  
Soy product consumption seems to protect against hot flashes
Last Updated: 2001-04-27 15:15:02 EDT (Reuters Health)
WESTPORT, CT (Reuters Health) - A dietary survey of Japanese women indicates that intake of soy products correlates inversely with menopausal hot flashes, according to a report in the April 15th issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology.
Dr. Chisato Nagata and colleagues, from Gifu University School of Medicine, in Japan, report the results of a prospective study analyzing the association between soy intake and the onset of hot flashes in 1106 women between the ages of 35 and 54 years who were premenopausal at baseline.
The researchers used a validated semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire at baseline to assess the subjects' diet, including consumption of soy products and isoflavones. They sent a follow-up mail questionnaire 6 years later asking about experiences of hot flashes.
During the study period, 101 women experienced new moderate or severe hot flashes according to the Kupperman test of menopausal distress. After controlling for age, total energy intake, and menopausal status, hot flashes were significantly inversely associated with soy product consumption and isoflavone intake.
Hazard ratios for hot flashes were 0.47 and 0.42 for high versus low tertiles of soy product and isoflavone intake, respectively, the team reports.
"Although traditional hormone replacement therapy is effective in controlling hot flashes, compliance with this therapy is not great, and there is a desire for a more natural approach to the management of menopausal symptoms," Dr. Nagata and colleagues say. "Our findings suggest that consumption of soy products is a practical strategy for preventing hot flashes."
Am J Epidemiol 2001;153:790-793.
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