Does soy reduce menopause symptoms?
More than 1/3 of the women in the US, about 36 million, have been through menopause. With a life expectancy of about 81 years, a 50-year-old woman can expect to live more than one third of her life after menopause. Scientific research is just beginning to address some of the unanswered questions about these years – about the poorly understood biology of menopause and how diet, especially soy, can aid in reducing some of the symptoms. Many physiological changes during menopause are related to decreased estrogen production. These include difficulty in regulating body temperature, which can result in “night sweats” and “hot flashes.” However, experiences vary from culture to culture around the world. In general, Japanese women are much less likely to experience symptoms of menopause at all. Studies indicate that consuming natural isoflavones, which are found in soy food products, may reduce the frequency and intensity of hot flashes in menopausal women. Isoflavones have been shown to func
More than 1/3 of the women in the US, about 36 million have been through menopause. With a life expectancy of about 81 years, a 50-year-old woman can expect to live more than one third of her life after menopause. Scientific research is just beginning to address some of the unanswered questions about these years – about the poorly understood biology of menopause and how diet, especially soy, can aid in reducing some of the symptoms. Many physiological changes during menopause are related to decreased estrogen production. These include difficulty in regulating body temperature, which can result in “night sweats” and “hot flashes.” However, experiences vary from culture to culture around the world. In general, Japanese women are much less likely to experience symptoms of menopause at all. Studies indicate that consuming natural isoflavones, which are found in soy food products, may reduce the frequency and intensity of hot flashes in menopausal women. Isoflavones have been shown to funct
