Isoflavones
Isoflavones are critical phytoestrogens because of their ability to exert high levels of estrogenic activity while in the body. By replicating estrogen and acting like a gentle form of human estrogen isoflavones benefits are:
- Alleviates symptoms associated with menopause
- Promotes healthy bone mass and prevents osteoporosis
- Reduces the risk of heart disease
- Reduces cholesterol levels
- Promotes healthy cells and reduces risk of cancer
- Promotes healthy breast cells
In addition to their high isoflavone content, legumes such as soybeans, lentils, and chick- peas, have a high level of protein. It is the high protein content that has placed legumes as the primary protein source - instead of meat - in the diets of many cultures. This is in contrast to the typical American diet that relies on meat as its dietary source of protein. Because of the low level of plant-based products in the American diet, the amount of isoflavones are low when compared to the Asian culture.
Isoflavones are absorbed and move throughout the body. Ultimately, isoflavones are excreted in the urine. It takes about two days to lose most of the isoflavones that you eat in a meal, although about half of those isoflavones are eliminated in approximately 12 hours.
Many studies have made a correlation between the lower rates of breast cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, and symptoms of menopause with the high rate of isoflavones, protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and the low quantities of saturated fat in the Asian diet.
In the United States 80-85 percent of women experience menopausal symptoms including hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness. In Japan, where soy products are a dietary staple, only 10-15 percent of women experience these symptoms. Not only are women in the United States more likely to experience menopausal symptoms but there is a higher incidence of breast cancer.
A study of 1, 242 men and 3, 596 women showed that an increased intake of soy product resulted in a decreased total of cholesterol level concentration.
In a study of postmenopausal women who took 60 grams of isolated soy protein powder daily, there was a 26% reduction in the mean number of hot flashes by week three, a 33% reduction by week four, and a 45% reduction by week 12.
There was a substantial reduction in the risk of breast cancer among women with a high intake of phytoestrogens, particularly the isoflavonic phytoestrogen, equol, found in soy, and the lignan, enterolactone, found in flaxseed.
There are four types of estrogenic isoflavones: Genistein, Daidzein, Formononetin, and Biochanin.
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