's absorbed. Plant-based actives like curcumin, quercetin, and cranberry's active compounds are notoriously poorly absorbed in their standard form, which is a real reason products built on them can underperform. Semaine licenses phytosome ingredients from Indena, an Italian botanical science company, across seven ingredients in four of our six products: cranberry in Urinary Tract Cleanse & Protect, berberine in Hormone Balance, bergamot in Menopause Hormone Support, and curcumin, quercetin, boswellia, and silybin in PMS Relief Capsule. When a phytosome form exists for an ingredient we want to use, we use it.
What is a cranberry phytosome, and why does Urinary Tract Cleanse & Protect use one instead of regular cranberry?
Cranberry's active compounds (called PACs) work by keeping bacteria from sticking to the bladder wall, but they're poorly absorbed from regular cranberry, especially juice, so much of the dose never reaches the urinary tract. Urinary Tract Cleanse & Protect uses Anthocran® Phytosome®, the phytosome form of cranberry (see "What is a phytosome" above), which survives digestion at meaningfully higher concentrations. Researchers have directly measured the phytosome's compounds arriving in human urine after dosing, which is the mechanism regular cranberry can't demonstrate. For the full evidence breakdown, including how this compares to D-mannose, see our cranberry vs. D-mannose comparison and cranberry research hub.
Where does Semaine source its ingredients?
Most supplement brands source from whichever standardized supplier meets spec at the lowest cost, and customers rarely see who that supplier actually is. Semaine sources by ingredient, not by lowest bid. Our phytosome ingredients come from Indena, an Italian botanical science company behind some of the most-studied plant extracts in the industry. Our red clover, in Menopause Hormone Support, comes from Natac Biotech in Spain, chosen specifically for lower pesticide exposure than domestic alternatives. Our vitamin D3, in PMS Relief Capsule, is lichen-sourced rather than the more common lanolin (sheep's wool grease) source, so it's vegan without giving up the bioidentical active form. Where an ingredient doesn't have a named, differentiated source like these, it's still a standardized extract from an identifiable supplier, at the dose and potency the research supports, not an anonymous commodity fill.
How does Semaine test for quality and safety?
We partner only with suppliers who maintain transparent supply chains, and our testing program checks raw materials multiple times before they go into a formula, including screening for heavy metals, pesticides, and gluten. Every product is manufactured in an FDA-registered, GMP-certified facility.
Are Semaine products clinically studied?
Where clinical evidence exists for an ingredient, we build around it and cite it directly rather than making vague claims. For example, the cranberry phytosome in Urinary Tract Cleanse & Protect has been studied in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial in a high-risk population (diabetic postmenopausal women), and Semaine has also run its own consumer perception study on the finished product. Beyond individual ingredient research, we've also run open-label clinical trials on three finished products, registered publicly at ClinicalTrials.gov: Hormone Balance (NCT05328609), PMS Relief Capsule (NCT05019924), and Menopause Hormone Support (NCT05617287). We're upfront that these are open-label, not placebo-controlled, so we don't oversell what they prove, but the registrations and designs are public if you want to look them up yourself. Pre+Probiotic for Women and Urinary Tract Cleanse & Protect have their own third-party consumer perception studies, tracking self-reported symptom changes over several months. We link to the actual research throughout our Journal rather than asking you to take our word for it.
Does Urinary Tract Cleanse & Protect prevent UTIs?
Urinary Tract Cleanse & Protect supports urinary tract health and may help reduce recurrent UTIs as part of a daily routine. It isn't a treatment for an active infection. If you have symptoms of a UTI right now, burning, urgency, or fever, see a clinician.
What is the connection between lithium and brain health that Semaine writes about?
Low-dose lithium (specifically lithium orotate, a much lower dose than the prescription lithium carbonate used for bipolar disorder) is an active, debated area of cognitive-longevity research, separate from any Semaine product available today. We've built a research hub on it because the evidence is genuinely mixed and worth understanding honestly, not because the case is settled, and because Daily Intelligence, our upcoming brain-health product, will be built around it. See our lithium orotate vs. carbonate and lithium research articles for the full picture, including where the human trial evidence falls short.
Cost & Comparison
Why does Hormone Balance cost more than a drugstore multivitamin?
Most multivitamins use the cheapest form of each nutrient available, often inactive B vitamins your body has to convert before it can use them (see "What does 'active forms' mean" above). Hormone Balance uses the active, already-converted forms, plus phytosome-delivered berberine at roughly ten times the bioavailability of standard berberine, in doses that match the research rather than doses chosen to fit a low price point. You're paying for the form and the dose doing the work, not just the ingredient name on the label.
How is Urinary Tract Cleanse & Protect different from taking cranberry alone?
