About us
About us
What motivates us
Women are often kept in the dark about their own bodies.
Our bodies are amazingly complex and this complexity doesn't change after midlife. But, we often fail to recognise the signals our bodies send to us. To gain a better understanding of the current state, we conducted a survey with over 1,000 women between the ages of 40 and 55:
have never heard of or researched the term "perimenopause."
currently have three or more typical menopausal symptoms.
don’t know what they can do to alleviate their symptoms.
We aim to fill these knowledge gaps.
"Our vision is a world where women go through the second half of life with confidence and serenity. We want to create a pro-age society that respects and supports women."
Peggy Reichelt, XbyX Founder
Our passion and purpose
In our journey through midlife, we experience significant changes in our personal and family lives. Our bodies no longer bounce back as easily from little indulgences; stress, lack of sleep and unhealthy eating take a toll, leaving visible marks. And then there are hormonal changes to contend with! Menopause starts earlier than we think but this is only a problem when we are unprepared.
At XbyX, we are dedicated to liberating women from the stigma surrounding menopause. Our mission is to actively support women as they navigate midlife and empower them to shape their lives with energy and balance. Our goal is to provide knowledge and offer plant-based, non-hormonal products developed in collaboration with highly esteemed medical experts. Our products are specifically designed for women over 40, addressing hormonal balance, menopause and healthy ageing.
XbyX - Inspired by the diversity of the female chromosome.
Our values
1. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER - We believe we can never know enough about our bodies. Knowledge is the key to making the right decisions every day.
2. FACTS OVER FICTION - Our solutions are based on research and scientific evidence.
3. NUTRITION IS THE BEST MEDICINE - We firmly believe that lifestyle changes have the greatest impact on healthy ageing. Nutrition is our top priority.
4. EVERY WOMAN IS UNIQUE - We know that there is no "one-size-fits-all" magic pill that will work for every woman. We encourage you to experiment and record your results.
5. THE GLASS IS HALF FULL - We're all about finding solutions, staying positive, and looking ahead with a proactive mindset. Complaining and negativity? That’s not our style.
6. AGE IS JUST A NUMBER - We embrace courage. We believe in pursuing an active lifestyle and always staying curious. Age doesn’t matter because we still have so much to discover!
7. WOMEN ARE NOT SMALL MEN - We support science that focuses specifically on women. We find it unacceptable that 51% of the population has been overlooked in terms of adequate research.
Our story
It’s 2018. I’m in my early forties and living in Berlin. None of my friends want to talk about menopause. They brush it off. They’re irritated by my persistence because they are still having their periods...
I find myself thinking, “What's going on here?” Menopause, midlife transitions, hormonal changes… These are completely natural processes and yet we're not supposed to talk about them? No one seems to have a problem talking about Botox and hyaluronic acid. But sleep disturbances and hot flushes? Not a peep!
But Botox doesn't prevent osteoporosis. Hyaluronic acid doesn't protect you from developing Alzheimer's. And what about all the other changes that can occur in your late thirties or early forties? No one wants to acknowledge them. No one wants to talk about them.
So, I started researching. I learnt about perimenopause - the beginning of menopause. It's an important time because it lays the foundation for healthy ageing. And that's why XbyX exists: Women's health in midlife deserves more attention, a more modern approach and for every woman to feel comfortable about ageing
Who we are
Many aspects of women's health are still taboo. Among them is the menopause. We founded XbyX to change that. We offer knowledge and holistic solutions to women who are in their middle years. With unwavering passion, we bring our wealth of experiences and expertise to the table. For women by women.
Peggy Reichelt
Founder
"You aren't old until age becomes your excuse."
// Joe Friel
Peggy, a certified food coach and seasoned entrepreneur (her first venture being the nutrition concept, amapur), is all about living a healthy lifestyle. Kitesurfing is another one of her great passions. Confronted with her own perimenopause journey, she noticed a glaring gap in knowledge and suitable solutions. She took matters into her own hands and began developing them with experts. And so XbyX was born.
