Soy to the World
In Japan, where soy is a significant part of diet, there is no word for hot flashes. Coincidence? Soy advocates certainly don't think so.
Containing an important phytochemical called isoflavones, soy has been touted to reduce hot flashes, lower cholesterol levels, ease vaginal dryness and slow osteoporosis, all symptoms of menopause.
Currently, the National Center on Complementary and Alternative Medicine is funding research on the roll of dietary soy for menopausal symptoms.
Meanwhile, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists offers these cautions and recommendations:
• Soy and isoflavones may be helpful in the short-term treatment (that is, less than two years) of menopausal symptoms.
Note: Given the possibility that these compounds may interact with estrogen, these agents should not be considered free of potential harm in women with estrogen-dependent cancers.
• Soy and isoflavone intake over prolonged periods may protect against osteoporosis.
• Soy in foodstuffs may differ in biological activity from soy and isoflavones in soy milk supplements.
• Some soy products may be useful in the treatment of vaginal dryness, although sources of isoflavones and beneficial amounts have yet to be clarified.
