It is important that a woman tell her doctor if she is using any herbs or plant-based therapies. Herbs may work against, decrease or increase the effect of, other medicines she is taking. These herbal therapies can be found in teas, creams, pills and drops. Herbal medicine companies cannot state that an herb helps or cures a medical problem without FDA approval. The use of Soy products is one specific plant-based therapies of interest to women who experience menopause either from the aging process or induced by the removal of reproductive organs.
Soy beans have a form of estrogen in their cells.
It is slightly different chemically from both the synthetic and natural estrogen used in prescription ERT therapies. There are two basic concerns in using this therapy. First is that the level of plant estrogen varies significantly from soy product to soy product. Without true clinical trials and FDA approval, the safety and effectiveness of this treatment is unknown. The National Women's Health Network distributes educational materials on a variety of women's health topics.