There is an ongoing controversy about the safety of long-term soy supplementation for menopausal women. Isoflavones found in soy have some estrogenic activity and are often taken to relieve symptoms such as hot flashes. A two-year study of 400 women found that the soy supplements did not put women at higher risk of complications such as high blood pressure, cervical cancer or uterine cancer. The supplement used in the study, however, differed significantly from the typical soy supplements sold over the counter. The investigators caution that their conclusion of safety may not extend to all soy supplements.
[American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, online, Dec. 22, 2010]
