By IANS
New York : The humble soybean may help menopausal women reduce hot flushes without any side-effects, a new study says.
The study, by researchers at Harvard Medical School, isolated a compound in soybean that reduces the frequency as well as severity of hot flushes in menopausal women by as much as 52 percent, Sciencedaily reported.
The findings of the study appear in the latest issue of the journal Menopause.
“What we are trying to find is a safe and effective alternative to hormone therapy,” said George Blackburn, who led the study.
While hormonal therapy is effective, its long-term use could increase the risk of certain medical disorders such as coronary heart disease or stroke.
“Our study found that patients who consumed the soy supplement showed a reduction in the number of hot flushes.”
About 75 percent of all menopausal women are affected by hot flushes which are marked by the sudden, intense, feeling of heat caused by a decline in oestrogen levels.
The researchers embarked on the study to find why hot flushes are often uncommon in countries where a lot of soybeans are consumed.
They decided to test a compound found abundantly in soy germ – a daidzein-rich isoflavone-aglycone supplement(DRI). Isoflavones are phytoestrogens that exert both estrogenic and anti-estrogenic properties.
The study found that the chemical structure of this compound was similar to human oestrogen, allowing it to act as a regulatory mechanism if the body’s natural levels decreased.
The study found that the degree of improvement in women taking the DRI supplement was similar to that of alternative therapies such as a serotonin inhibitor but without their negative side effects.