Soy isoflavones and menopause
What 4 graded rows on soy isoflavones agree on for menopause, and where they differ. Counted side by side, never averaged.
Consensus finder Rows from the Soy isoflavones page, reviewed Oct 21, 2026 How it decides
What the rows agree on
Each block and row is one graded row from the Soy isoflavones page, with its PubMed record.
Your question
Soy isoflavones and menopause
4 rows · 3,142 peopleSplit. 2 rows found an improvement, 1 found no difference and 1 had mixed results.
- BGrade B× 1
- CGrade C× 3
- Rows
- 4
- Trials
- 34
- People
- 3,142
- Pooled reviews may count some twice
Where they differ
From the rowsThe best-graded row, grade B, is a meta-analysis of 1,196 people (2012) and found an improvement.
The 2 rows that found an improvement were larger: a median of 1,092 people, against 425 people for the row that found no difference.
The row that found no difference is newer (2024) than the 2 rows that found an improvement (2012).
The best grade is B among the rows that found an improvement, and C among the row that found no difference.
1 row with mixed results is left out of this comparison.
The rows
2 improved · 1 no difference · 1 mixed- BGrade BHot flash frequency · Improved
Meta-analysis, 13 studies · n 1,196 · 2012 · Perimenopausal and postmenopausal women in 13 RCTs
30–80 mg/day, median 54 mg/day (aglycone equivalents) · 6 weeks to 12 months
Hot flash frequency fell 20.6% more than placebo (95% CI 12.9–28.4%). Supplements with more than 18.8 mg genistein were over twice as effective. Heterogeneity was substantial (I² 67%).
Row on the Soy isoflavones page · PubMed 22433977 (opens PubMed)
- CGrade CHot flash severity · Improved
Meta-analysis, 9 studies · n 988 · 2012 · Perimenopausal and postmenopausal women in 9 RCTs
Median 54 mg/day (aglycone equivalents) · 6 weeks to 12 months
Severity fell 26.2% more than placebo (95% CI 10.2–42.2%), with very high heterogeneity (I² 86%).
Row on the Soy isoflavones page · PubMed 22433977 (opens PubMed)
- CGrade CMenopausal symptoms and quality of life · No difference
Meta-analysis, 5 studies · n 425 · 2024 · Women in the climacteric period (5 RCTs)
Varied by trial · Varied by trial
No significant effect on menopausal symptoms (SMD −0.49, 95% CI −1.13 to 0.16) or on physical and mental quality of life; depression scores fell (SMD −0.41).
Row on the Soy isoflavones page · PubMed 38825560 (opens PubMed)
- CGrade COverall menopausal symptom scores in perimenopause · Mixed
Meta-analysis, 7 studies · n 533 · 2025 · Perimenopausal women (7 trials in the main analysis)
Varied by trial · Varied by trial
Overall menopausal symptom scores improved (Hedges' g −0.25, 95% CI −0.42 to −0.08), as did headache, palpitations and low mood, but hot flushes, sweating, insomnia and vasomotor symptoms did not change significantly.
Row on the Soy isoflavones page · PubMed 40718787 (opens PubMed)