Menopause under control: The Power of Isoflavones

Surely you have heard about soy isoflavones and their multiple benefits for women, especially in key stages such as menopause or during hormonal changes. In fact, it is possible that someone around you, whether a family member, friend or acquaintance, is taking them or has consumed them at some point to take advantage of their properties. What are they used for? How can they benefit you? How can you incorporate them into your diet? We solve all these doubts for you in today's article!

What are isoflavones and how are they similar to estrogens?
Advantages in female hormonal regulation and other benefits:
Food sources of isoflavones.

What are isoflavones and how are they similar to estrogens?

Isoflavones are natural compounds from the flavonoid family, chemical substances of plant origin with antioxidant properties. They are mainly found in legumes and are known to have a chemical structure similar to estrogens, the female sex hormones manufactured by our body.

However, there are several aspects that differentiate isoflavones from estrogens, especially in terms of structure and function. Although chemically they are very similar, since they do not have identical structures, isoflavones have less affinity to bind to the estrogen receptors in the body. Therefore, isoflavones can imitate the action of estrogens in the body, but generally with somewhat weaker effects as explained in the previous point. This is very useful for relieving menopause symptoms or improving bone health, nothing more, nothing less.

Estrogens, on the other hand, have a more powerful and direct action on estrogen receptors in various parts of the body, such as the uterus, breasts and bones, which is why they are essential for the development and maintenance of secondary sexual characteristics in women. women and for the regulation of the menstrual cycle, in addition to influencing fertility, bone, cardiovascular and cognitive health throughout life. Estrogens, on the other hand, have a more powerful and direct action on estrogen receptors in various parts of the body, such as the uterus, breasts and bones, which is why they are essential for the development and maintenance of secondary sexual characteristics in women and for the regulation of the menstrual cycle, in addition to influencing fertility, bone, cardiovascular and cognitive health throughout life.

Advantages in female hormonal regulation and other benefits:

As we have said, due to their structural similarity, isoflavones have the ability to bind to the body's estrogen receptors, which gives them certain estrogenic effects (that is, similar to those of estrogen) or antiestrogenic effects, capable of blocking certain effects of female hormones. These properties influence:

• Bone health: Some research suggests that isoflavones may help maintain bone density and prevent osteoporosis, especially in postmenopausal women. This is achieved by optimizing intestinal calcium absorption and reducing the formation of osteoclasts, the cells responsible for bone resorption.
• Menopause symptoms: its potential to relieve hot flashes and other symptoms related to menopause has been studied, due to its great ability to act on estrogen receptors in certain organs.
• Heart health: the antioxidant effects of isoflavones would protect the arterial wall, which could attenuate the development of atherosclerosis and help prevent cardiovascular diseases.
• Defenses: isoflavones can help improve the function of the immune system through their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and hormonal modulating properties, especially in contexts of aging or chronic inflammation.

The role they could play in the prevention of some types of cancer needs to continue to be studied (at the moment, supplementation is not recommended when you have had hormone-dependent cancer, due to lack of studies).

Food sources of isoflavones

The most notable sources of isoflavones would be foods derived from soy, such as bean sprouts, tempeh, soy drink, textured soybeans, edamame.

Also, you have alternative foods to soy that contain it in interesting quantities:

• Legumes: such as beans, chickpeas, lentils and peas.
• Fruits: such as blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries
• Vegetables: such as alfalfa sprouts and cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, and collards)
• Seeds: flax seeds and sesame seeds.
• Aromatic plants: such as fennel, anise, thyme or sage (well known as infusions at this stage of life).

We also have at our disposal dietary supplements that contain concentrates of these phytoestrogens.

At Ana María Lajusticia® we offer you Isoflavones with Magnesium + Vitamin E, a food supplement that contains 40 mg of isoflavones, in addition to magnesium and vitamin E. It is advisable to take one capsule in the morning during premenopause or menopause, to help control symptoms of these stages of life (hot flashes, excessive sweating, dry skin, mood swings, etc.), strengthen tissues, reduce physical and mental fatigue, protect cells against to oxidative damage and improve blood circulation.