Alpro Launches Subsidised RM1 Ferritin Checks to Help Women Understand, Prepare and Live Well Through the Transition to Menopause
News Provided by Media OutReach2026-07-17
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Before Menopause, Many Women Are Already Struggling in Silence
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - Media OutReach Newswire - 17 July 2026 - Perimenopause is a natural stage in a woman's life, yet many women enter thistransition without fully understanding what is happening to their bodies or knowing where toseek support.
Group photo with representatives, guests and attendees at the Me. NO PAUSE Official Launching Ceremony.
While menopause is becoming more widely discussed, the years leading up to it often receive far less attention. During perimenopause, women may experience changes in their menstrualcycle, energy levels, concentration, sleep, mood and overall well-being. These changes maybegin several years before menopause and can gradually affect a woman's daily life, work andfamily responsibilities.
Recognising the need for earlier awareness and support, Alpro Pharmacy has launched Me.NO PAUSE, a women's health initiative designed to help women better understand, preparefor and live well through the transition to menopause.
As part of the initiative, Alpro is offering eligible women a subsidised ferritin check for only RM1, compared with the normal price of RM35. Alpro is subsidising RM34 of the screeningcost to make iron-store assessment more affordable and accessible within the community.
Women aged 35 and above, particularly those experiencing persistent tiredness, brain fog, hair loss, or brittle nails, are encouraged to undergo a ferritin check and speak with a healthcareprofessional about their results.
The fatigue women are expected to live with
Women in their late thirties, forties, and early fifties often carry multiple responsibilities athome, at work, and within their communities. Persistent exhaustion or difficulty concentratingmay therefore be dismissed as stress, lack of sleep, ageing or simply part of having a busy life.
However, these symptoms deserve attention rather than automatic acceptance.
Ferritin is a protein that stores iron in the body. A ferritin check helps assess a person's iron stores and may identify low iron levels before the condition progresses to iron-deficiencyanaemia.
Symptoms such as tiredness and brain fog are non-specific and may have many possible causes. Nevertheless, checking ferritin levels provides women with an opportunity to explore afrequently overlooked possibility and receive appropriate professional guidance.
Malaysia's Ministry of Health has reported that approximately one in three Malaysian womenof reproductive age, between 15 and 49 years old, experiences anaemia. Despite the scaleof the issue, ferritin testing is not commonly discussed as part of routine health screeningamong women.
Through Me. NO PAUSE, Alpro aims to change that conversation.
"Women are often expected to keep functioning even when they feel persistently exhausted, mentally foggy or simply unlike themselves. These experiences are easily dismissedas stress, age or the result of having too many responsibilities," saidPh. Ng Yi Ling,Professional Care & Development and Project Lead of Me. No Pause from AlproPharmacy.
"We want to move the conversation earlier, before women reach menopause and before exhaustion becomes something they believe they simply have to tolerate. The RM1 price is notmerely a promotion; it represents Alpro's commitment to removing cost as the first barrier toscreening."
"A ferritin check can help a woman understand whether low iron stores may be part of the picture, speak to a pharmacist and take the next appropriate step. Her tiredness deserves tobe heard, her concerns deserve to be taken seriously, and her health should never come last."
Emerging research has also drawn attention to the possible relationship between iron status and cognitive performance during the menopausal transition.
A study published in the scientific journal Nutrients in 2025 examined non-anaemic women going through the menopausal transition. The researchers observed that better iron status wasassociated with stronger cognitive performance, including greater accuracy, betterdiscrimination and faster response times.
The researchers emphasised that the findings were preliminary and that larger, longer-term studies are required. Nevertheless, the research highlights the importance of betterunderstanding iron status in women who may experience brain fog during perimenopause, evenwhen they have not been diagnosed with anaemia.
Supporting this mission, Powerlife, a leading health supplement provider in Malaysia, has stepped forward as the main partner of Me. No Pause to improve access to ferritin screeningfor women nationwide, with 300 Ferritin analysers from Global Science using handheldfluorescence technology to provide results within minutes, available at all Alpro Pharmacy.
The launch of Me. NO PAUSE was also attended by representatives from the Malaysian Pharmacists Society Special Interest Group on Women and Child Health and from UniversitiTeknologi MARA (UiTM), bringing together community pharmacy practice and academicresearch to support women's health.
"Community pharmacists play an important role in making women's health screening more accessible, approachable and connected to timely action," saidMs Harpreet Kaur,representing the Malaysian Pharmacists Society Special Interest Group on Women and ChildHealth.
"Through this initiative, we hope to empower pharmacists to identify women who may be at risk of iron deficiency, provide timely counselling and connect them to appropriate carewhen further medical assessment is required."
Representing the Faculty of Pharmacy, UiTM,Associate Professor Dr MahmathiKaruppannan said:
"Research helps us better understand the burden, level of awareness and health impact of iron deficiency among women in Malaysia. Through this collaboration, UiTM hopes togenerate meaningful local insights that can guide public education, early risk detection and thedevelopment of future women's health interventions."
By connecting accessible screening with pharmacist counselling and appropriate referral pathways, Alpro aims to translate awareness into meaningful, responsible health action.
Women aged 35 and above who experience persistent tiredness, brain fog, hair loss or brittle nails are encouraged to visit their nearest Alpro Pharmacy to learn more about ferritin checksand speak with an Alpro pharmacist.
Through Me. NO PAUSE, Alpro hopes to help more women feel heard, informed and supported before, during and beyond the transition to menopause.
Hashtag: #Alpro
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About Alpro Group
Founded in 2002, Alpro Group's ecosystem has grown to include Alpro Pharmacy, Apotek Alpro, Alpro スギ (Sugi) Pharmacy, Alpro Physio, Alpro Clinic, Alpro Baby, Alpro OptiSaver, Alpro Audiology, Alpro Health, and Alpro Foundation. Supported by a team of more than 1,000 healthcare professionals, including doctors, pharmacists, nutritionists, dietitians, physiotherapists, optometrist and many others, Alpro serves over 5 million families in Malaysia and Indonesia through its extensive network of 500 physical outlets.
Alpro Pharmacy is the first and only community pharmacy in the region to offer product liability insurance of MYR 1 million in Malaysia and IDR 3 billion in Indonesia, ensuring the supply of genuine medications and enhancing consumer trust.
With the vision of a healthy and vibrant world, Alpro Group aims to become the No. 1 prescription pharmacy chain in Southeast Asia.
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