They can be used as a food or as a food supplement, in the form of capsules that contain an extract with a standardised soya isoflavones content.

Some studies show that ingesting 35 to 80 mg of soya isoflavones per day makes it possible to reduce the frequency and severity of hot flushes. A start can thus be made with 35 mg of isoflavones per day.

At least 10 to 20 days must elapse to enable its efficacy to be assessed.

Select a food supplement with a high phytoestrogen content.

The phytohormone dosages to provide must exceed 35 mg of isoflavones per day. Nowadays, in Europe, the diet supplies only 5 mg. It may therefore be useful for European women to take food supplements based on soya extracts. The most important thing is to know the quantity of isoflavones available in each capsule. Soya and its extracts contain widely varying quantities of isoflavones according to the type of soya, the place where it was grown and the time when it was picked.

The French Food Hygiene Safety Agency recommends that 1 mg of isoflavones per kg per day should not be exceeded.
(Press communication AFSSA of 09/03/05, page 1/2)

Turn your attention to products that have been subjected to serious clinical studies, published in medical journals. Seeking advice from your doctor or pharmacist is recommended.