According to research from the University of California College of Medicine, most women experience “hot flashes” as part of a turning point in their life cycle. More than half of the representatives of the fairer sex begin to show symptoms long before the actual onset of menopause. This and other studies confirm the thesis that “hot flashes”, as the main symptom of menopause, also appear as its harbinger years before its onset. NEWS_MORE_BOX Their early appearance is a normal part of a transitional state, which is due to hormonal changes in the woman’s body at the end of her reproductive period. As a result of them, a sharp expansion of the blood vessels near the skin occurs. Women who still have regular periods should have enough estrogen to help their bodies cope with hot flashes and sweating. The study included 18,500 women aged 45 to 56. Of these, 1,500 still have regular cycles without using hormonal therapies for this purpose. 55% of them state that they experience the symptoms of menopause at least several times in their life. The entire study group was also surveyed about their eating habits. Almost all those who experienced the unpleasant symptoms said that they regularly consume soy products. Soybeans contain estrogen-like compounds. Until recently, it was believed that their consumption alleviated the symptoms of menopause. However, what has been found in recent studies, including this one? The researchers note that there is a strong possibility that the relationship is exactly the opposite – that consumption of soy worsens symptoms. Naturally, this hypothesis has yet to be proven or disproved, but research data strongly suggests that the opposite is also true – the popular claim that soy alleviates menopause symptoms is a myth. The fact is that such a relationship has not been scientifically proven either.