Four trials that were not combined in meta-analyses suggested that extracts with high ( > 30 mg/d ) levels of genistein consistently reduced the frequency of hot flushes .
BACKGROUND Vasomotor symptoms , such as hot flushes and night sweats , are very common during the menopausal transition .
Hormone therapy has traditionally been used as a highly effective treatment , but concerns about increased risk of some chronic diseases have markedly increased the interest of women in alternative treatments .
Some of the most popular of these treatments are foods or supplements enriched with phytoestrogens-plant-derived chemicals that have estrogenic action .
OBJECTIVES To assess the efficacy , safety and acceptability of food products , extracts and dietary supplements containing high levels of phytoestrogens when compared with no treatment , placebo or hormone therapy for the amelioration of vasomotor menopausal symptoms ( such as hot flushes and night sweats ) in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women .
Effects and safety of Pueraria mirifica on lipid profiles and biochemical markers of bone turnover rates in healthy postmenopausal women
Objective : To evaluate the effect of Pueraria mirifica on lipid profiles and biochemical markers of bone turnover rates in healthy postmenopausal women and to evaluate the safety of Pueraria mirifica on endometrium ; breast tissue ; and hematologic , hepatic , and renal systems . Design : This was a r and omized , double-blind , placebo-controlled study in a university hospital of healthy postmenopausal women aged 45 to 60 years old . Women were enrolled voluntarily and r and omly received 20 , 30 , or 50 mg Pueraria mirifica in capsules or identical placebo once daily for 24 weeks . Outcome measures were lipid profiles , bone-specific alkaline phosphatase level , endometrial thickness , endometrial histology , breast ultrasonography , complete blood count , liver function test , and renal function test . Results : After 24 weeks of treatment , 71 women were evaluated . Of the 71 women , 51 r and omly received varying doses of Pueraria mirifica and 20 received placebo . Pueraria mirifica and placebo significantly increased triglyceride levels by 15 % from baseline levels ( P < 0.05 ) . The Pueraria mirifica group showed a significant decrease in bone-specific alkaline phosphatase levels after 24 weeks of treatment compared with the placebo group ; from 0.22 ± 0.18 U/L to 0.13 ± 0.01 U/L in the Pueraria mirifica group and from 0.20 ± 0.10 U/L to 0.20 ± 0.14 U/L in the placebo group . Endometrial thickness did not change after treatment in both groups ( P > 0.05 ) . No endometrial proliferation or hyperplasia was reported after 24 weeks of treatment in both groups . There were no significant differences in adverse effects on breast tissue , complete blood count , and liver and renal function tests between the Pueraria mirifica and placebo groups in this study . Conclusion : Pueraria mirifica at a dose of 20 , 30 , and 50 mg/d for a 24-week period demonstrated an estrogen-like effect on bone turnover rate . Pueraria mirifica did not demonstrate an estrogen-like effect on endometrial thickness and endometrial histology . Mild adverse effects occurred after Pueraria mirifica and placebo treatment
Four trials that were not combined in meta-analyses suggested that extracts with high ( > 30 mg/d ) levels of genistein consistently reduced the frequency of hot flushes .
BACKGROUND Vasomotor symptoms , such as hot flushes and night sweats , are very common during the menopausal transition .
Hormone therapy has traditionally been used as a highly effective treatment , but concerns about increased risk of some chronic diseases have markedly increased the interest of women in alternative treatments .
Some of the most popular of these treatments are foods or supplements enriched with phytoestrogens-plant-derived chemicals that have estrogenic action .
OBJECTIVES To assess the efficacy , safety and acceptability of food products , extracts and dietary supplements containing high levels of phytoestrogens when compared with no treatment , placebo or hormone therapy for the amelioration of vasomotor menopausal symptoms ( such as hot flushes and night sweats ) in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women .