What's the deal with phytoestrogens? 
A current look at the benefits, risks & questions around these plant allies

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Phytoestrogens... 

What are they?

How do they work?

Are they helpful or harmful? 

Honestly, these questions are more complicated to answer than they seem, even though researchers have been diving into this topic for decades. 

The basics are that phytoestrogens are plant-derived compounds that act similarly to estrogens in our bodies.

But they're milder acting than our natural estrogens so on the one hand they can reduce the effect of estrogen in our bodies when they bind to receptors (so can be helpful in excess estrogen conditions for example).

And they can also encourage a mild estrogenic activity when we are in an estrogen deficient state (like say, perimenopause or post-menopause).

That said, not all phytoestrogens are equal, and actually there's even some new research showing that the makeup of our gut microbiome may have some effect on whether or not phytoestrogenic compounds have any benefit in our bodies. 

They're even being researched in estrogen-dependent cancer situations to act potentially as SERMs (or selective estrogen receptor modulator) type compounds. 

But all the current research aside, what benefits might phytoestrogens have in your body?

And what kinds of plants are even included in this category?


Listen in to learn:

• what phytoestrogens are
• how phytoestrogens work
• why these plant compounds are not as simple to understand as they may seem
• how phytoestrogens help to modulate estrogen levels
• how phytoestrogens can reduce menopausal symptoms
• the latest on phytoestrogens and cancer
• when you might want to avoid taking phytoestrogens
• a few phytoestrogenic herbs and simple ways to work with them 

Resources:

• FREE GUIDE: 10 essential herbs for your hormonal health
• Episode 18: Herbal uterine tonics
• Episode 30: 5 pillars of hormonal health the herbal way
• Episode 37: Easing into menopause with Dana LaVoie
• Episode 58: How does your gut health relate to your hormones?

References

Abdi, F, Rahnemaei, F, Roozbeh, N, & Pakzad, R. (2021). Impact of phytoestrogens on treatment of urogenital menopause symptoms: A systematic review of randomized clinical trials. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. (261), 222-235. doi: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2021.03.039

Boutas I, Kontogeorgi A, Dimitrakakis C, & Kalantaridou SN. (2022). Soy isoflavones and breast cancer risk: A meta-analysis. In Vivo, 36(2), 556-562. doi: 10.21873/invivo.12737

Caldecott, T. (2014). Food as medicine: The theory and practice of food (2nd ed). Todd Caldecott.

Domínguez-López I, Yago-Aragón M, Salas-Huetos A, Tresserra-Rimbau A, Hurtado-Barroso S. (2020). Effects of dietary phytoestrogens on hormones throughout a human lifespan: A review. Nutrients., 12(8), 2456. doi: 10.3390/nu12082456

Hoffman, D. (2003). Medical herbalism: The science and practice of herbal medicine. Healing Arts Press.

Hudson, T. (2008). Women’s encyclopedia of natural medicine: Alternative therapies and integrative medicine for total health and wellness. McGraw Hill.

Liu T, Li N, Yan YQ, Liu Y, Xiong K, Liu Y, Xia QM, Zhang H, & Liu ZD. (2020). Recent advances in the anti-aging effects of phytoestrogens on collagen, water content, and oxidative stress. Phytother Res., 34(3), 435-447. doi: 10.1002/ptr.6538.

Murray, M, & Pizzorno, J. (2012). The encyclopedia of natural medicine (3rd ed). Atria Paperback.

Patisaul HB, Jefferson W. (2010). The pros and cons of phytoestrogens. Front Neuroendocrinol. 3(4), 400-19. doi: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2010.03.003

Romm, A. (2018). Botanical medicine for women’s health (2nd ed). Elsevier.

Romm, A. (2021). Hormone intelligence: The complete guide to calming hormone chaos and restoring your body’s natural blueprint for well-being. Harper One.

Rowe, I, & Baber, R. (2021) The effects of phytoestrogens on postmenopausal health. Climacteric, 24(1)1, 57-63. DOI: 10.1080/13697137.2020.1863356

Senthilkumar, H, Fata, J, & Kennelly, E. (2018). Phytoestrogens: The current state of research emphasizing breast pathophysiology. Phytother Res, 32(9), 1707-1719. doi: 10.1002/ptr.6115.

Sirotkin, A, & Harrath, A. (2014). Phytoestrogens and their effects. Eur J Pharmacol., 741, 230-6. doi: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2014.07.057

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal health concerns.

Trusted sources for bulk herbs:

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• Mountain Rose Herbs (affiliate link - same price as anywhere, I just receive a tiny kickback) 
  
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• Banyan Botanicals - Ayurvedic herbs

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