Menopause: plants can help! So bring on the soy

Low Fat, Plant-Based Diet May Reduce Hot Flashes and help with bone density

Until recently I was one of those people who thought that the oestrogens in soy products meant we should stay away from it. Turns out, that’s a myth!*

Plant based oestrogens, it turns out are really good for us!

Women navigating the challenges of menopause will almost certainly benefit from adding more plants to their daily diet including soy products. From reducing hot flashes and promoting better sleep to improving bone health and assisting with weight management, the evidence is clear that plant-based diets can play a pivotal role in alleviating menopause symptoms.

Menopause is a natural phase in a woman's life that marks the end of reproductive years, typically occurring in their late 40s or early 50s. As well as the annoyance of hot flashes and “night sweats”, the decline in oestrogen during menopause puts women at a higher risk of bone loss and osteoporosis.

During this transition, women often experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms due to hormonal fluctuations. Many women seek ways to manage these symptoms without resorting to hormonal therapies. One promising approach is adopting a plant-based diet.

New research suggests that a low fat, plant-based that emphasizes soy products may help ease hot flash symptoms associated with menopause (and lead to weight loss). Additionally adding more plants can increase calcium and vitamin D levels which are crucial for maintaining bone health. (1)

Plant-predominant diets rich in leafy greens, soy products, nuts, and seeds provide these essential nutrients without the saturated fat and cholesterol found in animal products. Moreover, plant-predominant diets are linked to lower levels of inflammation, which can contribute to better bone health.

A separate study has found that phytoestrogens, found in plant-based foods like soy, flaxseeds, and legumes, are structurally similar to oestrogen and can help balance hormonal fluctuations during menopause. The study (2), demonstrated that women consuming high amounts of soy isoflavones experienced a significant reduction in hot flashes.

Making dietary changes during menopause may be as effective as hormone replacement therapy for treating hot flashes without associated health risks, according to another study (3).

According to researchers, participants who adhered to a strictly plant-based diet rich in soy saw an 88% reduction in their symptoms. By comparison, hormone replacement therapy is associated with a 70 - 90 per cent reduction in hot flashes.

In addition, participants also reduced total weight by 3 kilos on average over 12 weeks.

The results mirror the diets of places in the world, like pre-Westernized Japan and modern-day Yucatán Peninsula, where a low fat, plant-based diet including soybeans is more prevalent and where postmenopausal women experience fewer symptoms,” said lead researcher Dr. Neal Barnard president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, and adjunct professor at the George Washington University School of Medicine.

For the study, researchers followed 84 postmenopausal participants experiencing two or more hot flashes per day for 12 weeks. Subjects adhered to a plant-based diet rich in soy products and decreased fat intake.

It’s also important to note that in the study, participants with fewer hot flashes ate significantly less fat and more fibre, and they achieved this in just 12 weeks on a vegan diet that emphasized soy.

* The initial studies, which were done on rats, indicated there could be a link between soy and breast cancer but research on humans suggests otherwise. A meta-analysis of 35 studies published in the journal PLOS One found no correlation between soy and breast cancer for most women.

1. Ho-Pham, L. T., et al. (2012). Veganism, bone mineral density, and body composition: a study in Buddhist nuns. Osteoporosis International, 23(12), 2553-2557

2. Taku, K., et al. (2007). Soy isoflavones for osteoporosis: an evidence-based approach. Maturitas, 57(4), 339-350

3. Barnard, N. D., et al. (2016). Low-fat plant-based diet in menopause: effects of a low-fat plant-based diet on symptoms of menopause. Menopause, 23(4),1-6

4. Chen Meinan, Rao Yanhua, Et Al (2014). Association between Soy Isoflavone Intake and Breast Cancer Risk for Pre- and Post-Menopausal Women: A Meta-Analysis of Epidemiological