Soy & Menopause

Menopause is an important time in a woman's life. Menopause is the end of a woman's menstrual periods. It occurs when the ovaries stop making hormones called estrogens. This process causes the estrogen levels to drop leading to the end of monthly menstrual periods. The average age of menopause is between 45 to 55 although it may happen earlier. Menopause can also occur in the case of surgically removed ovaries.

In many women low estrogen levels result in:

  • Hot flashes or sudden intense waves of heat and sweating
  • Elevated LDL (bad) cholesterol
  • Increased risk of heart disease
  • Bone loss
  • Lack of regular sleep
  • Mood swings
  • Noticeable changes in the skin and hair
  • Discomfort during sexual intercourse

    Recent clinical studies indicate that soy intake has shown beneficial effects in alleviating menopausal symptoms:

    • Soy / isoflavones alleviates the frequency and severity of menopausal hot flashes
    • Soy helps reduce the risk of heart disease 
    • Soy helps reduce the level of LDL (bad) cholesterol
    • Soy protein rich in isoflavones may improve the bone health of menopausal women 

    It must be kept in mind that average Japanese women is eating about 20-30 grams of soy protein containing 30-50 mg of isoflavones per day. So there is no reason to have a higher daily intake of isoflavones.

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