A dietary intervention for vasomotor symptoms of menopause: a randomized, controlled trial

Objective

Postmenopausal vasomotor symptoms disrupt quality of life. This study tested the effects of a dietary intervention on vasomotor symptoms and menopause-related quality of life.

Methods

Postmenopausal women (n = 84) reporting at least two moderate-to-severe hot flashes daily were randomly assigned, in two successive cohorts, to an intervention including a low-fat, vegan diet and cooked soybeans (½ cup [86 g] daily) or to a control group making no dietary changes. During a 12-week period, a mobile application was used to record hot flashes (frequency and severity), and vasomotor, psychosocial, physical, and sexual symptoms were assessed with the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life questionnaire. Between-group differences were assessed for continuous (t tests) and binary (χ ²/McNemar tests) outcomes. In a study subsample, urinary equol was measured after the consumption of ½ cup (86 g) of cooked whole soybeans twice daily for 3 days.

Results

In the intervention group, moderate-to-severe hot flashes decreased by 88% (P < 0.001) compared with 34% for the control group (P < 0.001; between-group P < 0.001). At 12 weeks, 50% of completers in the intervention group reported no moderate-to-severe hot flashes at all. Among controls, there was no change in this variable from baseline (χ ² test, P < 0.001). Neither seasonality nor equol production status was associated with the degree of improvement. The intervention group reported greater reductions in the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life questionnaire vasomotor (P = 0.004), physical (P = 0.01), and sexual (P = 0.03) domains.

Conclusions

A dietary intervention consisting of a plant-based diet, minimizing oils, and daily soybeans significantly reduced the frequency and severity of postmenopausal hot flashes and associated symptoms.