HWN Suggests

Isoflavones--safe food additives or dangerous drugs?

The sales volume of products containing isoflavone has increased since the publication of the Women's Health Initiative. The many apparently contradictory results published on the effects of isoflavones on a variety of estrogen-regulated organs point to both beneficial as well as adverse effects on human health. It is of particular importance that psychovegetative climacteric complaints such as hot flushes are, if at all, only slightly influenced by isoflavones. The substances appear to have weak anti-osteoporotic effect. Their anti-atherosclerotic action is debatable, as not all authors find any beneficial effect on lipids. Most importantly, there is dispute as to whether isoflavones derived…

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 Isoflavones and their health effects

Isoflavones belong to the flavonoid family of polyphenols. Fruits, vegetables, chocolate, wine, and tea are some familiar sources of flavonoids. Many different legumes contain isoflavones, but soybeans and other soy foods like tofu, miso, and tempeh are particularly rich sources. Media outlets sometimes refer to isoflavones as a "super-nutrient," claiming they possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and anti-cancer properties. However, there has been controversy around some of these claims.

Articles of Interest

Isoflavones and the Alleviation of Hot Flashes

Despite the extensive research that has been conducted, it may not be possible to reach a definitive conclusion about the efficacy of isoflavones for alleviating hot flashes. However, the evidence does justify recommending isoflavones for such purpose for women who do not want to use hormone therapy.

Biological Effect of Soy Isoflavones in the Prevention of Civilization Diseases

Scientific advancements in recent years have shed new light on the relationship between diet and human health. Nutrients play an important role in the prevention of many civilization diseases, such as osteoporosis, type II diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, and cardiovascular diseases. The biological activity of natural plant components allows their use in the treatment of various diseases, especially civilization diseases, to be speculated.

Blog on Isoflavones – understanding their role in the body

But why is it, that red clover can be used in relation with menopause and bones? Well, it comes down to small plant substances called isoflavones. Understanding their role in the body Isoflavones are a class of naturally occurring organic compounds that belong to the larger group of phytoestrogens, which are plant-derived substances that can mimic or modulate the activity of oestrogen in the body. They are found primarily in legumes, with soybeans being the most well-known source. Isoflavones are structurally similar to the hormone oestrogen and can bind to oestrogen receptors in the body, albeit with weaker potency compared to endogenous oestrogen.

Effect of isoflavone supplementation on menopausal symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Complementary and alternative medicines can be used to alleviate climacteric symptoms that significantly affect the quality of life of postmenopausal women. Isoflavones are the most common plant-based therapies for postmenopausal changes, but the results of previous studies have been controversial.

Isoflavone Supplements for Menopausal Women: A Systematic Review

Isoflavones have gained popularity as an alternative treatment for menopausal symptoms for people who cannot or are unwilling to take hormone replacement therapy. However, there is still no consensus on the effects of isoflavones despite over two decades of vigorous research. This systematic review aims to summarize the current literature on isoflavone supplements, focusing on the active ingredients daidzein, genistein, and S-equol, and provide a framework to guide future research.

Isoflavones

Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring nonsteroidal phenolic plant compounds that, due to their molecular structure and size, resemble vertebrate steroids estrogens. This review is focused on plant flavonoids isoflavones, which are ranked among the most estrogenic compounds. The main dietary sources of isoflavones for humans are soybean and soybean products, which contain mainly daidzein and genistein. When they are consumed, they exert estrogenic and/or antiestrogenic effects. Isoflavones are considered chemoprotective and can be used as an alternative therapy for a wide range of hormonal disorders, including several cancer types, namely breast cancer and prostate cancer, cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis, or menopausal symptoms. On the other hand, isoflavones may also be considered endocrine disruptors with possible negative influences on the state of health in a certain part of the population or on the environment

Isoflavones: Anti-Inflammatory Benefit and Possible Caveats

Isoflavones are a class of flavonoids that exhibit antioxidant, anticancer, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Increasing evidence has highlighted the potential for isoflavones to prevent the chronic diseases in which inflammation plays a key role, though the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.

Regimens: Soy Does Little for Menopause Symptoms

Fears about the risks of estrogen replacement therapy have led many women to turn to soy products to treat the symptoms of menopause. But a clinical trial published on Monday in Archives of Internal Medicine has found them no more effective than a placebo.

Soy Isoflavones: Are They Useful in Menopause?

Current data are insufficient to draw definitive conclusions regarding the use of isoflavones as an alternative to estrogen for hormone replacement in postmenopausal women. Although epidemiological and basic laboratory studies allude to the possible protective effects of soy isoflavones at specific target tissues, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials are necessary to address these important issues.

Straight Talk About Soy

Soy is a unique food that is widely studied for its estrogenic and anti-estrogenic effects on the body. Studies may seem to present conflicting conclusions about soy, but this is largely due to the wide variation in how soy is studied. Results of recent population studies suggest that soy has either a beneficial or neutral effect on various health conditions.

The benefits of phytoestrogens and soy isoflavones for women

Soy phytoestrogens are probably the most notable examples of phytoestrogens in nature, and you have probably heard about them frequently. But there are other forms of phytoestrogens, and each has different functions and applications.

The role of soy and soy isoflavones on women's fertility and related outcomes: an update

To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive review on soy effect on women's fertility. While soy appears to have a negligible effect on hormonal network, menstrual cycle length and fertility outcomes of healthy women, some clues emerged from literature on its possible beneficial effect in the case of endocrine diseases such as PCOS

Utilization of Isoflavones in Soybeans for Women with Menopausal Syndrome: An Overview

Based on their nutrient composition, soybeans and related foods have been considered to be nutritious and healthy for humans. Particularly, the biological activity and subsequent benefits of soy products may be associated with the presence of isoflavone in soybeans. As an alternative treatment for menopause-related symptoms, isoflavone has gained much popularity for postmenopausal women who have concerns related to undergoing hormone replacement therapy. However, current research has still not reached a consensus on the effects of isoflavone on humans.

Resources

Soy Isoflavones

Some health effects of soy may be dependent on one’s capacity to convert the isoflavone daidzein to equol during digestion.