Soy and Menopause

 Soy and Menopause - Soy, having a natural form of estrogen, helps fight common menopausal symptoms

It is believed that there are much more women in the United States who are suffering from menopausal symptoms. It is said that 80% to 90% of women in the US complain of hot flashes and night sweats. This is higher than the 30% of women in Asia who complain of the same thing. What then is the reason behind this disparity?

Some experts believe that it comes down to diet. People in Asia consume more Soy than in other western countries.

Soy contains phytoestrogen – a weaker form of natural estrogen – which are seen to help fight the symptoms of menopause. Besides that, Soy also contains Isoflavones which have been linked to less risk of developing illnesses such as osteoporosis and other heart diseases as well as hot flashes and night sweats. Isoflavones help block the negative effects of excess estrogens but at the same time, it can also stand in for estrogens should its level suddenly decline.  

In a recently conducted study, 104 menopausal women were divided into two groups. One took 60 grams of soy isoflavones while the other took 60 grams of casein (common milk protein) for 12 weeks. Women who took soy isoflavones experienced a 45% decrease in their hot flashes on their fourth week. In Japan meanwhile, a study concluded that women who continuously had high intake of soy for six years complained of much less hot flashes incidents than other women. 

For adequate and noticeable relief from menopausal symptoms, the recommended daily intake of soy isoflavones is at 40 mg to 160 mg each day.

Women whose symptoms are more severe or frequent are particularly advised to have high soy intake. This should be continuously done to see long-term results.

Soy and Menopause - Foods That are High in Soy

What is the best way to have sufficient amounts of Soy? It is advised to – as much as possible – obtain Soy through natural whole food.

Taking organic and non-GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) should be the preferred choice to begin with. 25 grams of soy protein can be acquired through the diet. This can be half a cup of dried soy beans, one cup of tofu or 1/3 cup of isolated soy protein. The best soy sources are soy beans, miso, fortified soy milk, tofu and tempeh and soy flour.  

Women who have high soy intake may experience minor stomach cramps and bloating. However, such side effects are not expected to last long and are natural body reactions to an increase in soy intake. 

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