Some Women Who Eat Soy Experience Fewer Hot Flashes

Want fewer hot flashes? Then soy may be the answer--at least for some women. Scientists have found that women whose bodies can produce the soy metabolite equol experience fewer hot flashes when soy is part of their diet.

In order to examine how soy might impact women, scientists surveyed women from the ages of 45 to 55 who ate soy foods at least three times a week. The participants recorded how many and how severe and bothersome their hot flashes and night sweats were and also had their hot flashes measured with a skin monitor. In addition, the researchers used urine tests to find out which women produced equol, which is metabolized from the soy isoflavone diazden by bacteria in the gut.

In all, the researchers included 357 participants in the study, 34 percent of whom were equol producers. Among these producers, those who had the most soy in their diet were 76 percent less likely to report a higher than average number of hot flashes and night sweats than those who had the least soy in their diet.

"Women who are interested in trying dietary soy for their hot flashes can do their own experiment by incorporating it as a healthy food in their diet," said Margery Gass, one of the researchers, in a news release. "If it doesn't help in four to six weeks, they can assume it probably won't and can try other lifestyle or medical therapies for their hot flashes."

The findings reveal that for some women, soy could help with hot flashes. This is a relatively easy component to incorporate into a diet, which means that women could find an effective way to combat hot flashes.

The findings are published in the journal Menopause.