Find Out More About Using Soy Products For Menopause Relief

By Carla A. Demtrius


Women between the ages of forty and sixty years usually experience menopause. This is a normal stage of life that typically occurs when the ovaries stop producing the progesterone and estrogen hormones. These hormones are responsible for the monthly menstrual cycle. The menstrual cycle stops when the ovaries cease producing these hormones.

After reaching menopause, most women suffer from uncomfortable side effects such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness because of the diminished levels of hormones in their bodies. Thankfully, women can tweak their diets in order to minimize menopausal symptoms. One of the things they can do is to consume more products that contain soy. Taking soy products for hot flashes is effective.

The soybean is different from other plant foods because of its high protein content. It also contains isoflavones and fiber. Isoflavones are a kind of phytoestrogen, which is a chemical that is found in plants and functions like estrogen. The human body uses isoflavones like estrogen in a certain way. They have a beneficial effect on health. The most recent evidence comes from a review of nineteen studies that involved more than 1,200 women.



Researchers were first interested in studying the effects of soy on menopause symptoms after they discovered that Japanese women experienced hot flashes less often. They attributed this to the consumption of many soy foods throughout the lifespan of these women. You can also benefit from soy even if you have never used it in your life. Phytoestrogens can relieve hot flashes effectively, but they may fail to eliminate this menopausal symptom totally if it is severe. For this treatment to take effect, it should be given sufficient time. Generally, the results can be noticed after four to twelve days.

Some experts state that the majority of women use natural remedies in order to cope with symptoms such as night sweating, mood swings and hot flashes. The reason for this is that they fear side effects experienced when using hormone replacement therapy. According to various studies, women who consume large amount of soybeans that have phytoestrogens are less likely to experience menopausal complications.

The various soy products that you can use for menopause relief include tofu, soy milk, soy nuts, edamame, soy burgers, soy hot dogs, miso and soy ice cream among other foods that have soy. Researchers have not documented any risks of taking soy foods or supplements every day. Nevertheless, the digestive system of some people can be upset because of eating many of soy foods. Research studies have not documented the effects of following a diet high in soy for many years. You should aim to consume average amounts of soy.

Isoflavones are short acting. When using soy products for health reasons, it is advisable to try to ingest 40 to 80 milligrams of isoflavones daily. You should also remember that soy protein is not the same as soy isoflavone. Therefore, high protein soy foods may not contain a large amount of isoflavones in them.

Apart from using soy products for hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms, you can also use them for skin care. Soy is known to have several positive effects on the skin. Using soy products for skin care is a great way to tighten sagging skin, reverse sun damage and diminish wrinkles. Soy acts as a good moisturizer. Moisturizers that contain soy have a smoothing or softening effect. They also help even out the skin tone.




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