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[pepperminty]

Hi Ladies,

are there any health risks to taking phytooestrogens whilst on HRT? Does it effect absorbtion or is it a top up?

Pepermintyx

[CLKD]

That's complicated.  I don't understand what these might be and where they are obtained?

Maybe have a chat with a Pharmacist?  Then let us know?  Perhaps an indication as to where these are obtained from i.e. food stuffs? would give me a clue. 

[pepperminty]

Hi Clkd,

Phytoestrogens are a natural compound found in plants and plant-based foods. When eaten, they may affect a person in the same way as estrogen produced by the body. They are also in come in supliments.

I suspect that a GP of pharmacist wouldn't have a scooby.

PMx

[CLKD]

A Pharmacist certainly should do as the products are probably on their shelves ;-).  Of course, being someone who has had surgery for breast disease, nothing has ever been said about altering my diet to avoid food stuffs: but I was told not to have HRT! 

If you don't ask your Pharmacist you won't find out how much he/she knows.  Maybe take the product along and ask - then let me know 

[AgathaC]

I'm no expert, Pepperminty, but my understanding is not to take both x

[pepperminty]

Hi AgathaC,  Thanks .

I wonder if that means limiting our intake of food stuffs alsoo such as:

High phytoestrogen foods
Different types of phytoestrogen include:

isoflavones (found in soy and other legumes such as chickpeas, mung beans and alfafa)
coumestans (found in alfalfa and clover sprouts, and sprouted legumes such as mung beans and soy sprouts)
lignans (found in linseed, grains and vegetables)
Foods containing phytoestrogens
SOY PRODUCTS   GRAINS   SEEDS AND NUTS   LEGUMES
tempeh
soy beans
tofu
miso
whole soybean soy milk
soy drinks
oats
rice
barley
quinoa
rice bran
rye
wheat germ
flaxseed
sesame seeds
sunflower seeds
pistachios
almonds
chickpeas
lentils
red kidney beans
alfalfa
mung beans
split peas
soy millk and beans

Or do they process differently from supliments?

PeppermintyX

[jillydoll]

Hi Pepperminty.
I dont think you should take both together, because I believe if it's not been proven that your deficient in something, then you shouldn't take it....taking supplements can cause so much trouble if their not needed, however, if you like eating all the above listed things, then do so , in moderation. I think supplements are a higher concentration than what you'll get in a portion of , say, lentils, ect......xx

[MayClaire]

I'm a pharmacist and I would have thought mostly pharmacists wouldn't be able to help with this question as it's a specialised area. Phytoestrogens, I believe are not a licensed medicinal product so unlikely to be able to find a definitive answer for this!

I would probably think that natural phytoestrogens in food would be ok with HRT so long as you're not eating masses of it. But if you're on HRT I wouldn't recommend someone have the supplement because you can't really quantify the effect, or know what benefit you're getting from which product.

I didn't even realise what a nightmare this whole menopause things was until I hit it myself. I now have much more understanding and knowledge to help people.

Claire x

[Ladybt28]

Your really asking whether you should keep phytoeostrogen foods to a minimum or give them up altogether Pepperminty?  No necessarily take phytoeostrogen supplements? Well that's how I read it any way, sure you'll come back and say if I'm wrong 

Personally I can't see why you cant eat those things as part of balanced diet but if you have a passion of them or say eat loads of Chinese food with soy sauce in everything for example I would probably be careful but  I can honestly say I haven't ever read anything that says that you would need to limit those foods.  I wouldn't take supplements, unless you were deficient and why would you be deficient unless you didn't have a healthy diet with all those things in.

I have heard of women managing meno with diet and these phyto supplements alone because by ramping up the phyto's it is supposed to calm symptoms instead of taking hrt but I cant see why you would use both together?

[pepperminty]

Hi ladies,

thanks, I would not take the suppliments along with HRt I just wondered whether there were guidelines . And the only thing I take daily in the food list are sunflower seeds and flax seeds. Keeps one regular . I did read somewhere that phyto estrogens could have an effect on HRt.



Thanks for all your replies.

PMX

[Kathleen]

Hello ladies.

The effects of phytoeostrogens found in some food is mentioned by Dr Michael Greger on his NutritionFacts.org site. From what I recall these chemicals bind to some oestrogen receptors and not to others. Flaxseed for example has been shown to help breast cancer by blocking receptors in breast tissue.

Doctors are not trained on the effects of nutrition on disease so are unlikely to be able to help however there is a wealth of science available online so a bit of research should give you some answers. Dr Greger's site is a great place to start in my opinion.

Wishing you all well.

K.

[pepperminty]

Thanks Kathleen,

I wonder if Flaxseed would effect HRt in some way, by stopping some / or reducing some absorbtion if it blocks receptors? I did try and research whether there have been studies on a high phyto etrogen diet effecting the absorbtion of HRT but couldn't find anything.

PMX