Soy and Night Sweats

Night sweats and hot flashes are the most common side effect of menopause. Essentially, night sweats are just hot flashes that occur at night, usually interfering with your sleep as well. Although menopause is a natural transition, this side effect can be both annoying and stressful. Some women have found relief by adding soy products to their diet.

Soy Isoflavones

Soybeans and soybean products contain the flavonoids called isoflavones. These are called phytoestrogens because they are plant-derived and they exhibit a weak estrogenic activity in your body when ingested. They bind to receptor sites specific for estrogen, even though their molecules are not identical to estrogen. The isflavones in soy are called genistein, daidzein and glycitein.

Theories/Speculation

The drop in estrogen during menopause is believed to be the cause that triggers hot flashes and night sweats. According to the North American Menopause Society, it is theorized that the hypothalamus in the brain incorrectly senses that you are too warm. The blood vessels near the surface of your skin dilate to increase blood flow in an effort to cool your body down. This causes the flushed feeling of heat that typifies a hot flash or night sweats.

Research

Night sweats during menopause can interfere with your sleep. Sleep deprivation can cause you to feel tired during the day making it difficult to work. According to the Aug. 19, 2010 issue of "Menopause," isoflavones reduced the intensity and occurrence of hot flashes and insomnia in women taking 80 mg of isoflavones daily for four months.

These results were consistent with another study in Japan of 1,106 menopausal women who were studied for six years. Hot flashes were significantly lower with higher consumption of soy products and soy isoflavones. Results were published in the "American Journal of Epidemiology."

Soy Products

Soybeans and soy products come in a variety of choices. Soy milk is available in most grocery stores, either on the shelf or in the refrigerator section. The isoflavone content in soy milk varies by manufacturer and soybeans but a common amount per 1-cup serving is 25 mg. Soy flour has 146 mg of isoflavone per 100 g, tempeh has 43 mg of isoflavone per 100 g and tofu has 27.91 mg per 100 g, according to the USDA Nutrient Data Lab. Check the labels for specific amounts as isoflavone content can vary with soybeans.

Considerations

Always seek the advice of your health care professional if you are having night sweats. While considered common during menopause, it is important to see your doctor to rule out other problems. Also, some people may have allergies to soybeans and should avoid soy products.