What are phytoestrogens and how do they work?
Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring plant compounds that are remarkably similar in molecular structure to the female hormone estrogen. They act physiologically like natural estrogens produced in the body but without the side effects because plant estrogens are 100-500 times less potent. Phytoestrogens are thought to insure that a woman’s estrogen levels never get too high or too low. They have the remarkable ability to act as anti-estrogens when our natural levels are too high and act as estrogens when our natural levels are too low. Phytoestrogens are further classified into groups called isoflavones and lignins (constituents of the plant cell wall found most readily in flaxseed)..
