Research presented at the annual Congress of the European Respiratory Society in Stockholm has shown that the hormone Oestrogen plays a protective role in lung health. The results of the study which involved 1300 menopausal women from Europe and the United States unveiled new evidence that declining oestrogen during the menopause can increase the risk of respiratory problems such as asthma.
Dr Gomez Real, who led the research, suggested that Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) could help reduce potential respiratory conditions by normalising oestrogen levels.
Urbod Nutritionist, Amanda Michie, says that there are more natural ways of balancing oestrogen levels than going straight on HRT. HRT can be beneficial for certain women, however, food can have an incredibly positive effect on menopausal symptoms without the side effects that HRT can bring. Foods such as soya, tempeh (made from fermented soyabeans), lentils, pulses, flax seeds and rye bread are a few of the foods that contain “phytoestrogens.” These are compounds found naturally in hundreds of foods and have a mild oestrogenic effect on the body. They work by attaching to oestrogen receptor sites around the body where they help to maintain healthy oestrogen levels whilst, blocking stronger and potentially dangerous oestrogens (commonly found in tap water and pesticides) from binding.
It is a matter of balance: too much circulating oestrogen can put women at risk from oestrogen-receptive cancers such as breast cancer, yet too little oestrogen can cause respiratory conditions and unpleasant menopausal symptoms. Phytoestrogens in food may well be an essential factor when it comes to maintaining hormonal equilibrium during the menopause.
