Phytoestrogen Supplementation in Postmenopausal Women

The goal of the study was to assess the impact of soy and red clover derived phytoestrogens on serum lipids in postmenopausal women. Both soya and red clover have high phytoestrogen content. Phytoestrogens, a class of estrogenic molecules produced by plants bind to the estrogen receptor and are capable of producing estrogenic effects. Therefore, our hypothesis was that they can reduce the levels of serum lipids. Materials and Methods: Researchers investigated total cholesterol, cholesterol fractions and triglycerides in blood, before treatment and in six months periods, throughout 18 months. The study involved 74 healthy postmenopausal women, divided into three groups. The first group of 23 patients received red clover derived isoflavones, the second one with 26 patients got soy derived phytoestrogens, while the third, control group with 25 patients, was without medications.