Soy May Not Give Natural Menopause Relief, Say Experts

Menopause brings many symptoms for women, such as hot flashes, insomnia, night sweats and finding that their libido has dropped. A common way to help ease into the transition is taking hormone therapy. With many health conscious women wanting to find natural relief from menopause, many women have turned to soy as a way to find relief.

Doctors that work with menopausal patients have found that many women have stopped hormone therapy, and instead have headed to herbal stores for soy supplements. In response to this, a study was launched to see if soy actually is a valid way to get relief during menopause. The study shows that soy may not actually do anything.

Osteoporosis and Menopause

Osteoporosis, or the loss of calcium and mineral content in bones, is a risk that many women face as they head towards menopause. Studies show that women in Asian countries have lower cases of losing bone density and cases of osteoporosis, in comparison to women living in western countries. Many health experts have attributed this to the traditional Asian diet that is high in soy.

Previous studies seem to indicate that isoflavones that are found in soy may help in naturally relieving menopause symptoms and in combating osteoporosis. However, most studies have been done on small scales. Despite the limited research, many women have turned to soy for natural menopause relief.

The University of Miami, in response to the current trend of menopausal women moving towards soy supplements, launched a study with 248 women. The women were between the ages of 45-60 years old, and were within 5 years of menopause.

The women were made up of 2 groups. The first group took soy supplements that contained 2 times the amount of isoflavones that is found in a typical Asian diet. The supplements were taken on a daily basis. Another group received placebo pills. None of the women knew which pill they were taking.

After 2 years, the researchers compiled data on the women. They found that both groups, regardless of whether they consumed soy or simply a placebo, had the same level of bone density in their hips and spines as when they began the study.

The doctors recommend that women should get regular exercise, along with vitamin supplements like Vitamin D and calcium, to combat osteoporosis. They stated that it's a more effective way to decrease osteoporosis risks than soy supplements.

Natural Menopause Relief and Soy Supplements

The study also attempted to see if soy products could decrease menopausal symptoms. They first questioned the women about which symptoms they experienced the most. Half of the women said hot flashes, 38% reported night sweats, 37% reported insomnia, 37% had a drop in libido, and 31% reported vaginal dryness.

When the 2 years study was complete, neither the placebo group nor the soy supplement group had improved their menopausal symptoms.

They also found that the placebo group had also experienced a decrease in hot flashes, while the soy group experienced no decrease of hot flashes. While soy seemed to not improve bone density or menopausal symptoms, soy also seemed to create more problems. Women within the soy group were more likely to be constipated and bloated.

Sources:

Natural Menopause Relief and Soy: Belief About Isoflavones

Natural Menopause Relief and Soy: No Decrease in Symptoms

Natural Menopause Relief and Soy: Bone Density