Menopause hot flashes: Can Soy Decrease Hot Flashes?
September 6th, 2007 at 10:10am Under Female Menopause+ Menopause
There has been a great deal of debate, research, and discussion as to the value of soy in treating and reducing hot flashes associated with menopause. While some health practitioners prescribe soy products for women in the menopausal stage, the question which has yet to be answered is: “Can soy decrease menopause hot flashes?”
According to recent studies, soy contains one of many types of isoflavones. Isoflavones are estrogens which are produced from plants. It should be noted that isoflavones are actual estrogens; they are not alternatives to estrogen. Therefore, a woman who wants to avoid estrogen should not be taking soy, because soy is a form of estrogen. According to the research conducted on soy, there are still conflicting results as to its value in reducing hot flashes in menopausal women. Some studies show that soy can cause multiplication of breast cells, implying that it may increase breast cancer risk who use it.
The reason behind all of this conflicting evidence is that it is unclear what is being tested since studies have looked at all kinds of soy foods and supplements, and there has been no uniformity in the products being tested. This may be one of the reasons why soy research does not always produce positive results.
Another study was conducted recently in which 37 women who used a soy supplement. 75 percent reported relief from hot flashes. Tests showed they also experienced a measurable increase in bone density as well. While experts say the results are promising, one nutritionist believes the research makes too many “leaps of faith about issues that remain unproven.” It was also stated that woman should exercise caution with soy supplementation until more research is done. However, it was concluded that including soy products in your diet may still offer many more positive health benefits that far out way any negative health benefits.
There you have it; the studies, research, and results which apparently prove, and deny that soy products can decrease menopause hot flashes. The best course of action perhaps is to try soy products for yourself to see if they relieve or reduce your menopause hot flashes.
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