Learn How To Use Soy Products For Menopause Relief

By Carla A. Demtrius


Menopause is experienced by all women. It occurs in women who are 40 to 60 years old, after their ovaries stop producing the hormones estrogen and progesterone, which regulate the menstrual cycle in females. When the ovaries no longer produce estrogen and progesterone, this cycle ends.

Many women experience uncomfortable side effects like vaginal dryness and hot flashes due to the drop in hormone production. Fortunately, simple dietary changes can minimize some of these menopausal symptoms. One of these changes is increasing the intake of soy foods. You can use soy products for menopause relief.

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 soy products that menopausal women can eat or drink are miso, soy ice cream, soy hot dogs, soy nuts, edamame, tofu and soy milk as well as other foods containing soy or soy protein. There are no known risks of consuming foods containing soy every day, even though some people may experience stomach upset. Researchers have not studied the effects of using soy foods for many years. For the best outcome, women should seek to consume just an average amount of soy.

Isoflavones are short acting. When using soy products for health reasons, it is advisable to try to ingest 40 to 80 milligrams of isoflavones daily. You should also remember that soy protein is not the same as soy isoflavone. Therefore, high protein soy foods may not contain a large amount of isoflavones in them.

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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