Phytoœstrogènes chez la femme ménopausée

Abstract

Many women seek alternatives to hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Phytoestrogens are nonsteroidal compounds with estrogenic or antiestrogenic properties. Six of the 16 clinical trials suggest a significant reduction in alleviating symptoms but to a lesser degree than HRT. A meta-analysis showed that phytoestrogens improve lipid profile. The 14 recent clinical trials led, however, to divergent findings. Small clinical trials suggested a protective effect of phytoestrogens on bone metabolism. High concentration of phytoestrogens was associated with a reduction in breast cancer risk in case-control studies.