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Summary

Plant that can be used against symptoms linked to menopause, thanks to its content in phytohormones. It is often presented in capsule form.

names

Portuguese name: Soja, soy isoflavone
Binomial name: Glycine max (L . ) Merr., 1917
French name: Soja , soya
English name: soya (bean)
German name: Soja
Italian name: soia

Family

Fabaceae

Constituents

Phytohormones (soy isoflavones), genistein, phospholipids.

parts used

germs

effects of soy

For internal use (in pills)
Hormonal regulator thanks to phytohormones (understanding the reaction mechanism requires further research).

For external use (in cream,.. )
Moisturizing effect of soybean oil.

Indications

Internal use (in pills or in the form of food)

In therapy
Symptoms linked to pre-menopause, menopause ,  cholesterol , endometriosis .

In prevention
According to a study (March 2007), women who regularly consume soy-based products are 3 to 4 times less likely to be at risk of having a heart attack or crisis .

For external use (in cream,…)
Dry skin (in the form of soybean oil).

Secundary effects

Read the leaflet and ask a specialist for advice.

contraindications

Breast cancer, pregnancy, breastfeeding, children. Read the leaflet or leaflet and seek specialist advice.

Interactions

Read the leaflet and ask a specialist for advice.

Soy-based preparations

– Soy capsules

– Soy-based vaginal gel

– Soy-based cream or lotion

Where does soy grow?

Soybeans grow best in Asia and temperate zones, especially in the subtropics. Soy is currently grown in large quantities mainly in the Americas (Brazil, Argentina and the United States). You should know that this plant does not tolerate low temperatures, as is the case in continental Europe, which is why it grows mainly in subtropical areas, such as in the north and in the famous Argentine Pampas (wide area in the west and south of Buenos Aires) or in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul in Brazil.

Soy is native to Asia and was first cultivated in Greece. It can grow up to 2 meters in height.

Comments

– A soy-based diet has a favorable effect on menopausal and pre-menopausal symptoms. In fact, soy (which we find in tofu, for example) is made up of phytohormones, more precisely isoflavones, molecules that have almost the same effect as estrogens and can have a beneficial effect on menopausal symptoms and even on the its long-term consequences, such as cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis.

A study published on June 21, 2016, in the specialized journal JAMA , showed that the use of medicinal plants such as soy, cimicifuga, red clover, certain plants of traditional Chinese medicine or molecules from plants such as isoflavones, which are phytoestrogens, was associated with a modest decrease in the frequency of hot flashes and lack of vaginal lubrication in menopausal women. In contrast, the effect of these plants or natural remedies on night sweats was negligible, according to the researchers.
This research work, notably carried out by the Erasmus University Medical Center , in Rotterdam (Netherlands), analyzed more than 60 published studies on this topic, totaling more than 6,000 women.

– In a July 2020 special edition of the French journal Science & Vie on medicinal plants, which studied the effectiveness of 77 medicinal plants, soy was considered a plant with probable and unproven effectiveness against menopausal symptoms: hot flashes, Vaginal dryness or night sweats. In arriving at this conclusion, S&V journalists relied primarily on a Cochrane study on soy published in 2013, which found modest effects of soy on menopausal symptoms.

– The beneficial role of soy for the prevention and/or treatment of menopausal symptoms comes from a finding made on Asian women (Japanese,…) who eat a lot of soy throughout their lives. In fact, these women have fewer menopause-related symptoms than Western women, hence the interest and suggestion for women in Europe, the United States and Latin America to eat more soy.

– Two more points to emphasize demonstrate a certain prudence on this subject: first, it may be about genetic factors that characterize Asian women and their improvement in general health in the period of menopause. Furthermore, these women have had a soy-based diet since childhood, so if a Western woman who eats soy only in menopause (that is, only after a certain age) will her symptoms be positively influenced? The answer remains open, however, soy can be considered a healthy food and unless it is abused, it will not do you any harm, as it plays a favorable role on cholesterol.

– Soy helps to prevent breast cancer in women who have never suffered from this disease and also helps to reduce the risk of recurrence in women already affected by this type of cancer.

Soy, rich in isoflavones, should ideally be consumed in the form of foods such as tofu or organic tempeh, avoiding capsules or food supplements that do not have the same effect.

A Chinese study showed that women with a history of breast cancer who consumed 11 grams of soy protein a day could reduce their risk of death and recurrence by about 30%.

– Soy isoflavone is on the list of medicines offered by the SUS (Unified Health System) in Brazil.

– Soy is an oilseed. It plays a very important role in the culinary culture of some Asian countries, such as Japan with foods such as tofu, daizu or shoyu.

– In traditional Chinese medicine, soy is especially used against fever, headaches and insomnia.

– Soy is one of the main export products of the two main countries in Latin America, Argentina and Brazil. In these countries, especially in the Argentine pampas and southwestern Brazil, there are huge areas dedicated to soy. These seeds are then exported all over the world by sea, especially to Asia. The main objective of soy is to feed livestock for meat production, but also poultry. We know that for 1 kg of meat, about 7 kg of grains are consumed, such as soybeans.

With the rise of Asian economies, including China, world demand for soybeans increased considerably in the years 2000 to 2010. Meanwhile this has contributed to the wealth of some farmers, mainly in North and South America, which is a source of concern for environmentalists, because the transfer of soy from one continent to another has an important ecological cost, since transport is done by truck from the producing areas to the nearest port (eg Santos, in the state of São Paulo, in Brazil ) and transferred by ship across oceans.

Furthermore, as with any agricultural crop, water consumption is very high and, especially in South America, soy fields have often invaded the forest (eg Amazon) and other protected lands such as the Brazilian cerrado.

It should also be noted that currently most of the soybean crop comes from GMO (genetically modified organisms) seeds. In the US, it is estimated that 85% of soy is from GMO. GMOs have increased the nutrient content of soybean seeds and crop productivity. However, GMOs not only have advantages, one of the disadvantages is the total dependence of farmers on buying soybean seeds from multinationals that market them, in addition to possible undesirable effects on health that are still being studied.

Jeanne Kenney
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I’m a stylist trainer, a content creator, and an entrepreneur passion. Virgo sign and Pisces ascendant, I move easily between my dreams, the crazy world I want, and my feet on the ground to carry out my projects.

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