Taking soy supplements may not help women ease their menopause symptoms or prevent the bone changes that start at that time of life, suggests a new study from Florida. Women who took the supplements every day for two years didn’t have any improvement in their symptoms compared with those who took a soy-free placebo pill -- and they suffered more hot flashes by the end of the study. Researchers also didn’t see any changes in their bone mineral density compared to women taking placebos. Low bone mineral density puts women at higher risk of osteoporosis and broken bones. Women seeking relief from menopause symptoms have been without a clear go-to treatment since the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study of hormone therapy reported heart and cancer risks with estrogen and progestin use.
