Skip to main content

Soy Isoflavones

Meaning

Soy isoflavones are a class of naturally occurring plant compounds found in high concentration in soybeans, characterized by a chemical structure that is remarkably similar to that of mammalian estrogens, thus classifying them as phytoestrogens. The three principal isoflavones are genistein, daidzein, and glycitein, which can interact with human estrogen receptors to exert either weak estrogenic or anti-estrogenic effects, depending critically on the target tissue and the prevailing endogenous hormonal environment. Their consumption is clinically studied for the potential modulation of menopausal vasomotor symptoms and the maintenance of bone mineral density.