What are the benefits of a diet rich in phytoestrogens?

• Autor(a) principal: Pires de Matos, M.
• Data de Publicação: 2005
• Outros Autores: Castilho, M. C., Ramos, F., Silveira, I., Campos, M. G.
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: https://revista.spmi.pt/index.php/rpmi/article/view/1697
• topic: Fitoestrogénios; soja; isofl avonas; genisteína; daidzeína; equol; Phytoestrogens; Soy; Isofl avones; Genistein; Daidzein; Equol

The increasing number of people changing to a healthy diet, especially regarding the use of meat substitutes such as soya and its derivatives, the major source of phytoestrogens in the human diet, necessitates a better understanding of the potential benefi ts, or risks, of this product both on a pharmacologic and potentially toxic level. The fi rst reports of these compounds date from the 1940’s. Several studies suggest that the eastern female population does not suffer the same adverse symptoms associated with the menopause as western women. This fact is related to the high intake of soya in the normal asian diet. Presently, there is still a worrying lack of incontrovertible studies on the potential benefits of phytoestrogens. Despite some recent advances achieved in this area there is still much to discover and explore. The objective of this review is to resume what is know to date concerning phytoestrogens and to try to evaluate the relevance for human nutrition, especially with respect to target populations