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Soy isoflavones in menopause: They help with hot flashes but not with bones
October 16, 2023
Menopause supplements have been at the center of scientific debate for some time and have been the subject of numerous studies in various research laboratories and universities, highlighting important clarifications.
The most important of these clarifications, highlighted by the Veronesi Foundation and based on a study by the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami, concerns the actual effectiveness and role of soy isoflavones in combating osteoporosis. This is often cited in advertising claims or when introducing new products, which is scientifically misleading or even completely false.
To provide clarity, we need to understand from the outset how isoflavones work in the hormonal processes of menopause.
Menopause is the physiological point in time when the female body reduces the production of estrogens and coincides with the end of fertility.
Estrogens are sex hormones from the steroid group that are mainly produced in the ovaries. When the ovaries stop being active during menopause, the amount of estrogen in the blood decreases. This event can cause both neurovegetative and psychological disorders, with an increased risk of cardiovascular system and the occurrence of osteoarticular diseases.*
Not only do estrogens enable sexual development, fertilization and pregnancy, but they also play a role in numerous other functions in the female body, including maintaining bone health, thereby reducing the risk of osteoporosis*.
*Osteotrophism: A condition that occurs when the amount of calcium and bone density are deficient in a specific segment of the bone (pazienti.it).
To reduce the problems due to the decrease in estrogens, two paths can be taken: the use of hormone replacement therapies or the choice to supplement some natural substances called phytoestrogens, which mimic the function of estrogens.
Properties of phytoestrogens: A natural therapeutic aid of great value
This group of plant substances is very similar to estrogens in structure and function.
In the diet, phytoestrogens can be found particularly in legumes, peaches, whole grains, sesame seeds and garlic.
The three classes of therapeutically relevant phytoestrogens are:
isoflavoni;
Cumestani;
Lignani.
Properties of isoflavones
They are a group of herbal substances valuable for balancing the gradual decline in estrogens during menopause.
Foods with isoflavones
They are a group of plant substances that are valuable for balancing the gradual decline in estrogens during menopause.
Soy isoflavones
The soybean contains various types of isoflavones, including in particular:
70% genistein;
25% daidzein;
5% glycitein.
Properties of isoflavones and reduction of hot flashes
Although the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has not approved specific health claims for products containing isoflavones, their effectiveness in reducing menopausal side effects such as hot flashes, as well as lowering cholesterol levels and protecting against cellular oxidative stress, is scientifically known.
Other important benefits of soy isoflavones
There are many studies showing the effectiveness of these substances for the cardiovascular system and for reducing some of the most annoying symptoms associated with menopause, such as night sweats and hot flashes. Their protective effects against certain types of cancer are also being studied.
Soy isoflavones and contraindications
An excess of isoflavones and plant estrogens could strengthen or weaken the effect of the body's own estrogens (estrogens produced by the human organism). Precisely due to their similarity to endogenous estrogens, they could become a type of "endocrine disruptor", causing various negative health effects, as reported by the AIRC Foundation for Ricerca sul Cancro
Medical studies and clinical cases
What is still unclear or scientifically unproven is the ability of isoflavones to effectively support the body in maintaining bone density during menopause.
In this regard, there are still contradictory results that require further research and caution, especially in dietary supplements, so as not to provide the consumer with false information.
Although the incidence of certain tumors such as breast cancer and diseases such as osteoporosis is lower in the female population of Asia, where soy is a central food, some recent studies have drastically put into perspective the connection between soy isoflavones and an actual preventive effect against osteoporosis.
This is a scientific reminder, especially for natural products that attribute the beneficial anti-osteoporosis effects to the soy ingredient alone; In fact, scientifically based substances are already known that can effectively combat bone density loss and should therefore be sought in minerals.
Substances to combat osteoporosis
The strength of our bone mass depends primarily on the presence of minerals, with calcium playing a particularly important role.
Dietary supplements with calcium
99% of the calcium present in the body is found in the bones of our skeleton, and this mineral determines the strength of our bone structure and resistance to the risk of fracture that can occur with menopause.
Discover the study on Moringa oleifera for bone remineralization after menopause
The minimum recommended daily dose is 800 mg, but during certain periods of the body's life, such as pregnancy or menopause, this dose should be increased to 1100-1200 mg. The most important sources of calcium for our body are:
Milk and milkproducts;
Cheese;
Yogurt (low-fat and full-fat contain the same amount of calcium);
fish (especially fatty fish);
Mineral water.
Normally, the minimum calcium intake is easily achieved through a normal diet, but in cases of certain intolerances such as lactose intolerance, it may be necessary to make specific supplements.
Long-term calcium deficiency or intake of less than 700 mg per day can actually lead to osteopenia and later develop into osteoporosis.
Vitamin D
Another indispensable factor in the prevention of osteoporosis is the correct intake of vitamin D, which is involved in the bone mineralization processes and serves as a 'fixer' for calcium in bone tissue.
Eggs, liver, dairy products and fish are the only foods that contain significant amounts of vitamin D. The body can also produce vitamin D on its own by being exposed to sunlight for at least 15-30 minutes.
Dietary supplement with soy isoflavones during menopause
Isoflavones from soy, when taken regularly on a daily basis, have been shown to be effective in combating some menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes.
Dietary supplements containing soy isoflavones have the advantage of relieving some discomforts associated with menopause, but can only help prevent menopause-related diseases such as osteoporosis if soy isoflavones are actually useful substances for restoring bone mass such as calcium and vitamin D can be added.
The RedMoringa menopause supplement is specifically designed to supplement the necessary substances to relieve menopause symptoms such as hot flashes. This is achieved thanks to soy isoflavones and the properties of Cimicifuga, a plant native to North America whose estrogenic properties have been recognized by American pharmacology since 1830.
The addition of vitamin D and calcium enriches the menopause nutritional supplement with substances that can specifically help prevent osteoporosis.