Soybeans may help women deal with menopause

Researchers from Taiwan have identified a chemical in soybeans that may allow for a reduction in menopause-related effects on older women, allowing them to maintain their active lifestyles in more independent living situations.


When testing the chemical as a dietary supplement for animals in a menopausal condition, the scientists found that the compound was effective in reducing cholesterol levels and improved antioxidant levels in the liver, as well.


It also helped to maintain the vaginal lining in the study participants, they noted, and does not increase estrogen, as some hormone replacement therapies do.


The chemical SAI "has weak oestrogenic properties and we've shown here that menopause-related syndromes can be prevented or improved by dietary supplementation with the compounds it contains," says lead author Robin Chiou.


Another component of the soybean was linked by Hong Kong scientists to an improvement in the ability of arteries to pump blood in stroke victims by increasing the dilation of the artery.


More than 40 million women in the U.S.

are over the age of 50, when many pre-menopause symptoms begin, according to national census statistics.


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