Phytoestrogens for Menopause:What does it all Mean?

This is not easy for me to admit. After scouring the Internet and textbooks for the latest research on phytoestrogens for menopause, I am stumped as to what that all means and what to recommend to women considering the use of phytoestrogens for the relief of menopausal symptoms. Frankly, I discovered that many of the studies and articles in conflict with one another. By the time I was finished, I did not know what to believe. However, let's look at the data and see what we can resolve.

Phytoestrogens are chemicals found naturally in plants that are biologically related to human estrogen. There are phytoestrogens in soy, clover, alfalfa sprouts and flaxseeds, soybean is the most commonly used source in the human diet. Soyprotein is found in tofu, soy milk, soy nuts, "vegetarian" and hamburgers in some supplements in tablet form. It is in the soy isoflavones, which give phytoestrogenic properties.

What are phytoestrogens good for? Unfortunately, it depends on what kind of research that are looking at. The cultural studies argue that soy is good for preventing breast cancer and for reducing hot flashes in women because Asian women, who consume a large amount of soy in their diet, have a lower risk for both conditions, compared with American women. The problem as I see it, however, is that soy is not the only difference in our diet (not to mention our genetic makeup, either) and that consumption of soy could be why not relate to Asian women have a better risk profile than we do.

Some menopausal women in clinical studies showed a reduction in hot flashes in those who consume soy isoflavones compared with those who took a placebo. Other studies showed no statistical differences. I do not know how to interpret studies that differ from this type.

I was particularly intrigued by the biochemical studies of phytoestrogens. It appears from these studies that make the plant estrogens bind to estrogen receptors in the human body, but to an extent which is 100 times less than human estrogens. The results are divided, however, on whether the plant estrogen, once linked to an estrogen receptor to activate the receiver (hence, have estrogenic properties) or shuts down the receiver (thereby having anti-estrogenic properties).

Why is this important? Because if the soy protein has estrogenic properties positive, I will not be too enthusiastic about recommending it to women who are at risk of developing estrogen-dependent cancers as breast cancer. Anything that acts as an estrogen in theory could feed these types of cancer, stimulating growth. Moreover, studies in animals and cell cultures of cancer have shown that soy phytoestrogens actually inhibit the growth of this type of cancer rather than encourage them.

Okay, so maybe I'm just being picky about the details but I really wish that someone would do research to determine how soy phytoestrogens affect breast cancer cells and could therefore provide safe soy as an option for women without having to worry about their breast cancer risk. Despite the lack of agreement between research on soy phytoestrogens, some things can be said of soybeans that make a good addition to your diet:

1. I am thus reducing cholesterol reduces the risk of heart disease.
2. Soybeans may reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
3. There seems to be no evidence to suggest that soy increases the risk of breast cancer.
4. It can help reduce hot flashes in menopause.

Nobody seems clear on how to eat soybeans. Most sources indicate that about 3 ounces of tofu or 60 grams of soy protein eaten daily is appropriate to lower cholesterol and minimize the hot flashes.

The tablet forms of soy isoflavones that I found at the pharmacy contained 1.5-2 grams of concentrated soy isoflavones per capsule to be taken four times a day. Is my math is all wrong or that not only 8 grams of soy per day? And what does "soy isoflavones concentrated"? Does it mean that you need less of it because it is concentrated? I have no idea how to answer these questions and manufacturers are suspiciously vague in this regard.

The bottom line is that I'm pretty sure soy protein is healthy for you and can help reduce the symptoms of menopause. It may or may not be effective in reducing the risk of breast cancer and is probably better to get in their diet instead of using the supplements in pill form. How do you decide to turn tofu into a tasty dish of the whole family will love depends on you.