Soy Phytoestrogens for Menopause Hot Flashes

Most ladies in her mid-40s and early 50s are diagnosed with menopause. And this can turn out to be a confusing event since there are plenty of bodily changes one needs to understand. Recently, experts discovered that the phytoestrogens in soy might help women at menopause manage the symptoms with ease. Keep reading to find everything you need to know about soy phytoestrogens for menopause hot flashes.

What is menopause?

Menopause is diagnosed when a lady gone 12 months without a menstrual period. This can happen anywhere between 40 and 50 years of age. This is a natural biological process characterized by a bundle of physical symptoms.

The leading menopause symptoms include:

- Irregular periods

- Vaginal dryness

- Hot flashes

- Chills

- Night sweats

- Sleep problems

- Mood changes

- Weight gain and slowed metabolism

- Thinning hair and dry skin

- Loss of breast fullness

But the main complaint amongst ladies remains hot flashes. These are short periods of extreme discomfort in which the body’s temperature fluctuates from normal to extremely high to extremely low. Some recent studies suggest that the phytoestrogens in soy might help women lessen this symptom. 

How can soy help with menopause?

Soy is rich in isoflavones, a type of phytoestrogens found in plants with similar effects like estrogens. They can mimic the impact of human estrogens, which is why experts believe it can help women at menopause.

Soy products might improve menopausal symptoms, especially when we’re talking about hot flashes. Even though there is still room for additional research, initial findings show that soy phytoestrogens significantly improve a lady’s life. 

Remote studies suggest that taking soy supplements might reduce the severity of hot flashes by an impressive 26 percent. Other studies had similar findings and proved that plant isoflavones are efficient in dealing with menopausal symptoms. Indeed, these are promising results, but you shouldn’t consider soy as a replacement for hormone therapy. Keep in mind that the effects of soy products can take several weeks to show up.

On the other hand, some experts analyzed the effects of soy-based food, too. It was seen that they might decrease menopausal symptoms, but the changes are yet to be determined.

Does soy offer additional benefits for menopausal women?

Besides being rich in phytoestrogens, soy can provide additional health benefits for menopausal women. Some of these include the following.

#1 Beneficial nutrients

Soy has few calories, and it is low in saturated fats. Also, it is rich in protein, fiber, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids, all of which essential during menopause.

#2 Heart health ally

Having soy-based products in your meal plan can cut back some protein sources that might worsen your menopause symptoms. Diminishing cholesterol levels and the amount of saturated fats in your diet can reduce the risk of heart disease, which increases during menopause.

#3 Bone strength

Since estrogen is key for bone strength, having soy in your meal plan can help a lot. You will significantly diminish your risk of osteoporosis during menopause. 

What are the best soy sources?

The main soy sources you can have to access the potential health benefits and menopausal help are:

- edamame

- soy flour

- miso soup

- tempeh

- tofu

- soy milk

- soy yogurt

Are there any risks associated with soy?

Overall, having soy products in your daily meal plan has no known risks. Still, some people complained about digestive issues after prolonged intake. There is a need for additional studies on the long-term effects of soy. 

Even though some experts say soy phytoestrogens might not lead to cancer as human estrogen can, this fact has not been proven. There are no proven facts at the moment to clearly state whether or not a high-soy diet poses a risk for ladies who had breast cancer, either. So, it is best to ask for medical advice if you have any concerns about the topic.

The bottom line

Some promising studies are revolving around soy phytoestrogens and menopause hot flashes. But at the moment, there is a need for further studies to indicate whether or not it is efficient clearly. Some ladies experience a significant decrease in menopausal symptoms, while others not. Still, if you have in your family or personal history types of cancer, such as breast cancer, it is best to avoid soy supplements. There is some uncertainty about the safety of soy for patients with breast cancer.