30-Day Perimenopause and Menopause Research Study Results
Thirty-five women completed a structured, open-label consumer research study with The Shift, tracking their symptoms weekly across 30 days. This is what the data revealed.
Key findings
- 9 out of 10 participants said they would recommend The Shift to a friend.
- 92% reported a meaningful reduction in symptoms within 30 days.
- Average overall well-being rose from 5.6 to 7.2 on a 10-point scale, a 1.6-point gain. 91% improved or maintained. Scores were still rising at Day 30 with no sign of plateau.
- Among women who entered the study with moderate or severe symptoms: 94% showed improvement in brain fog, 93% in irritability, 85% in anxiety, 83% in sleep wakings, and 80% in fatigue by Day 30.
Who participated
Thirty-five women completed the Founder's Circle between March and April 2026. The group ranged in age from 37 to 67, with a mean age of 46. Roughly half had no hormonal medications. About 21% were on HRT. About 30% were on hormonal birth control. All completed a baseline symptom survey, three weekly check-ins, and a final Day 30 assessment. Product was provided at no cost in exchange for structured, weekly feedback.
Participants followed a more personalized protocol adjusted to each woman's sensitivity: between 2 and 10 capsules a day, with most on 4 or 8 capsules a day. If you'd like support adjusting your protocol for fastest results, email us at hello@joinprojectm.com.
What they were experiencing
The symptom picture was primarily nervous-system in origin. Brain fog, a tense state where relaxing felt out of reach, irritability, and fatigue were all at a level where they were noticeably disrupting daily life. Sleep disruption and anxiety followed closely. Nearly half the group rated brain fog, irritability, and can't-unwind tension at severe or extreme levels.
These are the symptoms that most commonly go unnamed in midlife: not dramatic enough for a prescription, disruptive enough to erode quality of life. Many in this group had seen multiple doctors. Some had been told their symptoms were stress or aging. Others had tried HRT and found it helped some things but not these. They were looking for something different.
Well-being over 30 days
Overall well-being was self-rated on a 1 to 10 scale at the start and end of the study. The group entered below a 6, a position where difficult days outnumber good ones. They finished at 7.2, comfortably above it.
Overall Well-being
The dashed line marks 6: above it, good days outnumber difficult ones.
Around 6 is where the ratio flips. Below it, difficult days set the tone. The group crossed that threshold before Week 3 and kept climbing.
These scores were still rising at Day 30 with no sign of plateau. This formula works cumulatively: changes that begin in the first month tend to deepen in months two and three, as the body settles into a new regulatory pattern. These results reflect only the first 30 days of a longer protocol.
How symptoms changed
Improvement rates reflect participants who entered the study with moderate or severe symptoms for each category: the group for whom the formula was most relevant. Severity was rated on a 1-to-5 scale at baseline and again at Day 30. Any decrease in score counts as improvement. Many participants reported early signals within 7 to 14 days, with stronger, more consistent changes by Day 30.
| Symptom | Improved by Day 30 | Avg. score change |
|---|---|---|
| Brain fog | 94% | −1.7 |
| Irritability / short fuse | 93% | −1.5 |
| Anxiety / internal urgency | 85% | −1.4 |
| Sleep wakings | 83% | −1.4 |
| General fatigue | 80% | −1.1 |
Among participants with a baseline severity rating of 3 or higher (moderate to extreme) on a 5-point scale. Brain fog n=31 · Irritability n=27 · Anxiety n=27 · Fatigue n=27 · Sleep wakings n=23. Score change is mean improvement on the 1 to 5 severity scale.
For most participants, this showed up as clearer thinking, less reactivity, and more stable energy across the day. Brain fog, anxiety, and irritability responded most clearly. All three are downstream of nervous system dysregulation. When that layer settles, the cognitive and emotional symptoms tend to follow.
The women who entered with the highest symptom burden improved the most. Nearly every participant who rated brain fog at moderate or severe at baseline showed measurable improvement by Day 30. The formula appears to do more work where there is more to do.
Cycle and PMS symptoms
Among women still experiencing menstrual cycles, 60% reported improvement in PMS mood symptoms and 53% reported improvement in menstrual cramps. These were not part of the original tracking protocol. Participants mentioned cycle changes consistently enough that the questions were added to the final survey, and the signal was strong enough to report. The formula was not designed around cycle support. It appears to be a downstream effect of nervous system regulation.
In their words
I feel like my baseline is shifting from panicked to more steady. I used to wake up already behind. This past week I woke up and just felt like myself.
Danielle C.I haven't felt calm in a very long time. Thank you.
Noelia R.I used to hit snooze four times and reset my alarm. This week I only hit it twice. Not being tired in the morning is huge for me.
Denise H.I have more energy and I'm feeling more like myself.
Daniella G.Best period I have ever had last week.
Desirae Z.What the data tells us
About 21% of participants were already on hormone replacement therapy when the study began. Every one of them improved, with particularly strong gains in irritability and brain fog. HRT typically replaces estrogen. The Shift addresses the nervous system layer that estrogen replacement does not fully resolve. For the women in this group, both approaches worked alongside each other.
The nervous system is the entry point. Sleep, anxiety, irritability, and brain fog responded most clearly, and all of them sit downstream of nervous system dysregulation. Women described feeling calmer, not sedated. More even, not flat. The return of capacity to regulate, not the suppression of feeling.
What the adjustment period feels like
Some participants experienced temporary symptoms in the first one to two weeks. For most, this resolved fully by Week 3.
Vivid dreams
40% of participants reported more vivid dreams in the first two weeks. Most found them interesting and enjoyable. One participant described them as "healthy." They typically tapered within a few weeks.
Temporary grogginess
About a third of participants noticed some grogginess in the first week, typically passing within two weeks. Many women in this group had been running on elevated stress hormones for months or years, using urgency and high-alert energy as fuel. As the formula begins to soften that state, the deep fatigue underneath surfaces for the first time. It is not new tiredness. It is old tiredness finally coming through. Taking the dose before bed helped most women move through this window comfortably.
Digestive sensitivity
Mild bloating or stomach sensitivity was reported by about a third of participants in the first week, tapering substantially by Week 3. Taking with food helped.
Who this protocol is designed for
The participants in this study reported the symptoms that most commonly go unaddressed in midlife: brain fog, feeling exhausted but unable to switch off, irritability that arrives faster than it should, and sleep that does not fully restore. Many were not yet in clinical menopause. Several had regular cycles. The common thread was a nervous system under sustained load. If you recognize these symptoms, the protocol used in this study is available now.
The exact protocol used in this study.
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The Founder's Circle was a 30-day open-label consumer research study overseen by Dr. Katie Pedrick, DACM. Efficacy cohort n=35. Symptom improvement rates reflect participants with a baseline severity rating of 3 or higher (moderate to extreme) on a 5-point scale, with improvement defined as any decrease in score from baseline to Day 30. Results reflect individual self-reported responses and are not guaranteed outcomes.
