Soybean secret? Vegan diet eases hot flashes by 92% in menopausal women, study finds

From interestingengineering.com/health

The Menopause Society highlights plant-based diets rich in soy as effective for managing hot flashes and lowering heart disease and cancer risks 

A new study reveals that a low-fat vegan diet—regardless of how processed the food is—can significantly reduce hot flashes and support weight loss in women going through midlife.

Conducted by The Menopause Society, the research highlights the potential health benefits of plant-based eating during this transitional stage.

However, some plant-based foods are highly processed, so the researchers wanted to assess how that would factor into the overall equation.

Building on previous studies, they designed their latest investigation into plant-based diets to assess how processed vegan food might deter these benefits.

                                                            Closeup of heap of dried soybeans poured from burlap bag.    iStock

The verdict is in: a plant-based diet is better for women in mid-life

Eighty-four participants were randomly assigned to a low-fat vegan diet supplemented with soybeans or an omnivorous control group (42 people) for 12 weeks. Three-day diet records were analysed using the Nutrition Data System for Research software.

Research has shown that a plant-based diet, specifically one supplemented with soybeans, could reduce menopause symptoms. However, other studies have shown that ultra-processed foods increased calorie intake and weight gain compared to unprocessed foods.

“This is because ultraprocessed foods often have a higher energy density, meaning they are more calorie-rich for their size. Ultraprocessed foods are also often high in added sugars, unhealthy fats, and sodium, while being low in fibre and other essential nutrients,” the Menopause Society said in a recent press release.

With that in mind, they pursued a second line of investigation to assess whether the degree to which vegan food is processed might affect its efficacy in reducing these pesky menopause aggravators.

Regardless of how much the plant-based food was processed, it reduced menopausal symptoms.

“After 12 weeks,” the Menopause Society continued, “severe hot flashes were reduced by 92% in the vegan group and did not change significantly in the control group.”

“What mattered most was whether the food consumed was animal- or plant-based, thus confirming the researchers’ hypothesis that animal- and plant-based foods would affect body weight differently even if they were equally processed. This analysis may have significant implications for specific dietary recommendations for menopausal women,” study authors wrote.

Women: go plant-based

Women go into menopause between 45 and 55, typically around 52 years old. Emotional and physical symptoms can become severe, such as hot flashes, sleep problems, and mood changes.

Research in recent years has attempted to understand how diet might alleviate some of the problems this change in the female body can cause.

The most recent study confirmed it: a plant-based diet works, and the benefits for women extend far beyond the symptoms.

“This study highlights the potential positive effects of a plant-based diet rich in soy (regardless of the level of processing) in terms of both hot flash and weight management. Given these and the other known benefits of lowering heart disease and cancer risk, women in midlife should consider leaning into a plant-based diet,” Dr. Stephanie Faubion, medical director for The Menopause Society, said in a press release.

Plant-based diets tend to be the healthiest. In this case, they could even help a woman’s body thwart other health risks.

The study was published in the journal Menopause.

https://interestingengineering.com/health/vegan-diet-reduces-menopause-symptoms