Soy Isoflavones are a group of substances which have a structure similar to human estrogen, so they act as such on the body, providing benefits to women in menopause.
1. What are isoflavones?
Benefits. In addition to its antioxidant capacity, the phytoestrogen and isoflavones may be involved in reducing postmenopausal symptoms.
They are a group of plant substances present in the soy bean, a legume traditionally consumed in China, Japan and other eastern countries. Isoflavones are chemically polyphenols, a group of more than 6,000 different substances are widespread among all products of plant origin. Give color to many foods and have an antioxidant in the body.
Some polyphenols are capable of phytoestrogens, ie they can behave relatively similar to estrogen but without being so feminine and milder effects. So act as such on the agency providing benefits, especially women in menopause.
2. Why have become fashionable?
In recent years there has been an increase in consumption of soy. The nutritional power of it has remained largely ignored, but is now known that soy provides numerous health benefits.
In addition to its antioxidant capacity, the phytoestrogen and isoflavones may be involved in reducing postmenopausal symptoms. They can also assist in maintaining bone health, which makes its profits are many and very spacious.
3. What are the functions?
They have a mild estrogenic action, and that isoflavones have a chemical structure that allows them to act in the same places that estrogen, so that they act in part by supplying the same role. They help to alleviate and mitigate the effects that occur during the climacteric syndrome.
Isoflavones are also involved in the prevention of bone decalcification, as they prevent, by the estrogenic effect, the mobilization of calcium from bones. Furthermore, when the levels of oestrogenic compounds, prevents the absorption of calcium blocking that occurs when estrogen level drops in blood plasma.
Given the selective nature of their actions on the different estrogen receptors, might be true to isoflavones as selective modulators of estrogen receptors.
Their actions would be undertaken primarily in those organs and tissues in which the beta-type estrogen receptors are found in relevant quantities such as central nervous system, bone and vascular wall. Conversely, those not act on organs with preferential expression of estrogen receptor alpha, such as the breast and endometrium.
4. Where are you?
Milk. It is one of the foods you can incorporate soy isoflavones.
Currently, isoflavones can be consumed directly from:
- Soybeans
- Other vegetables
- Through the foods to which are added, such as milk, juices or yoghurt.
- You can also ingest isoflavones as nutraceuticals, ie in the form of tablets or capsules containing the active ingredient, in which case should have the supervision of a physician.
5. Benefits for Women
During the climacteric period is where most appropriate is the use of calcium, vitamin D and isoflavones. At this stage of the life of the woman produced a series of important changes in the body:
- It will produce a progressive reduction of menstrual period and the ovarian cycle.
- There is a drop in hormone levels.
- It produced a series of physical and emotional changes.
During the climacteric menopause occurs, which simply means the permanent cessation of menstruation, and retrospectively determined clinically diagnosed after 12 months of amenorrhea, preceded of perimenopause.
Due to hormonal changes, it is necessary to consider some recommendations on health and nutrition. During this phase of change, women have greater risk of osteoporosis, abnormal blood lipids and atherosclerosis, as well as an increase in weight.
For this reason, a proper eating habits before the onset of these processes can produce a decrease in the effect of hormonal changes and the prevalence of certain diseases.
