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What are Isoflavones? Isoflavones are the “active ingredient” of soya products. They belong to a class of substances called “phytoestrogens” meaning, literally, “plant oestrogens”. They are given this name because they occur naturally in plants and have similar hormonal effects to the body’s own oestrogen, although many hundreds of times weaker. Isoflavones are also thought to provide extra protection during the ageing process due to their antioxidant properties.
Why Soya Isoflavones? Isoflavones are present in many foods, particularly pulses like chickpeas and lentils. Soya beans, however, represent one of the richest concentrations of isoflavones in the human diet. Eastern cultures, who use large amounts of soya products in their diets, suffer considerably less “hormonally-sensitive” cancers than Western populations and this is attributed to their intake of the isoflavones present in soya.1
Why are Soya Isoflavones recommended for symptoms of the Menopause? The Isoflavones in Soya have been shown to balance the female hormone oestrogen, increasing it when it when it is low and decreasing it when it is too high2. This makes them especially relevant to treatment of menopausal symptoms, since at the time of the menopause, the oestrogen level in a woman’s body falls significantly. A sudden fall in oestrogen levels can result in thinning and weakening of bone tissue, which may ultimately lead to osteoporosis. Isofalvones have also received impressive testimonials with regards to hot flushes3 and vaginal dryness.4
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