Reducing Menopause Symptoms with Soy
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Menopause, which is characterized by permanent loss of menstruation and the cessation of ovarian follicular activity, is a natural part of life for women. Menopause generally occurs in women in their early 50’s, though some women go through menopause in the 30’s, while others don’t go through it until their 60’s. Unfortunately, menopause symptoms that occur can often be unbearable.
Common Menopause Symptoms
One of the most problematic menopause symptoms for women is hot flashes, combined with night sweats. Interestingly, not all cultures experience this menopausal symptom. In fact, the Japanese culture doesn’t even have a word to describe this menopause symptom. Furthermore, a recent study found that only 9.7% of Japanese women experience hot flashes and only 3.6% deal with night sweats. In contrast, around 90% of women in western countries experience hot flashes. Most researchers believe the main reason for this difference lies in diet.
Studies in Menopause Relief
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Women in Asian countries consume much larger amounts of soybeans than women in western cultures. As a result, many studies have been performed regarding the use of soybeans in menopause relief. Through these studies, the North American Menopause Society has determined that 40-80 mg per day of soy isoflavones can help reduce menopause symptoms. In fact, when used over a 3 month period, soy or soy isoflavones were found to reduce either the incidence or the severity of hot flashes. For some women, it accomplished both. In subsequent studies, it was shown that the greater amounts of soy or soy isoflavones included in the diet, the greater the reduction of menopause symptoms.
Including Soy in the Diet
Since the safety of soy isoflavones in pill form has not been completely established, many women prefer to get their soy isoflavones from natural food sources. A general rule of thumb to follow is that 25 grams of soy protein provides 50 mg of isoflavones. In other words, the mg of isoflavones provided by soy protein is equal to twice the amount of grams of soy protein. Not all foods, however, follow this guideline. For example:
Another benefit to the inclusion of soy in the diet is that it has been shown to protect against osteoporosis.
With its many benefits to women, including its ability to reduce menopause symptoms, soy should be included in every woman’s diet.
