The soybean is a small green bean that looks roughly like a pea pod. Clinical research conducted in the last several years have pointed to the soybean as being a super food for women in menopause. The benefits of soy come largely from a high concentration of isoflavones. Isoflavones are a type of phytoestrogen, an estrogen-like molecule that comes from plants. Research suggests that isoflavones may help prevent health problems and reduce uncomfortable symptoms caused by menopause.
Heart and Blood Vessel Health
The female hormone estrogen naturally supports heart and blood vessel health in women by helping to prevent atherosclerosis, notes author Alicia Di Rado in "So Far Soy Good," a 2004 article published in the "University of Southern California Health Magazine." Atherosclerosis is the hardening of blood vessels that can lead to elevated blood pressure, and ultimately damage the heart muscle. When estrogen levels drop during menopause, the protective effects of estrogen are gone as well, increasing a woman's risk of developing heart and blood vessel disease. The good news is that clinical research seems to show that the isoflavones in soy can recapitulate the benefits of estrogen on heart and blood vessel health, specifically by helping to decrease a woman's cholesterol levels.
Menopause Symptoms
Research has shown that the isoflavones in soy can reduce hot flashes in menopausal women, notes findings by the Mayo Clinic. Researchers conducted a meta-analysis of the research on soy isoflavones, and found that soy reduces hot flashes up to 45 percent in women. However, the data is complicated by the fact that women taking the non-soy placebo reported a 30 percent reduction in hot flashes, thus demonstrating that the actual reduction in hot flashes due to soy is somewhat modest.
Bone Health
There have been research studies into whether soy can prevent the significant loss of bone mineral density that often occurs during menopause, making a woman more likely to develop osteoporosis. The University of Maryland Medical Center notes that the results of some studies suggest that women who eat a large amount of soy are more likely to have higher bone mineral density and stronger bones. However, the results of other clinical studies showed no difference in bone-mineral density based on how much soy a woman ate, so further studies are needed to determine if soy's effect on bones is significant.
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