Women’s health is increasingly described as the next major growth market. Where is the real unmet need, and what role can plant-based and cannabinoid therapies credibly play?
Women are not a niche. We are the invisible majority.
We make up half the population, yet only 1% of healthcare research and innovation goes to female-specific conditions beyond oncology (McKinsey Health Institute, 2024). Women spend 25% more of their lives in poor health than men. Nowhere is this invisibility greater than in midlife.
A real need that remains unmet and affects all women is a transitional phase that the medical profession continues to treat as an afterthought: perimenopause and menopause.
Menopause is not a decline. It is a biological recalibration of the brain, the immune system and metabolism. Yet it is still managed as a checklist of symptoms, and too often dismissed with “it’s just your age.”
The cost of that invisibility is measurable.
- GermanyA quarter of women with symptoms have reduced their working hours and 31% have taken sick leave. Only 15% feel supported by their employer (MenoSupport, 2023).
- Portugal: Around 1.2 million women are in menopause today. 63% say it affects their work, and 68% hide or endure their symptoms (Médis, 2025).
This is the majority carrying the burden in silence, at the peak of their careers, their leadership and their purchasing power.
What role can plant-based and cannabinoid therapies credibly play?
A real one, if we are honest about where the evidence stands.
Hormone therapy remains the most effective treatment for many symptoms, but it is not the answer for every woman. Some cannot use it and some choose not to. Others still struggle with sleep, mood, pain and brain fog while on it. This is where phytotherapy and cannabinoid medicine can complement standard care.
Biology supports asking the question. The endocannabinoid system is closely linked to estrogen. Research suggests estrogen helps regulate FAAH, the enzyme that breaks down anandamide, one of the body’s own cannabinoids. As estrogen fluctuates, this system may shift too. Women are already acting on it: many midlife women report using cannabis for sleep and mood (Menopause, 2022).
But credibility requires honesty. Robust clinical trials in menopause do not yet exist, and sex-specific dosing is rarely studied. Several well-designed trials in women’s conditions, including endometriosis, have been negative. Formulation, route of administration and patient selection matter enormously.
This is the opportunity for our sector. Portugal is Europe’s largest medical cannabis exporter, and Germany is its largest customer. The supply exists. What is missing is female-specific research, standardised high-quality botanical ingredients, and education for the gynaecologists and pharmacists whom women trust.
Women are the invisible majority. The companies that choose to see them, with science and not slogans, will define the next decade of this industry.
Dr. Shabnam Sarshar
The Recalibration
Women’s Health & Cannabinoid Therapeutics Advisor
