Soy Isoflavones found to Help Relieve Menopausal Hot Flash Symptoms.

A Swedish study, published in The Journal of the North American Menopause Society (14,3:468-473, May/June 2007) found that soy isoflavones significantly reduced menopausal hot flashes and night sweats. Researchers stated that the onset of these climacteric symptoms is the primary reason that perimenopausal women seek hormone therapy. In this double-blind prospective study 60 healthy postmenopausal women were randomly assigned to receive either 60 mg per day of soy isoflavones or placebo daily for 3 months. Before and after treatment, climacteric symptoms were recorded; serum was collected to measure lipoprotein lipid levels, estradiol and follicle-stimulating hormone; and biopsy specimens of endometrial and breast tissues were analyzed to investigate the expression level of steroid receptors and proliferation. Endometrial thickness was measured by ultrasound.

At the end of the trial hot flashes and night sweats were found to be reduced by 57% and 43%, respectively. Soy Isoflavone supplementation did not change levels of circulating estradiol or follicle-stimulating hormone, and breast biopsy specimens showed isoflavones did not affect expression levels of steroid receptors, estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors or the proliferation marker Ki67. No effects on body weight or lipoprotein lipids were found.

Researchers concluded that soy isoflavones supplementation could be beneficial in relieving acute symptoms of menopause.

Bio-Design Soy Isoflavones provides 40 mg of isoflavones per capsule. It also provides naturally occurring soy saponins and other soy trace nutrients.