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CBN.com - Menopause is a natural stage of life all women experience as they age. And while it may be normal, it certainly doesn't feel normal. The hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings and fatigue can make menopause one of the most physically and emotionally miserable times in a woman's life. So, let's review what causes menopause, what you can expect, and how soy may help.

What Causes Menopause?

Menopause occurs when declining levels of estrogen cause changes in your periods. During menopause, ovulation (egg production) stops, causing periods to become less frequent, and eventually stopping altogether. For many women, this process begins silently somewhere around age 40. Declining estrogen levels during menopause may lead to poor vaginal and uterine health. Estrogen also helps women maintain strong bones and good cholesterol levels.

What Can I Expect?

Perimenopause - gradually declining hormone levels (mid-to-late 30's to mid 40's)

The transition to menopause is a time period known as perimenopause, a process that begins 8-10 years before menopause and marks the beginning of declining hormone production by the ovaries. In the final one to two years of perimenopause, the decrease in estrogen accelerates and many women begin to experience menopausal symptoms such as irregular menstrual periods, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and mood swings.

Menopause - cessation of menstrual periods

(late 40's to mid 50's)

At this stage, the ovaries have stopped releasing eggs and producing most of their estrogen. It's during this time women can expect to experience the bulk of menopausal symptoms. Once a woman has gone 1 full year without a menstrual period, she has made it through menopause and at this point is considered postmenopausal.

Postmenopause - increased health risks

(late 50's and beyond)

These are the years following menopause. During this stage, menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes, ease for most women. However, at this time many women begin to experience the health risks associated with the loss of estrogen during menopause such as osteoporosis and heart disease.

Speak To Your Doctor About "HRT"

Speak to your own physician to determine if Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is right for you. HRT (estrogen combined with progestin) was the standard therapy for menopause until recently when the U.S. government's National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that HRT has a host of potential side effects, including an increased risk of breast cancer, heart disease, endometrial (uterine) cancer, stroke, blood clots and gallbladder disease. For these reasons, about 60-85% of women eligible for HRT refuse to start or continue HRT. Interestingly, the NIH has found that estrogen alone does not increase breast cancer risk (only when used in combination with progestin). As expected, more women are seeking natural dietary options such as soy to support a healthier midlife transition.

Healthy Support With Soy?

While soy is not a replacement for prescription medication, fourteen clinical trials show that soy can help you manage midlife by reducing hot flashes and other common symptoms of menopause (1-10). Soy consumption has been shown to significantly improve a woman's comfort and health during perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause. A recent medical review in American Family Physician (the journal of the prestigious American Association of Family Physicians) states that, "Soy has been found to significantly reduce the incidence of hot flashes associated with menopause" (6).

Scientists became very interested in soy's potential role for menopause support after demographic studies revealed that only 9% of women living in Asia, where the diet is rich in soy, experienced hot flashes during midlife, in contrast to almost 80–90% of Western women who suffer through menopause.

Many scientists feel that soy isoflavones, which are similar to the body's estrogen in structure, may support health by lightly binding to estrogen receptors, thus, producing some of the benefits of estrogen without negative side effects.

Because soy may support menopause, energy, bone and heart health, many doctors now recommend soy as a safe, effective dietary supplement to help women support a healthy midlife transition and beyond.

Preliminary Results From a Revival Soy Study (7)

Initial results from a menopausal symptom reduction study using Revival Soy at a leading medical hospital are very positive. Participants experienced significant decreases in frequency and intensity of hot flashes, night sweats, fatigue and other menopausal symptoms after 6 weeks of daily Revival Soy use (one serving per day). Based on these initial results, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded a $1.05 million grant to the researchers to confirm the results in a larger study that is presently underway.

Revival Soy makes getting enough soy simple and delicious. With Revival Soy, you can be sure you’re getting enough soy isoflavones in your daily diet—without the soy taste. And you can take comfort in knowing you’re using the #1 doctor-recommended soy protein supplement, backed by clinical studies and many patented benefits.

Just 1 small Revival shake or protein bar gives you the amount of soy isoflavones found in 6 cups of a typical soymilk (160 milligrams). A recent panel of international soy experts recommended up to 160 milligrams of soy isoflavones per day for all of the health benefits of soy.

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References:

1. Obstetrics & Gynecology 1998 Jan;91(1):6-11. The effect of dietary soy supplementation on hot flushes. Albertazzi P, et al.

2. Soy Isoflavones Decrease Hot-Flash Frequency: A Meta-Analysis of Studies Examining Soy Protein, Soyfood, and Soy Isoflavones. M. Kurzer, et al. 5th International Symposium on the Role of Soy in Preventing and Treating Chronic Disease, Sept. 21-24th, 2003. Orlando, FL.

3. Menopause 2000 Mar-Apr;7(2):105-11. Clinical effects of a standardized soy extract in postmenopausal women: a pilot study. Scambia G, et al.

4. Obstetrics & Gynecology 2002 Mar;99(3):389-94. Benefits of soy isoflavone therapeutic regimen on menopausal symptoms. Han KK, et al.

5. Menopause 2002 Sep-Oct;9(5):329-34. Effects of a standardized soy extract on hot flushes: a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Faure ED, et al.

6. Morelli V and Naquin C. Alternative Therapies for Traditional Disease States: Menopause. AMERICAN FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 2002. Jul 1;66(1):129-134.

7. "Impact of Soy on Menopausal Symptoms" (Susan Appling, Kathleen Kelly, Jerilyn Allen), Southern Nursing Research Society (SNRS) 17th Annual Conference, Orlando, Florida, February 2003.

8. Am J Epidemiol 2001 Apr 15;153(8):790-3. Soy product intake and hot flashes in Japanese women: Results from a community-based prospective study. Nagata C, et al.

9. Obstetrics & Gynecology 2001 Jan;97(1):109-115. Soy intake related to menopausal symptoms, serum lipids, and bone mineral density in postmenopausal Japanese women. Somekawa Y, et al.

10. Nagata C, Shimizu H, Takami R, Hayashi M, Takeda N, Yasuda K, Serum concentrations of estradiol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and soy product intake in relation to psychologic well-being in peri- and postmenopausal Japanese women. Metabolism 2000 Dec;49(12):1561-4.

REVIVAL IS A DIETARY SUPPLEMENT: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Revival is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: All information is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. We can not and do not give you medical advice.