Photoestrogens



Estrogens derived from plants appear to offer many of the benefits provided
by hormone replacement therapy (HRT) -- but without the cancer risk
associated with estrogen supplements.

Naturally occurring estrogens, or phytoestrogens, are found in significant
amounts in soybeans, cereals, alfalfa sprouts and other plants, according to
Drs. Lynette Wroblewski Lissin and John P. Cooke from Stanford University
Medical Center in California.

The authors review the potential benefits of phytoestrogens in the May issue
of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Phytoestrogens have been shown to provide several beneficial cardiovascular
effects. Eating a soy-based diet, for example, can lower total cholesterol
by 9% and LDL ("bad") cholesterol by 13%, the report indicates. The
reductions are even greater for patients with abnormally high cholesterol.

Phytoestrogens may protect against atherosclerosis by interfering with the
initial inflammatory process, the team suggests. Dilation of blood vessels,
including the coronary arteries, is also improved in animals treated with
phytoestrogens.

Potential noncardiac benefits of phytoestrogens include a decrease in the
number of hot flashes in postmenopausal women, decreased risk of breast
cancer and other cancers, and protection against osteoporosis, the
investigators note.

Treatment with phytoestrogens, unlike estrogen replacement therapy, does not
appear to increase the risk of blood clots or breast and uterine cancer,
according to the report.
Increasingly, information from a variety of sources supports the increased
use of phytoestrogens, especially among individuals with a high risk of
developing heart disease.

"The current state of knowledge indicates that the world of plant-based
estrogens has much to offer," Lissin and Cooke conclude, "but significant
questions remain."

"In the interim," they suggest, "it seems reasonable to recommend that women
at high risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, particularly those
without a personal or family history of breast or uterine cancer, increase
their consumption of foods rich in phytoestrogens such as soy protein."

Remember Bio Essence has many phytoestrogens in it.
Trish
Email; trish@...
Web Site; http://www.herbals-unlimited.com
ICQ# 52898091