Korean soybean paste shows promise in alleviating menopause symptoms

Effects of doenjang on menopause symptoms For the study, researchers tested three types of doenjang. The first two were traditionally produced, with one containing a low dose of beneficial microbes, and one containing a high dose.

The effectiveness of these was compared to commercially produced doenjang that contained more beneficial microbes than either traditional sample. The level of Bacteriodetes microbes increased in the two types of doenjang with the highest levels of beneficial microbes. While beneficial in the human gut, Bacteriodetes can cause serious infections in other parts of the body. The researchers measured menopause symptoms using the Kupperman index, which tracks symptoms such as: hot flashes tingling of peripheral nerves insomnia nervousness melancholia vertigo weakness arthritis or muscle pain headache palpitations a sensation of insects crawling over the skin All three types of doenjang lowered participants’ Kupperman index, but the doenjang with the lowest level of beneficial microbes proved most effective at reducing menopausal symptoms. The researchers also measured changes in obesity, inflammation, and levels of LDL, or “bad cholesterol,” that can lead to cardiovascular issues. Lower LDL cholesterol was seen only in participants consuming the traditional doenjang. No effect on obesity or inflammation was observed. Traditional vs. commercial doenjang The authors of the study noted that traditional and commercial doenjang have some fundamental differences that may explain the study’s finding of the commercial version’s relative ineffectiveness. Traditional soybean-based doenjang contains fungi such as Aspergillus oryzae and beneficial microorganisms such as Bacillus subtilis, which are involved in the Meju fermentation processTrusted Source. Commercial doenjang is based on KojiTrusted Source, which undergoes a briefer maturation period. Health benefits of fermented foods Research on the health benefits of various fermented foods is ongoing. Korean kimchi and Japanese kombucha may offer health benefits as well, but fermented foods are not exclusive to Asian countries; sauerkraut and kefir cheese are commonly found in the West. “Currently, there’s a great deal of interest in the benefits of fermented foods, and it does seem that they might support our gut and overall health,” Sarah E. Berry, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at King’s College London and chief scientist at ZOE, not involved in the study, told Medical News Today. “For now, though, there isn’t enough evidence to show they can ease menopausal symptoms, specifically. As with almost all aspects of female health, we need much more research,” Berry noted. Kelsey Costa, a registered dietitian nutritionist and founder of Dietitian Insights, not involved in the study, shared her thoughts on the findings with MNT: “We aren’t at the stage yet where we can confidently predict which ones will have the most beneficial effects on our health. Research suggests that addressing gut microbiota imbalances could help modulate the gut-brain axis and improve mood in middle-aged and older women.” Costa suggested incorporating a wide range of fermented foods into a healthy, balanced diet, which may help ensure “exposure to different probiotic strains and potentially offering more comprehensive health benefits.” More research on doenjang for menopause symptoms needed Both Berry and Costa noted that while the findings of the study are intriguing, there are some limitations. “There is no control group — all participants received doenjang,” Berry said. “This makes it difficult to interpret the results, as sometimes, simply being involved in an experiment can make people feel better.” Costa pointed out the short duration of the study and its small sample size. She also cited the Hawthorne effect, when “participants alter their behavior because they know they’re being observed, possibly impacting the study’s results.” Berry suggested the study’s outcomes “may have been influenced by a lack of control over participants’ diet, activity, exercise, and lifestyle choices.” Berry also noted differences in the Kupperman index scores at the start of the study. “The group that consumed traditional doenjang saw the greatest reduction in scores, but they also had the highest scores to begin with,” she said. FROM OUR EXPERT NUTRITIONISTS Can a vegan diet prevent hot flashes at menopause? Can a vegan diet help reduce hot flashes? Image credit: Studio Firma/Stocksy. More than 80% of menopausal women experience hot flashes. Previous research has shown that hot flashes can increase a person’s risk for certain diseases and negatively impact their sleep. Researchers from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine have now found that following a low-fat vegan diet that includes soy makes changes in the gut microbiome. Some of these changes were linked to a decrease in menopause-related hot flashes by as much as 95%. More than 80%Trusted Source of people at menopause experience vasomotor symptoms, commonly known as hot flashes. Past studies show that individuals who have hot flashes are at a higher risk for diseases such as osteoporosisTrusted Source, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetesTrusted Source, and cardiovascular diseaseTrusted Source. Additionally, hot flashes can cause sleep disruptionsTrusted Source that can negatively impact a woman’s overall health. Hot flashes can sometimes be reduced through lifestyle modifications like maintaining a healthy weightTrusted Source, avoiding alcohol and caffeine, and not eating spicy foods. Now, new research recently published in the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine says that following a low-fat vegan diet that includes soy leads to a decrease of menopausal hot flash by as much as 95%. Why a vegan diet? According to Dr. Hana Kahleova, director of clinical research at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and lead author of this study, one of the reasons she wanted to study the effect of a vegan diet on hot flashes is because obesity is a risk factor for hot flashes. “Research, including our ownTrusted Source, shows that a vegan diet promotes weight loss and can help fight obesity,” Dr. Kahleova told Medical News Today. “A vegan diet also avoids meat and dairy products, which are high in saturated fat and compounds called advanced glycation end-productsTrusted Source, both of which cause inflammation that can contribute to hot flashes.” “Also, some research shows that women who have hot flashes may be at increased risk of heart disease and breast cancer, and a vegan diet can help lower the risk of both,” she added. Although estrogen and estrogen-progestin medications can be used to treat hot flashes, Dr. Kahleova said they have been shown to increase the risk of breast cancer and cardiovascular problems. “Vegan diets, on the other hand, can reduce these risks, and research shows that soy products are associated with a reductionTrusted Source in breast cancer risk,” she added. Hot flashes and the gut microbiome For this study, Dr. Kahleova and her team used data from 84 postmenopausal women participating in the Women’s Study for the Alleviation of Vasomotor SymptomsTrusted Source (WAVS) trial. The participants reported having two or more moderate to severe hot flashes every day. Study participants were randomly asked to either follow a low-fat vegan diet that included a half-cup of cooked soybeans a day, or to just continue with their normal diet for 12 weeks. A subset of 11 participants were asked to provide stool samples for a gut microbiome analysis both before the start of the study and after being on a vegan diet for 12 weeks. Scientists found changes in the species of bacteria in the gut microbiome of participants who followed the vegan diet. For example, more of the bacteria PorphyromonasTrusted Source and Prevotella corporisTrusted Source were found in those who followed the vegan diet, and these were linked to a reduction in severe hot flashes, including after adjustment for body mass index (BMI), a calculation that infers adiposity. At the same time, researchers found a decline in the number of the bacteria Clostridium asparagiformeTrusted Source in the gut microbiome, which was associated with a decrease in total severe and severe night hot flashes.