Soy isoflavone results differed across menopausal symptoms
A pooled review in women around menopause reported lower overall symptom scores with soy isoflavones, but no statistically significant effect on hot flushes or several other symptoms.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The review reported an improvement in overall menopausal symptom scores, alongside improvements in some individual symptoms. It did not find statistically significant effects on hot flushes, sweating, insomnia or several other complaints. The authors urged caution because samples were small. Without information about comparison treatments and study duration, the abstract cannot show precisely what soy was tested against.
The authors identified small samples as a limitation. The abstract also omits treatment doses, study durations and comparator details, preventing a clear assessment of practical relevance or lasting effects.
An overall score has limits
Soy isoflavones are plant compounds found mainly in soy products. Reported improvements included headache, palpitations, depression and psychosocial symptoms, involving psychological and social well-being. An overall symptom result does not mean every individual complaint improved.
Symptoms without a clear effect
The review found no statistically significant effect on tingling sensations, fatigue, physical symptoms or vasomotor symptoms, which include hot flushes and sweating. These findings leave effectiveness uncertain for those outcomes; they do not prove there is no effect.
The original publication
Effects of soy isoflavones on menopausal symptoms in perimenopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Luan H, Liu Q, Guo Y et al.
PeerJ · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 40718787
- Record checked
AI-assisted research and writing. This explains one selected publication; it is not a complete review of everything known. Our approach.
One more question, understood.
Keep track of the research you’ve explored.