There’s something of a boom happening right now when it comes to new period pain products. Take Whoopi & Maya, Whoopi Goldberg and Maya Elisabeth’s line of cannabidiol-infused period-relief products, including a salve, a tincture, and a bath soak all made with CBD (which comes from, you know, cannabis). The founders recently announced the line would be expanding to Colorado (it’s currently available in California). “We’re trying to make people more productive, to eliminate an issue that’s been around for as long as women have been around,” Goldberg explained to The Daily Beast. But let’s take a step back. Are products like these really filling a need, or are they just another ploy to make money off our periods?

Whoopi & Maya is hardly an outlier: The period-product market has recently seen the release of Foria’s “weed tampons,” the shock therapy device Livia, Comforté pain relief cream, “Moon Cycle” tea, and “women’s moon” chocolate. Looking at this list left us with one major question: Does any of this really work?

The jury is kind of mixed. While some research has shown that cannabis aids in pain relief, other research suggests it’s not as effective for women, and there’s no rigorous research specifically on period pain. For her part, ob-gyn Aimee D. Eyvazzadeh, M.D., is not a fan of the marijuana-based period products, particularly since the active ingredients in cannabis can decrease fertility. A study in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, for example, found that THC prevented mouse embryos from getting to the uterus from the ovaries. “While you’re trying to help with your period cramps, you could be harming your chances for a future pregnancy,” explains Dr. Eyvazzadeh.

What about the non-weed-related products designed for menstrual pain relief? Sure, most of them won’t hurt, but they’re probably no more effective than just popping an ibuprofen like Advil or Motrin, says ob-gyn Sherry Ross, M.D., author of She-ology: The Definitive Guide to Women’s Intimate Health. Period.

Livia, which you attach to the part of your body that’s hurting with stickers so that its electrical impulses can target your pain receptors, was tested on 163 women. But Dr. Ross believes the idea of zapping period pain with the push of a button sounds too good to be true and would require more research to be endorsed for severe cramps. Pain relief creams may work, but you’d need to make sure they contain lidocaine and are specifically formulated for pain, she adds. And while foods and drinks or menstrual pain relief may help a little, you don’t need specially labeled food items. Foods with high water content like berries and cucumber can help keep you hydrated, calcium-rich foods reduce cramping, and hot water with ginger can relax the uterine muscles, for example, says Dr. Ross. Classic remedies like hot water bottles and heating pads can also be equally effective options.

So sure, it might be encouraging that more companies are dedicating themselves to women’s health, but this can be a double-edged sword. The more we talk about our vaginas, the more they’ve become the focus of ridiculous treatments, from cucumber cleanses to ground-up wasp nests. When it comes to period products, they might help some women, but the makers of these products are also trying to make money, which means they’re invested in convincing women they need them. In reality, all most of us actually need are pads, cups, or tampons—and maybe some pain relievers.

While we’d all love a quick fix for period pain, there probably is none, says Dr. Ross. You can’t get around the need to maintain a healthy diet, exercise routine, and sleep schedule. That may not be as easy as attaching electrodes to your body or sitting in a weed-infused bath, but hey—at least it’s cheaper.

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