Use of soy isoflavones as alternative to hormonal therapy (HRT) for women in menopause: A review

Abstract

Menopause is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon, one that is very challenging to study for a number of reasons. Menopause involves multiple domains, including physiological as well as psychological and lifestyle changes. The loss of estrogen following menopause has several effects, not only physically, but also psychologically. Whether to take hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is one of the major decisions women during menopause or early menopause have to make. The overwhelming majority will decide against it, either out of fear of potential risks or simply to avoid unpleasant side effects. The main objective of this review paper was to investigate the effects of isoflavones in women during menopause on the hot flashes, bone mass, breast, cardiovascular diseases. Epidemiologic and clinical data suggest that soy foods can make important contributions to the health of women, particularly postmenopausal women. Soy foods potentially reduce coronary heart disease through multiple mechanisms and may be especially beneficial when consumed by young postmenopausal women.

Keywords: Menopause, hormone replacement therapy, soy isoflavones, bone health, cardiovascular disease.