January 15, 1999 – An Italian clinical study has just confirmed, after several others, the beneficial role of soybean phytoestrogens in relieving the symptoms of menopause and particularly hot flashes.
The double-blind, placebo-controlled study was carried out in 104 postmenopausal women aged 45 to 62, who consulted in a clinic for severe hot flash problems. To participate in the study, women had to have at least 7 hot flashes per 24 hours during the two weeks preceding the study. After 12 weeks, women reported a 45% decrease in hot flashes, compared to 30% in the placebo group.
Participants were asked to take either 60g per day of soy protein or 60g of casein, which is just over a third of a cup by volume. This relatively large addition to the diet was the main reason why 25 of the participants, reluctant to take a drink containing “sticky powder” every day, dropped out of the study.
Soy is rich in phytoestrogens which have been shown to have estrogenic, antiestrogenic and anti-cancer properties. According to epidemiological studies, only 25% of Japanese women experience hot flashes during menopause compared to 85% of North Americans. Japanese women also have much lower rates of osteoporosis and estrogen-related cancers like breast cancer. The average consumption of phytoestrogens in Japan is estimated to be 200 mg per day. The Italian study provided about a third of this dose (76 mg / day) to the participants.
Albertazzi P, Pansini F, Bonnacorsi G, Zanotti L, Forini E, De Aloyso D. The effect of dietary soy supplementation on hot flashes. Obstetrics & Ginecology. 1998; 91 (1): 6-11
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According to Herbal Gram, no 44, Fall 1998
