The Health Diva

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• Higher Nature True Food Super Potency Soyagen
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• Research Articles About Isoflavones

Far Eastern countries that regularly eat soya have noticeably lower levels of several life threatening diseases, including breast cancer, prostate cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis.

Researchers investigating these lower disease rates focused on the increased intake of soya based foods in the Japanese diet, as having a significant health benefit. Japanese people often eat an average of 30 grams of soya isoflavones per day, whereas the average European diet contain less than 4mg daily.

Many of the health benefits of soya are derived from several plant oestrogens called isoflavones. The active isoflavones in soya are called Genistein, Diadzein, and Glycetein.

The chemical structure of isoflavones is very similar to that of our own oestrogen, however plant oestrogens are gentle and can interact with our human oestrogen receptors, helping to modify the effects of insufficient or excess oestrogen in the body, bring it more into balance.

Isoflavones can compete with estrogen for the same receptor sites thereby decreasing the health risks of excess estrogen. They can also increase the estrogen activity. If during menopause the body’s natural level of estrogen drops, isoflavones can compensate this by binding to the same receptor, thereby easing menopause symptoms as a result.

The best way to consume isoflavones is in the form soya or soy foods, so you can benefit from other healthy components of soya. Soya contains many types of isoflavones, but the most beneficial are genistein (see picture) and daidzein. The highest amounts of soya isoflavones can be found in soy nuts and tempeh.

The Japanese eat mainly fermented soya foods such as miso, tempeh, and natto, these fermented soya foods contain much higher levels of isoflavones. Fermenting the soya also makes it much more digestible.

Another natural source of isoflavones is red clover.

Health Benefits of Isoflavones

Research in several areas of healthcare has shown that consumption of isoflavones may play a role in lowering risk for disease. They can fight disease on several fronts. The following potential health benefits are attributed to isoflavones:

Ease Menopause Symptoms

The benefits of soy go beyond reducing long-term cancer risk. Recent studies have found that soya isoflavones can reduce menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes and increase bone density in women. Indeed, many menopausal and post-menopausal health problems may result from a lack of isoflavones in the typical Western diet. Isoflavones from soya or red clover may be helpful for symptoms of menopause.

Reduce Heart Disease Risk

Soya isoflavones also appear to reduce cardiovascular disease risk via several distinct mechanisms. Isoflavones inhibit the growth of cells that form artery-clogging plaque. These arteries usually form blood clots, which can lead to a heart attack. A review of 38 controlled studies on soya and heart disease concluded that soy is definitely effective for improving cholesterol profile.

Protect against prostate problems – Isoflavones may be beneficial for men’s health because they may protect against enlargement of the male prostate gland. Studies show isoflavones slowed prostate cancer growth and caused prostate cancer cells to die. Isoflavones act against cancer cells in a way similar to many common cancer-treating drugs.

Isoflavones improve bone health – Soya Isoflavones help in the preservation of the bone substance and fight osteoporosis. This is the reason why people in China and Japan very rarely have osteoporosis, despite their low consumption of dairy products, whereas in Europe and North America the contrary happens. Unlike estrogen, which helps prevent the destruction of bone, evidence suggests that isoflavones may also assist in creating new bone. Other studies are not entirely consistent, but evidence suggests that genistein and other soya isoflavones can help prevent osteoporosis.

Reduce Cancer Risk

Isoflavones seem to be protecting against tumors because that act against cancer cells in a way similar to many common cancer-treating drugs. Population-based studies show a strong association between consumption of isoflavones and a reduced risk of breast and endometrial cancer. Women who ate the most soy products and other foods rich in isoflavones reduced their risk of endometrial cancer by 54%.

Isoflavones are Natural Antioxidants

A recent study has demonstrated that isoflavones have potent antioxidant properties, comparable to that of the well-known antioxidant vitamin E. The antioxidant powers of isoflavones can reduce the long-term risk of cancer by preventing free radical damage to DNA. Genistein is the most potent antioxidant among the soy isoflavones, followed by daidzein.