Soy Products and Menopause

Much is being learned about consuming soy products to treat menopausal symptoms. There is scientific research supporting eating soy for menopause and for overall health. These studies were done with menopausal women in Asian countries like Japan where soy is consumed on a regular basis and with menopausal women in the United States. Get the facts so that you can make an informed decision about eating soy products during menopause.

Eating soy foods such as tofu has been shown to protect menopausal women from hot flashes.

Definition

Menopause is the time when a woman's menstrual cycles stop. It usually happens during the ages of 45 to 55. Christiane Northrup, M.D., women's health expert, speaker and best-selling author of "The Wisdom of Menopause" describes menopause as a cleansing time to prepare for the second part of your life, "because during this time you are going to be fueled primarily by your spirit and your connection with your soul."

Phytoestrogens

Soybeans contain high amounts of phytoestrogens, which are plant sources of estrogen acting like estrogen in your body. Mehmet Oz, M.D. cardiovascular surgeon and author, promotes soy as a healthy addition to your diet. However, he says you can't depend on soy to treat your menopausal symptoms, even though it has over 50 phytoestrogens. Dr. Oz says, "...things such as the soil in which the product grows can influence those levels of phytoestrogens, meaning that there's really no way of knowing whether you're reaping benefits or not (or risking problems if you're a woman with an estrogen-responsive breast cancer)."

Excess Estrogen

According to Dr. Northrup, excess estrogen is common in women going through menopausal symptoms, which can start in some women as early as age 35. She says the phytoestrogens from soy foods can actually block excess estrogen. Dr. Northrup explains, "Soy helps regulate estrogen, so if you have too much estrogen relative to progesterone, soy will act as an estrogen blocker at the tissue level."

Scientific Studies

A 1992 study at the Gifu University School of Medicine in Japan of women age 35 to 54 revealed eating soy foods protects women from hot flashes.

At the Beth Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, MA, a 2007 study showed eating soy nuts as a protein snack "three or four times throughout the day is associated with a decrease in hot flashes and improvement in menopausal symptoms."

Tips and Warnings

Get soy from food products such as tofu, tempeh, soy milk, soy cheese, soy nuts and soy protein powder. Dr. Northrup says these soy foods "increase the quality of life of menopausal women on all levels."

Look for non-genetically modified soy (non-GMO) on the label when buying soy products.

Avoid soy isoflavone pills. Since they are extracted from soy chemically, they may not be safe.

Consult with your doctor about eating soy during menopause.