Isoflavones - Menopause - help!

[marni]

I tried giving all that up for a while but decided if I was going to miserable anyway, I would do it in style. I did quit them after 6 PM in the evening and switched to half caf coffee and espresso ( which actually has the least amount of caffeine but the best flavor) if I had to caffinate after 2 or 3 in the afternoon. Strangely enough, dark cherries seemed to help although I don't know why.

marni

[shootingstar]

Thought it was long-term diet of eating soy was what MAY benefit some women later in life not to have strong negative effects of menopause.

Meaning eating abit of soy in diet for several decades in life BEFORE menopause. (And please, this does not apply to soy sauce nor miso. Both are heavy in salt.) It doesn't mean stop eating abit of soy now, but just don't rely on the soy miracle.

I scarcely experience hot flashes..for 5-10 min. for 1-2 times per month. But a sister of mine, experiences some periodic hot flashes. Pretty mild and doesn't disturb her sleep, compared what some of you are experiencing.

[kelownagirl]

Thought it was long-term diet of eating soy was what MAY benefit some women later in life not to have strong negative effects of menopause.

Meaning eating abit of soy in diet for several decades in life BEFORE menopause. (And please, this does not apply to soy sauce nor miso. Both are heavy in salt.) It doesn't mean stop eating abit of soy now, but just don't rely on the soy miracle.

I scarcely experience hot flashes..for 5-10 min. for 1-2 times per month. But a sister of mine, experiences some periodic hot flashes. Pretty mild and doesn't disturb her sleep, compared what some of you are experiencing.

Thanks, that's a different take on it that I hadn't heard before. I agree about eating a bit of soy now and then wouldn't help much but I was hoping that taking one of the homeopathic remedies containing a measured amount of isoflavones on a regular basis might help. I will check further into what you are saying though - if that's true, then there won't be any use in taking the supplement.

[OakLeaf]

I'm wary of any refined soy products. I'm wary of soy generally - even homemade soy milk from organic beans gives me hormone problems - but being at high risk for breast cancer, I limit my consumption of refined soy products to a bit of Perpetuem on my longest runs and on supported rides that I know don't provide adequate protein at their snack stops, and that won't be passing through towns where I could buy a sandwich.

I really never had hot flashes until after my biopsy when I drastically cut my soy consumption. So it might have been preventing them, OTOH it could just have been coincidence.

#1 correlation for my hot flashes is alcohol. Not that I drink much any more (see above). But when I do, I know about it from the hot flash department.

[kelownagirl]

I was thinking the wine but I haven't been drinking any most nights for the past month coming up to my race and I'm still getting them. I'm not hormonal in the slightest so no worries there.

I'm wary of any refined soy products. I'm wary of soy generally - even homemade soy milk from organic beans gives me hormone problems - but being at high risk for breast cancer, I limit my consumption of refined soy products to a bit of Perpetuem on my longest runs and on supported rides that I know don't provide adequate protein at their snack stops, and that won't be passing through towns where I could buy a sandwich.

I really never had hot flashes until after my biopsy when I drastically cut my soy consumption. So it might have been preventing them, OTOH it could just have been coincidence.

#1 correlation for my hot flashes is alcohol. Not that I drink much any more (see above). But when I do, I know about it from the hot flash department.

[tiva]

Soy is no safer, and probably much riskier, than bioidentical hormones. Other plant hormones aren't any safer either. In fact, they're all made from essentially the same plants (soy or wild yam).

The problem with herbal supplements is that the FDA has essentially no regulatory power over them. This means you have no idea what you're getting, how strong it might be, and how contaminated it is by heavy metals, etc. Most herbal supplements are now made in China, in factories with zero regulation, grown in very contaminated soils. (Today's New York Times has a brief article on heavy metal contamination in herbal supplements: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/26/he.../26herbal.html )

Bioidentical hormones, on the other hand, ARE regulated. They are made from plants, but modified to be exactly the same as our body's own hormones. They don't contain heavy metal contamination. Plus, you can get them in a transdermal (ie, patch) form, which is much easier on your body. You can take far lower doses in a transdermal form, because it's not being broken down in your stomach.

I completely respect each individual woman's decision not to take supplemental hormones. But if you ARE going to take supplemental hormones, I think it's a lot safer to get a regulated product that doesn't contain heavy metals, and does contain what the package says it contains.

Vivelle dot and climara are both bioidentical estradiol, made from yams, available in a wide range of dosages, and much safer than soy or whatever stuff is on the counter at the health food store. (And they can do wonders for night sweats and hot flashes, even at extremely low doses). (Full disclosure: I'm a professor who researchs estrogen and endocrine disruption, and last month, I went on an extremely low dose of transdermal estradiol, because menopausal sleeplessness was driving me nuts.)

[mudmucker]

Here is another option. It may not be an agreeable one nor is it homeopathic. But if you're not sleeping.....

(I'll say this realizing you are suffering from 'regular' perimenopausal symptoms).

Women who have estrogen induced cancers such as uterine cancer can't take estrogen to help with the instant surgically induced menopause caused by a full hysterectomy, ovaries included. Hot flashes and other symptoms occur abruptly and intensely. Even bioidenticals may not be advised.

In some instances, very low dose anti-depressants can be taken, and are specifically used to prevent hot flashes although generally when women can't take estrogen. The anti-depressant at low doses addresses the vasodialation of the blood vessels that causes the hot flashes. Again, the anti-depressant isn't being administered as an anti-depressant for it's typical intended use because of the low dose.

[kelownagirl]

Wow, you sound like you've got knowledge galore. Here's a question for you. I was on the pill for most of my life and only stopped last fall when we figured out I was probably menopausal. The hot flashes started when I went off the pill. What is the difference between the hormones in the pill and the ones given for menopause? If was I never worried about taking the pill, why should I be worried about taking hormone replacement?

Thanks

Soy is no safer, and probably much riskier, than bioidentical hormones. Other plant hormones aren't any safer either. In fact, they're all made from essentially the same plants (soy or wild yam).

The problem with herbal supplements is that the FDA has essentially no regulatory power over them. This means you have no idea what you're getting, how strong it might be, and how contaminated it is by heavy metals, etc. Most herbal supplements are now made in China, in factories with zero regulation, grown in very contaminated soils. (Today's New York Times has a brief article on heavy metal contamination in herbal supplements: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/26/he.../26herbal.html )

Bioidentical hormones, on the other hand, ARE regulated. They are made from plants, but modified to be exactly the same as our body's own hormones. They don't contain heavy metal contamination. Plus, you can get them in a transdermal (ie, patch) form, which is much easier on your body. You can take far lower doses in a transdermal form, because it's not being broken down in your stomach.

I completely respect each individual woman's decision not to take supplemental hormones. But if you ARE going to take supplemental hormones, I think it's a lot safer to get a regulated product that doesn't contain heavy metals, and does contain what the package says it contains.

Vivelle dot and climara are both bioidentical estradiol, made from yams, available in a wide range of dosages, and much safer than soy or whatever stuff is on the counter at the health food store. (And they can do wonders for night sweats and hot flashes, even at extremely low doses). (Full disclosure: I'm a professor who researchs estrogen and endocrine disruption, and last month, I went on an extremely low dose of transdermal estradiol, because menopausal sleeplessness was driving me nuts.)