1 research outputs found
Phytoestrogen supplementation and body composition in postmenopausal women: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Phytoestrogen-based medications are commonly used by menopausal women, and especially by obese postmenopausal
women, to relieve menopausal symptoms. Substitution of animal with soy protein is often used in
weight loss regimens, yet the effect of phytoestrogens, the main constituent of soy foods, on body composition is
not completely understood. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the associations
between phytoestrogen supplementation and body weight and the main parameters of body composition in
postmenopausal women. A literature search was done using 5 electronic databases from inception to April 2018.
Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with postmenopausal women comparing phytoestrogen supplementation
followed by usual diet and placebo were included in the present meta-analysis. From 5932 references, we
identified 23 RCTs that met our inclusion criteria, with a total of 1880 postmenopausal women. No association
was observed between phytoestrogen supplementation and body weight, body mass index, waist and hip circumference,
total fat mass or percentage of body fat. However, the use of phytoestrogens supplementation was
associated with a slight decrease in waist-hip ratio; the pooled mean difference was −0.01 cm (95%CI: −0.01 to
−0.006). In subgroup analysis, we found a modest decrease in body weight with phytoestrogens supplementation
compared with placebo in healthy postmenopausal women [pooled mean difference of changes
−0.28 kg (95%CI: −0.52 to −0.04)] and in RCTs with a median number of participants of 66 or less [pooled
mean difference of changes −0.49 kg (95%CI: −0.87 to −0.11)]. In contrast, phytoestrogen supplementation
was associated with increased body weight in postmenopausal women with preexisting metabolic disorders
(prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, prehypertension and hyperlipidemia) [pooled mean difference of changes: 0.78 kg(95%CI: 0.53–1.03)]. In addition, there were some indications that some types of phytoestrogens, such as
daidzein, but not soy products or isoflavone mix, could lead to modest adverse changes in body composition in
menopausal women. Therefore, future studies should investigate the potential adverse effects of phytoestrogen
supplementation on body composition among postmenopausal women