Monique Leonhardt
Founder
"Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going."
// Jim Ryun
Monique has been obsessed with nutrition and how it affects our bodies for as long as she can remember. When you combine that passion with her extensive expertise in online marketing, social media and brand building, it's clear why she's the perfect co-founder for XbyX.
Our team of experts
DR. MED. DR. PHIL. ANNA MARGARETA ERAT
Dr. Erat completed her medical studies at the University of Zurich and Harvard Medical School. During her postdoctoral research at Harvard Medical School, she focused on lipid and glucose metabolism and inflammatory processes. She is the author of numerous scientific publications and brings together extensive scientific and clinical experience in the fields of internal medicine, sports medicine and precision medicine.
DR. MED. ANDREA GARTENBACH
Dr. Gartenbach is a specialist in internal medicine. She studied human medicine at Charité Berlin, completed her doctorate in cardiology and emergency medicine, underwent specialist training in Switzerland and worked as a senior physician in internal medicine at Hirslanden Clinic in Zurich. As an internist, she combines internal medicine, preventive medicine and performance medicine.
DR. SUSANNE ESCHE-BELKE
Dr. Esche-Belke combines current knowledge from conventional medicine with holistic approaches from functional medicine and body-mind medicine. She is a specialist in general medicine, a MBSR instructor, and has worked for many years in emergency medicine. Her focus is on hormone and autoimmune disorders. She is a co-founder of "Less – Doctors for Balance", an author and a public speaker. For online consultation please visit Dr. Esche-Belke.de
DR. MED. ÖZGÜR CESUR
Dr. Cesur is a specialist in gynaecology and obstetrics with a focus on gynaecological oncology, naturopathy, acupuncture and preventive medicine. She studied medicine in Essen, worked as a hospital physician at Kliniken Essen-Mitte, as a senior physician at the Department of Gynecology in Wermelskirchen, and completed internships in China, India, Turkey, and Switzerland. Since 2021, she has been running her own practice for women's health in Düsseldorf, Praxis für Frauengesundheit.
PROF. DR. MED. SABINE OERTELT-PRIGIONE
Prof. Oertelt-Prigione holds the Chair of Gender Medicine at Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands. She studied medicine at Universitá degli Studi in Milan, including her specialisation in internal medicine. She is a scientific associate at the Institute of Legal Medicine at Charité. She is a recognised expert in gender research, the gender-specific study and treatment of diseases.
DR. MED. SUZANN KIRSCHNER-BROUNS
Dr. Kirschner-Brouns is a physician, mediator, public speaker, author, co-founder of "Less – Doctors for Balance" and a high sensitivity, self-efficacy and self-love coach. She writes about women's health topics for well-known women's magazines and is the author of numerous books on homoeopathy, high sensitivity and how a healthy gut can help you lose weight.
DR. SIMONE K. FREY
Dr. Frey is a nutritionist and founder of the largest community of nutrition experts, NutritionHub. She has scientific and practical experience in the fields of nutritional science and bioanalytics, and has contributed to the establishment of startups such as BioAnalyt. She drives innovative developments in the nutrition sector.
DR. VINCENZO BLUNI
Dr. Bluni completed his medical studies at the Medical Faculty of Düsseldorf with study visits in America and the United Kingdom. He is a long-standing specialist in gynaecology and obstetrics, including working at the Breast Center of Kliniken Essen-Mitte. Dr. Bluni has years of experience in gynaecology and senology.
DIPL. PSYCH. HELGA ODENDAHL
Ms. Odendahl is a licensed depth psychotherapist, business coach, coach trainer and supervisor. She studied psychology in Cologne, completed numerous trainings including autogenic training, progressive muscle relaxation, self-hypnosis and psychotherapy and founded the MVZ Köln für Psychotherapie.
