Soy Isoflavones Cool Hot Flashes

ST. LOUISWomen who experience hot flashes during menopause may want to incorporate more soy foods into their diets, according to a new study published in Menopause: The Journal of the North American Menopause Association. The findings suggest soy isoflavones soy isoflavones reduce menopausal hot flash frequency and severity by approximately 50%.

Researchers reviewed 19 studies to evaluate the frequency and severity of hot flashes on more than 1,000 women. On average, studies provided participants with 54 mg of soy isoflavones daily for six weeks to a year. Analysis assessed whether isoflavone products with higher genistein, one of the two primary types of soy isoflavones, are more effective than those with lower amounts. They found isoflavone supplements containing at least 18.8 mg of genistein were more than twice as effective at reducing frequency than lower amounts.

The researchers concluded soy isoflavones reduce menopausal hot flash frequency and severity by approximately 50%. They noted eating soyfoods, such as soymilk, tofu and tempeh, provide significant dietary sources of isoflavones.

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