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Soy isoflavones may reduce sleep problems during menopause

According to the results of a Brazilian study published in Menopause, the journal of the North American menopause society. women who consumed soy isoflavones for 4 months had significantly less sleep problems than women given a placebo.

That isoflavones, natural plant ingredients, can reduce hot flushes, a typical menopausal symptom, was already confirmed by previous studies. But the effects of isoflavones on the sleep problems, experienced by 28 to 63% of all women during menopause, has never been investigated. The complaints range from less sleep to having difficulty falling asleep. Very often women sleep less during menopause than before menopause. A total of 38 menopausal women aged between 50 and 65 year participated in this controlled, double-blinded study. The first halve received daily 80 mg of soy isoflavones and the second received a placebo. At the beginning of the study and after 4 months the sleep characteristics were analysed based on a questionnaire and a sleep study (polysomnography). The women who received isoflavones showed significantly less sleep problems than women in the placebo group. Before starting the study, 90% of women in the isoflavone group showed sleeping problems. After 4 months, that figure had fallen to 37%. The women also reported less sleep problems, as was confirmed by an objective sleep study. In the placebo group, the percentage of women with sleep problems fell from 95 to 63%.

The researchers concluded that soy iosoflavonen intake could improve sleep during menopause, but also indicate that more research is needed to confirm their results.

Source: Isoflavones decrease insomnia in postmenopause. Menopause. 2010 Aug 19.

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