| Hot flashes and night sweats are the most common | | | | compared to a 20% reduction in the placebo group. |
| symptom of menopause in 50-70% of menopausal | | | | A fourth clinical intervention study was conducted by |
| women in developed countries and estrogen | | | | Elliott (2009) with 84 Canadian postmenopausal |
| hormone replacement therapy is a highly effective | | | | women who received 30 mg of pure synthetic |
| hot flashes treatment. However, in recent years the | | | | genistein or a placebo for 12 weeks. After 12 |
| use of estrogen hormone therapy has been | | | | weeks the women on genistein had a 51% reduction |
| substantially reduced due to the finding in the large | | | | on hot flashes and night sweats compared to only |
| Women's Health Initiative study that it increases risk | | | | 27% for the women in the placebo, a highly |
| of stroke and breast cancer. Thus, there is a need | | | | significant difference. Compared to placebo, this |
| for a safe and non-hormonal alternative for hot | | | | reduction in hot flashes at 12 weeks was a net |
| flashes treatment. One of the most highly studied | | | | reduction of 24% which is very similar to the 29% |
| alternatives is soybean isoflavones. It was suspected | | | | net reduction seen in the Crisafulli (2004) study after |
| that soybeans contain compounds that provide | | | | 12 weeks. What is particularly noteworthy about |
| menopausal relief since Asian countries where | | | | this study is that the dose was 30 mg versus 54 mg |
| soybean consumption is much higher than in Western | | | | in the Italy studies and a daily genistein intake of 30 |
| counties only 20-25% of postmenopausal women | | | | mg falls well within the range consumed by Asians |
| experience hot flashes and night sweats. | | | | who eat traditional soy foods.The genistein used in |
| Soy isoflavones are naturally occurring in soybeans | | | | this study is branded as geniVida, a product of DSM |
| and consist of three compounds called | | | | Nutritional Products. It is 99% pure, soy-free, |
| genistein,daidzein, and glycitein which make up | | | | allergen-free and has an extensive package of safety |
| approximately 50, 40, and 10% of the total soybean | | | | studies in animals and humans which demonstrate it is |
| isoflavone content, respectively. Since the mid 1990s, | | | | safe for daily use. |
| dozens of studies have been conducted with | | | | The geniVida used in the above study is now |
| isoflavones to determine if they will alleviate | | | | available in a new product for hot flash relief called |
| menopausal symptoms. However, the findings have | | | | i-cool. To learn more about i-cool and purchase go |
| been very mixed and it was observed only recently | | | | to |
| those soy products with genistein as the major | | | | References Cited: |
| isoflavone were consistently effective and those | | | | Crisafulli A, Marini H, Bitto A, Altavilla D, Squadrito G, |
| with daidzein as the major isoflavone were mostly | | | | Romeo A, Adamo EB, Marini R, D'Anna R, et al. |
| ineffective. This observation has now been | | | | Effects of genistein on hot flushes in early |
| confirmed in three published clinical intervention | | | | postmenopausal women: a randomized, double-blind |
| studies in Italy and one recent clinical study in Canada | | | | EPT- and placebo-controlled study. Menopause |
| with postmenopausal women given pure genistein | | | | 2004;11:400-4. |
| that taken together prove its value in hot flash | | | | D'Anna R, Cannata ML, Atteritano M, Cancellieri F, |
| treatment. | | | | Corrado F, Baviera G, Triolo O, Antico F, Gaudio A, et |
| In the first study by Crisafulli (2004) 98 | | | | al. Effects of the phytoestrogen genistein on hot |
| postmenopausal women had hot flash reductions | | | | flushes, endometrium, and vaginal epithelium in |
| greater than placebo of 22, 29 and 24% after 3, 6 | | | | postmenopausal women: a 1-year randomized, |
| and 12 months, respectively. In a second study by | | | | double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Menopause |
| D'Anna (2007, 2009) 389 postmenopausal women | | | | 2007;14:648-55. |
| were given 54 mg/day of genistein or a placebo over | | | | D'Anna R, Cannata ML, Marini H, Atteritano M, |
| 2 years. Hot flashes and night sweats were | | | | Cancellieri F, Corrado F, Triolo O, Rizzo P, Russo S, |
| reduced in the genistein group after one month and | | | | Gaudio A, Frisina N, Bitto A, Polito F, Minutoli L, |
| reached 56.5% after 12 months but did not decrease | | | | Altavilla D, Adamo EB, Squadrito F. Effects of the |
| further in the second year. A third study by | | | | phytoestrogen genistein on hot flushes, endometrium, |
| Albertazzi (2005) gave 90 mg/day of genistein or | | | | and vaginal epithelium in postmenopausal women: a |
| placebo to 100 postmenopausal women for 6 | | | | 2-year randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled |
| weeks. Women who had more than 9 hot flashes | | | | study. Menopause 2009;16:301-6. |
| per day had a 31.25% reduction in the genistein group | | | | |