Why Soy Products For Menopause Relief Is Not Recommended

mardi 16 février 2016
By Graciela Wynn Chavez


Over the past years, there has been popular belief that the use of soy and its constituent products goes a long way in treating several diseases for example the heart disease, osteoporosis as well as cancer-related illnesses. Inasmuch as this may be true, the norm that soy and its products reduces the effects of menopausal symptoms is not validated, neither is it factual. There are many forms of soy, for instance soy milk, soy cheese, soy meat and soy beans, among others. There has also been emergence of powdered soy as well as soy for menopause relief, as produced by some companies.

Soy has high contents of isoflavones. These are types of phytoestrogen. Phytoestrogens are basically chemicals found in plants that work similarly like estrogens. To some extent, the human body can alternatively use them just like estrogens.



Since time immemorial, menopause-related symptoms have usually been treated using conventional medicines. However, of late, women have been found to be more intrigued in using natural mechanisms to alleviate these discomforts. Natural approaches have been widely approved by large masses of people, and this has been poised to be the reason behind the making of alternatives to these conventional healers by many supplement and food industries, like the soy foods industry.

The message that soy phytoestrogens act in similar capacity as surrogate estrogens has been widely spread, and this thereby gives women the general impression that they can alternatively prefer soy products to relieve symptoms of dwindling estrogen levels at their menopausal stage, albeit naturally. However, the research does not confirm that isoflavones act as estrogens, and therefore the conclusion that they are all a woman needs to alleviate her menopausal symptoms, cannot be completely validated.

That said, it is also worth noting that soy phytoestrogens do not have many positive effects on vasomotor signs, for example vaginal dryness, hot flashes and also night sweats. Recent researches carried out by multiple organizations and health agencies revealed that women who utilized phytoestrogen-rich soy products noticed a reduction in the ramifications of their hot flashes, by up to fifty percent.

These soy phytoestrogens and estrogens however, only diminish the impact and intensity of hot flashes, and not completely eradicating them, like conventional estrogens which eliminate them in a faster fashion. The isoflavones in soy products are aromatase inhibitors, and this reduces the levels of estrogen made in the body. This is as confirmed by several recent studies. This is contradictory to earlier claims that they aid in the treatment of vasomotor symptoms.

The use of soy does not effectively solve the menace of hot flashes or any other discomforts of menopause. The hormonal mimics they harbor, called isoflavones, instead, cause disruptions to the hormonal systems of the body, which are highly delicate. Further disorders like insomnia and mood swings among others, are also resultant.

This further causes several disorders like insomnia, anxiety, mood swings, digestive problems and other food allergies. The most harmful forms of soya are argued to be infant soy formula and soy protein powders. In conclusion, it is clear that though soy products can play some part in alleviating discomforts associated with menopause, it has not been confirmed that they are completely effective.




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