Soy matches HT on menopause symptoms, but not on lipids.(GYNECOLOGY)

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA. -- Soy supplements improved somatic and urogenital symptoms of menopause to the same degree as did low-dose combination hormone therapy in a small, randomized, double-blind controlled trial.

A total of 60 women who were 1-13 years past menopause were randomized to one of three groups: soy supplements containing about 90 mg of isoflavones; estradiol 1 mg/norethindrone 0.5 mg; or placebo daily.

After 16 weeks, women in the two treatment groups had significant somatic and urogenital symptom improvements, compared with baseline on the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS).

The changes were also significant, compared with scores among women taking placebo.

The findings suggest a role for dietary soy supplementation for improving hot flashes, joint and muscle pain, and vaginal dryness, with results equivalent to hormone therapy, said gynecologist Adriana O. Pedro.

"I thought that hormone replacement would be better than soy--so I was surprised," said Dr. Pedro, of the State University of Campinas (Brazil), during a poster session at the annual meeting of the North American Menopause Society.

Women taking hormone therapy fared better, however, in terms of cardiovascular health markers. Women on the low-dose combination hormone therapy showed improvement in total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein levels; these levels were ...