Estrogen therapy helps alleviate vasomotor symptoms, like hot flashes. Additionally, it prevents osteoporosis – however, its use increases risks such as breast cancer, blood clots and heart disease.
Estrogen combined with progestin (HRT) can lower these risks; however, some women prefer not taking estrogen pills due to complicated dosing schedules or dosing difficulties.
1. Phytoestrogens
Phytoestrogens, or phytoestrogens, are estrogen-like chemicals found in plants. They mimic the action of estrogen hormone which plays an essential role in women’s health regulating sexual hormones, strengthening bones, and supporting one’s libido. Women should maintain adequate levels of estrogen to avoid health issues.
Phytoestrogen supplements may help alleviate menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats; however, their effectiveness remains unclear due to small sample sizes, lack of control groups and differences between types and amounts of phytoestrogens used; in addition dietary phytoestrogens can cause adverse side effects.
One factor contributing to these mixed results may be phytoestrogens’ potential interference with how the body produces estrogen itself. When women consume phytoestrogens, their hypothalamus sends signals to the pituitary gland telling it to produce more estrogen; but too many phytoestrogens could actually have the opposite effect and be counterproductive.
Too much estrogen can lead to premenstrual syndrome. Furthermore, phytoestrogens interact with hormones like glucocorticoids and serotonin; therefore it’s important to know exactly how much of this compound exists in your body before taking supplements.
Soy products like tempeh, tofu, miso and soy milk contain phytoestrogens; other sources include flaxseeds (and certain fruits and vegetables), lignans from flaxseeds as well as some fruits and vegetables; coumestans found in alfalfa and clover; as well as resorcylic acid lactones produced by certain grains and legumes by fungi; the most extensively studied of these phytoestrogens is genistein.
Contrary to human estrogens, phytoestrogens tend to have weaker effects on the body and cannot bind directly to estrogen receptors; they still may have other biological benefits such as inhibiting cell growth, lowering cholesterol and decreasing heart disease risk.
If you are considering trying phytoestrogens, speak to your physician first. They can give advice about the optimal dosage to use and ways to avoid potential side effects. If you decide to proceed, start slowly by starting with low dosage levels for three months before increasing or decreasing dosage as necessary.
2. Phytoestrogen Supplements
Phytoestrogens are weak estrogen-like compounds found naturally in many foods, particularly soybeans. Concentrations are often found in traditional soy products like soymilk, tofu and tempeh, but phytoestrogens may also be extracted and sold as supplements regulated under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act. Many dietary phytoestrogens have been touted to offer various health benefits – reducing risk for heart disease, osteoporosis, menopause symptoms as well as reduced risks related to these. With molecular and cellular properties similar to synthetic endocrine disruptors, phytoestrogens have attracted extensive research as researchers investigate either potential positive or negative health impacts associated with them.
Isoflavones, which are among the most frequently consumed dietary phytoestrogens, have long been thought of as potential estrogen mimics, prompting many experts to advise women at risk of breast cancer to steer clear of isoflavone-containing phytoestrogens such as isoflavones. While animal studies show some preventive benefits for these compounds, animal research showing increased cell proliferation has raised enough alarm that these should be avoided by those at high risk.
While most individuals can obtain all of the nutrients required for healthy phytoestrogen intake through diet alone, many women may choose dietary phytoestrogen supplements as an alternative to estrogen replacement therapy. Some reasons might be fearing side effects associated with estrogen usage or having an allergy; other women may want a natural hormone-free alternative for relieving menopausal symptoms.
Be sure to inform your physician of all medications or herbal products you are currently taking that could interact with phytoestrogens as taking too many can cause unpredictable side effects.
Frequent or daily consumption of whole soy foods such as edamame, tofu, and tempeh can help decrease vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes and night sweats). Other plant sources of phytoestrogens include sesame seeds and dried apricots; sesame seeds can also be added to salads or smoothies for additional phytoestrogen intake. If possible, choose organic non-GMO versions when choosing soy products to help ease vasomotor symptoms.
3. Phytoestrogen Creams
Phytoestrogens are natural plant-derived substances which have been demonstrated to offer numerous health advantages. Most frequently cited among them is relieving vasomotor menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats, while they may also protect against heart disease, bone loss (osteoporosis) and lower breast cancer risks.
Studies have demonstrated that phytoestrogens may be as effective as estrogen replacement therapy in treating menopausal symptoms. Unfortunately, their effects are complicated and results have varied widely between trials; thus it is recommended that women consult their healthcare provider prior to beginning any phytoestrogen therapy regimen.
Soy is an excellent source of phytoestrogens. Unprocessed soybeans contain isoflavones, the best-studied phytoestrogen. Isoflavones convert into biologically active estrogenic compounds in the body, with 40-50 milligrams per day being recommended as being beneficial. Keep in mind though, isoflavone levels differ widely by brand, processing method and season so it can be hard to know exactly how much phytoestrogens you’re actually consuming.
Studies on phytoestrogens have primarily focused on either oral or topical application. Topical application allows for targeted action on the skin, potentially mitigating some side effects associated with systemic hormone replacement therapy such as blood clots and hypertension. Furthermore, applying phytoestrogens directly to skin may reduce inflammation associated with menopausal skin quality issues that worsen over time.
One study’s authors observed that adding phytoestrogen cream with genistein significantly enhanced the skin condition of perimenopausal women. This improvement may have been attributable to phytoestrogens being natural compounds with lower potential side effects when compared to systemic estrogen replacement therapy; thus making local administration of phytoestrogens an alternative therapeutic strategy for combatting skin aging among perimenopausal women.
4. Phytoestrogen Sprays
Studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of phytoestrogen spray to decrease hot flashes. Phytoestrogens, natural plant estrogens that mimic oestrogen on the body, have been proven to relieve symptoms including hot flashes and night sweats. Their easy use can treat various other symptoms related to menopause including heart disease, osteoporosis and other related conditions. Phytoestrogens may even help prevent or treat heart disease or osteoporosis related conditions that arise as part of menopause related conditions associated with menopause such as osteoporosis or menopause-related conditions related to menopause affecting menopause conditions related to menopause affecting women.
Research has demonstrated that declining estrogen levels among perimenopausal women contribute significantly to degeneration of skin quality. Hormone replacement therapy has shown to positively influence skin quality by preventing collagen concentration decrease, restoring elasticity, and aiding wound healing; however, systemic estrogens may increase risks such as cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, and breast cancer.
As such, this has encouraged researchers to examine the possibility of more targeted and localized administration of estrogens and phytoestrogens as a potential way of more efficiently treating symptoms associated with menopausal women while simultaneously decreasing side effects associated with systemic hormone replacement therapies.
Studies have demonstrated that genistein, an extract derived from soy beans, acts like an oestrogen in the skin. Topical application of genistein also helps prevent degeneration associated with aging processes and restore skin elasticity, improving migration of keratinocytes and hastening wound healing processes.
The authors conclude from their study that phytoestrogen mixture can provide an effective alternative to estrogen replacement therapy in perimenopausal women with late-onset asthma. As fluctuations in female steroid levels during menstruation and menopause are correlated with asthma symptoms in these women, developing safe cosmetic products containing phytoestrogens could be of great value to them. Furthermore, phytoestrogens as plant compounds offer less side effects and thus make topical administration safer than ever.
