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 differs from other plant foods because it contains high levels of protein, fiber and isoflavones. Isoflavones are an estrogen that occurs naturally in legumes. They function in the same way as estrogen in the body and have several health benefits. This was confirmed in 19 recent studies that were done on more than one thousand two hundred 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.

Some of the soy products you can use include soy milk, tofu, edamame, soy nuts, soy hot dogs, soy burgers, soy ice cream, miso and many other foods to which soy protein or soy has been added. Using soy products daily has no known risks. However, for some individuals, soy foods upset the digestive system. The long term effects of a diet high in soy have not been studied well. Your goal should be to consume an average amount of soy in your diet.

The effects of isoflavones do not last very long. Therefore soy supplements or foods should be taken several times a day. Ideally, women should ingest forty to eighty milligrams of isoflavones every day. They should also note that soy protein differs from soy isoflavone. Although some soy foods contain high protein, they do not have a high amount of isoflavones.

Besides using soy products for hot flashes or other symptoms of menopause, women can also use soy products for skin care. Soy is beneficial for skin in various ways. The moisturizers which contain soy can help reverse sun damage, reduce lines and tighten sagging skin. These moisturizers also help make skin smoother or softer and enhance the skin tone.




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