Standard cranberry, including juice, is poorly absorbed, which is why cranberry research has such a mixed reputation. Urinary Tract Cleanse & Protect uses Anthocran® Phytosome®, the phytosome form that's been directly measured reaching the urinary tract in human research (see "What is a phytosome" above), paired with standardized hibiscus that supports the urinary tract's own defenses through a separate mechanism. It's two ingredients working from different angles, in forms designed to actually get where they need to go, not a single-ingredient cranberry pill.
Subscriptions & Orders
How does the subscription work?
When you subscribe, you'll receive repeat deliveries on the frequency you choose. The date you select is your charge date, and your order ships within one business day of being charged. You'll get an email before every upcoming order, and your payment details are stored securely so you're only charged as each delivery goes out.
Can I cancel, skip, or change my subscription?
Yes, anytime, by logging into your account. Your order confirmation emails include a link to manage your subscription directly, where you can skip a delivery, change your frequency, or cancel. Once an order has already been placed and charged, though, it can't be cancelled or changed.
How fast will my order ship, and is shipping free?
More than 99% of orders are packaged and shipped within one business day. On average, delivery takes 4-6 days after your order ships, though this can fluctuate with carrier conditions outside our control. If you order Monday afternoon, expect it to ship Tuesday; if you order over the weekend, it ships Monday. Shipping is free on U.S. orders of $50 or more, and free on every subscription order regardless of size.
Can I buy Semaine in stores?
Yes. Use our Store Locator to find retailers carrying Semaine near you.
My order hasn't arrived. What should I do?
If it's been more than 15 days since your order shipped, reach out to support@semainehealth.com and we'll arrange a replacement or refund. We'd rather you order a week ahead of when you need it, just in case, than run out.
Returns & Guarantee
What's your refund policy?
If you're not satisfied with your first Semaine purchase, we offer a full refund on up to three bottles within 90 days of your first bottle's original shipping date. Shipping itself isn't refundable. Email support@semainehealth.com to start the process; we don't require you to send anything back, since we're unable to restock or redistribute opened or unopened supplement products for health and safety reasons, and skipping the return shipment reduces environmental impact too.
What if it's been longer than 90 days?
Reach out to support@semainehealth.com. Partial refunds or store credit may be available on a case-by-case basis for orders outside the 90-day window.
I bought from Amazon or another retailer. Can I still get a refund from Semaine directly?
Our refund policy applies to orders placed directly on semainehealth.com. For purchases through another retailer, their return policy applies; for Amazon orders specifically, email support@semainehealth.com with your Order ID and we'll help from there.
Do Semaine products expire?
Yes. Capsules are good for two years from the manufacturing date printed on the bottom of the bottle.
Can I pay with my HSA or FSA?
Eligible customers can, through our partnership with Truemed. For one-time purchases, you complete a short health survey at checkout; if approved, your HSA/FSA card is charged directly, and if not, the card simply won't process and you can switch to a regular payment method. Subscriptions work differently: you pay with a regular card upfront and seek reimbursement afterward, since HSA/FSA cards can't be charged automatically for recurring orders. Reimbursement typically takes 2-4 weeks once submitted. Eligibility is based on your individual health situation, not the product alone, so approval isn't automatic. Questions about Truemed itself are best directed to truemed.com; for anything about your Semaine order, email support@semainehealth.com.
Safety & Quality
Are Semaine products safe to take with other medications?
Talk with your doctor or pharmacist before combining any new supplement with prescription medication, especially if you're on blood thinners, hormone therapy, or medication for a chronic condition. This is true of any supplement, not just ours, since individual interactions depend on your specific health history.
Is Semaine safe during pregnancy or while breastfeeding?
Check with your doctor before starting any Semaine product if you're pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or breastfeeding. Our formulas are built for the general population of women navigating cycle, hormonal, gut, or urinary health, not specifically evaluated for pregnancy.
Can men take Semaine products?
Semaine's formulas are designed and studied specifically for women's biology, from cycle-specific dosing windows to hormone-stage-specific ingredient choices, so we build and test for women first. Ingredients like Hormone Balance's active-form B vitamins, magnesium, and zinc aren't harmful to men, but our products aren't formulated, dosed, or studied with men in mind, so we can't make claims about how they'd perform for a male body.
Do Semaine products treat, cure, or prevent any disease?
No. Like all dietary supplements, our products are intended to support normal, healthy body function, not to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. If you're dealing with a diagnosed condition, work with your doctor on treatment; our products are a daily investment in the biology underneath, not a substitute for medical care.
Are Semaine products vegan? Do they contain common allergens?
Our capsules are vegan. Always check the specific ingredient list on each product's page for the most current formulation and allergen information, since that can vary by product and may be updated over time.
Contact & Support
How do I reach customer support?
Email support@semainehealth.com, or visit our Help Center for instant answers on orders, subscriptions, and shipping.
I'm a healthcare professional. Does Semaine have a program for me?
Yes. Visit our Healthcare Professionals page to learn more.
Educational content; not medical advice. This page is updated periodically; for the most current policy language, see our Shipping, Refund, and Subscription policies.
