Female Plus - Estrogen Support Component

The Ingredients

Vitamin E: Vitamin E is an antioxidant that also offers a wide variety of benefits to the female body. Its action is enhanced by ascorbic acid and selenium. It protects polyunsaturated fats in the body from oxidation, maintains the integrity of vitamin A in the body, and promotes normal clotting of blood. Its levels in the body are dependent on proper levels of zinc.

General Benefits of Vitamin E

Vitamin E promotes normal growth and development and helps to retard aging. Vitamin E helps to improve stamina. It helps to prevent free radical damage in the body, helps to ease menopause, and helps to treat fibrocystic disease of the breasts. It helps to diminish liver spots, heal acne, heal burns and wounds, and decrease scarring. It lessens some types of hair loss, and it protects tissues against oxidation.

Vitamin E helps to prevent coronary artery heart disease, it acts as an anti-blood clotting agent. It also promotes normal red blood cell formation, helps treat circulatory problems of the lower extremities, helps in the treatment of sickle cell anemia, and helps in the treatment of anemia. It helps to protect the lungs from air pollution.

It also is useful as an adjunct treatment for bursitis.

Soy Protein: Although many foods and food supplements claim to lower the risk of cancer, soy compounds appear to be among the most promising. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is impressed enough that it has established a database to track the content of estrogen-like compounds called isoflavones in soy products.

The new USDA database launched April 7, 1999 on the Internet will help scientists pinpoint which estrogen-like compounds- isoflavones- in soy foods may be responsible for a lower risk of cancer, especially breast cancer. "Some of these reduce bone loss after menopause," said Agriculture secretary Dan Glickman, "so, the new database could help nutritionists and physicians. They'll be better equipped to recommend foods with the highest levels of specific compounds."

Mark Messina, a former program director with the National Cancer Institute is quoted as saying, "I would bet good money soy protein will become a widely accepted alternative to estrogen replacement therapy." But, we are not talking about soy protein concentrates (lack a quality amino acid profile and can range anywhere from 34% to 90% protein). Look for products labeled "contains isoflavones" or "contains isolated soy protein".

Soy Isoflavones

Research shows that soy isoflavones have a wide range of health benefits that include moderating normal symptoms associated with menopause and promoting bone and heart health. It appears that about 100 milligrams of isoflavones (expressed in the glycoside form) are necessary to deliver most of these health benefits. This is about the average amount consumed daily by Asian men and women who have a much lower incidence of heart disease, osteoporosis, and uncomfortable menopausal symptoms compared to Western societies.

Top 10 Benefits of Soy

1. Antioxidant: Soy food contains antioxidants- compounds which protect cells from damage caused by unstable oxygen molecules called "free radicals." Free radicals are believed to be responsible for initiating many forms of cancer as well as premature aging.

2. Breast Cancer: A major study in Singapore revealed that women who eat soy foods are at lower risk of developing breast cancer than those who don't. Asian women, who typically eat a soy-based diet, have a much lower rate of breast cancer than Western women. Test tube studies and those involving laboratory animals have shown that "compounds in soy can inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells. " The studies presented at a medical conference in Brussels in September 1996 indicate that the isoflavones in soy may be the reason for these lower cancer rates.

3. Cholesterol: Scores of studies from around the world attest to soy's cholesterol-lowering properties, especially for people with high cholesterol. Soy strongly inhibits LDL, oxidation and neutralized free radicals in blood platelets.

4. Colon Cancer: A recent US study showed that American soy eaters who make soybeans and tofu a regular part of their diet had significantly lower rates of colon cancer than those who didn't eat soy.

5. Osteoporosis: Hip fractures owing to osteoporosis are a major problem among elderly women in the United States. Japanese women have half the rate of hip fractures as US women. Preliminary studies suggest that soy may help retain bone mass. Also, it appears that soy protein doesn't increase the excretion of calcium in the urine as is the case with high protein diets.

6. Hot Flashes: Half of all menopausal women in the US complain of hot flashes, problem that is so rare in Japan that there's not even a word for it. Some researchers believe that special compounds in soy called phytoestrogens may help Japanese women stay cooler.

7. Immunity: Studies show that soybean peptides can boost the immune system, helping the body fight disease.

8. Kidney Disease: The kidneys are the main filtering organ of the body. Soy protein is easier on the kidneys than animal protein and soy protein may slow down or prevent kidney damage in people with impaired kidney function

9. Lung Disease: Several studies have linked soy consumption to lower rates of lung cancer.

10. Prostate Cancer: A major study of Japanese men in Hawaii found a direct correlation between consumption of tofu and lower rates of prostate cancer. Studies of soy compounds have shown that they can inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells in laboratory cultures. Contrary to some beliefs, the phytoestrogens in soy are not detrimental to anabolic hormones or muscle.

Continue for Menopausal Relief of the ingredients in Female Plus

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