phytoestrogen

plural phytoestrogens

1. biochemistryA substance found in certain plants (such as genistein) which can produce effects like that of the hormone estrogen when ingested into the body.

   Furthermore, Kumar et al. investigated the synergistic effects of three phytoestrogens (genistein, quercetin and biochanin A) and found that these phytoestrogens in combination had a more potent inhibitory effect on androgen-responsive prostate cancer cell growth in vitro.

   2015 July 25, “Divide and Conquer May Not Be the Optimal Approach to Retain the Desirable Estrogenic Attributes of the Cyclopia Nutraceutical Extract, SM6Met”, in PLOS ONE, →DOI

   1 more example

   “Overall, we did not find an association between phytoestrogens and night sweats,” Muka said, though a single experiment with red clover found a reduction in the frequency of night sweats. This is insufficient, though, to draw any firm conclusions. “A main concern of our study was the length of follow-up,” Muka said. Since most of the research included just 12 to 16 weeks of follow-up, he and his colleagues cannot define the long-term effects of phytoestrogen and whether they might have adverse effects over time.

   2016 June 21, Susan Scutti, “Herbal remedies improve early menopause symptoms”, in CNN