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SECOND INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM
ON THE ROLE OF SOY
IN PREVENTING AND TREATING CHRONIC DISEASESeptember 15-18, 1996
Brussells, Belgium
SCIENTIFIC PROGRAM
(Oral Abstracts)Hormonal effects of Soy
Postmenopausal StudiesEffect of a Dietary Soy Bar on Menopausal Symptoms
M.N. Woods, R. Senie, and F. Kronenberg.
Health Nutrition Unit, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusettes.Background. Epidemiological data indicated that Asian women reported lower levels of hot flashes compared to Western women. The high consumption of soy products by the Asian women, which is known to contain high levels of phytoestrogens (plant estrogens), was considered as an explanation for this difference in experiencing hot flashes. No scientific study had investigated the relationship between soy intake, serum hormones and number of hot flashes.
Methods. Women, ages 44-57, reporting daily menopausal symptoms of hot flashes were recruited for the study. Screening records documented the number of hot flashes each day and women with low (<2/day) versus high (>5/day) levels of hot flashes were identified. Blood samples were collected to verify menopausal status by FSH and LH and to determine baseline estrogen levels. Women experiencing high symptomatology were randomized into either a soy or placebo bar study group. Two dietary soy bars, the daily allotment, contained 40 mg. of phytoestrogens. The women consumed the bars for a minimum of 12 weeks. Number of daily hot flashes were recorded for the entire time period and the time of each event was recorded during one week. Blood was obtained during week 12 for the determination of FSH, LH, E1, E2, E1-SO4, free E2, Androstenedione, Testosterone and Sex-Hormone- Building-Globulin.
Results. Preliminary data indicates great within person variability in menopausal symptoms on a daily and monthly basis. The range of hot flashes reported in the women with high symptomatology was 4-18/day. The difference in reported number of symptoms between the baseline and soy treatment indicated a small decrease in menopausal symptoms while on the soy (-1.7 hot flashes/day + 3.9, SD).
Conclusions. Great variability exists in the experiencing of hot flashes in menopausal women. Soy may have a small effect on the level of reported hot flashes.
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