Data shows potential health benefits of S-equol in relieving menopausal symptoms

Experts examine emerging science on health benefits of S-equol

The findings of a scientific conference examining the growing body of research and potential health benefits of S-equol were published this month in the Journal of Nutrition.  Manuscripts based on presentations made at the conference, which was organized by the Life Sciences Research Office (LSRO), reveal data that S-equol is a safe, natural and effective solution to providing relief of menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and muscle discomfort.  

S-equol is a compound that is produced by intestinal bacteria through metabolizing or converting daidzien, an isoflavone found in soy.  S-equol is thought to bind to the estrogen beta receptors which studies suggest is not associated with breast cancer risk.  Further study is underway to confirm this hypothesis. Interestingly, only 20 to 30 percent of women are equol producers—a determination based on the type of bacteria present in the intestines and the amount of soy consumed.  

To establish the current state of the science regarding S-equol and to explore future research needs, LSRO brought together the leading experts in soy and menopause research for a summit in Washington, DC.  Several studies exploring the possible therapeutic role of S-equol in treating menopausal symptoms were presented.   These studies indicated that a daily dose of 10 mg of S-equol decreased menopausal symptoms. In a confirmation study, menopausal women who were not equol producers who consumed 10 mg daily of S-equol for 12 weeks had significantly reduced hot flashes as well as a significant reduction in the severity of their muscle discomfort. The equol-ingesting group also showed trends of improvement in sweating and irritability.

The change in estrogen levels during menopause can also affect bone health.  Clinical evidence demonstrates that S-equol can help preserve bone.  In one study, women who could produce S-equol had a significantly lower percent change in bone loss at the total hip (a decrease of 0.46 percent) than that of the nonproducers (a decrease of 2.28 percent). Furthermore, a two-year randomized placebo-controlled trial that characterized postmenopausal women by their S-equol-producing status, showed that those who were S-equol producers had a 2.4 percent increase in the lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) compared with just 0.6 percent increase in the S-equol non-producers. These results suggest that using soy isoflavones to prevent bone loss in women in early post-menopause may depend on an individual's S-equol-producing capacity.