Soya + menstrual cycle = problem?

Hi !

My thread might sound a bit weird but it is a bit of a worry at the moment.
basically i had been veggie for a while and lately i've made the best decision of my life (so far):turning VEGAN!! and i am still so very happy about it!
but my main worry is that my menstrual cycle looks completely upset. i had menstrual cramps this month for many days but nothing,no periods!! and still a very bad PMS. i am very worried as i am defenetely not pregnant. as you can imagine i've been reading lots of stuff about soya and i remember reading something about the cycle and not consumming too much soya when you are about to be on (more or less) now i am just wondering:is that a big deal or my body just needs a while to adapt itself to that change of diet ( i have no idea if i consume too much soya, what's too much by the way??)

so if you have a minute and you want to relate your experience and tell me if you have been reading something about it, that would help so much.

thank youuuu

anne sophie

I tend to find soya consumption makes me more regular, if anything. Too much of anything probably isn't a good thing in any diet, but I probably eat tofu, soya yoghurt 3-4 times a week with seemingly no ill effects.

If you continue to have atypical periods I'd see a doctor. It could be it has nothing to do with your diet, but is something that needs to be checked out.

thanks for your reply. i am glad to hear that. i believe it mustn't be due to soya consumption. the thing is that there are so many things going on about soya that you get confused don't you?
anyway i guess female body is not like a machine, that is sometimes something beyond our understanding... i am going back to france for a few days. i will make sure i see a doctor.

thanks for your support and your concern

anne sophie

How strange. Do you think soya is really concentrated in more protein than meat? because my breasts have increased in size an i havnt gained weight or anything.

I did hear there was some research into how soya affects males. Apparently it hinders their sperm count or somthing....

Whatever the reason im sure your doctor could recommend somthing for PMS and cramps.

I think genetics and hormones play more of a role in these ailments than veganism but who knows, there are some bodies which are sensitive to particualr foods.

well apparantly, phyto-oestrogenes in soya are female hormones so basically good for you but i suppose as a hormone, too much of it will upset your body. i have defenetely read somewhere (asda or tesco magazine...) that consumption of soya shoud be reduce around your menstrual cycle.
i am just a bit confused because as i said there is so much going on about soya ! then you have to consider where your sources come from (pro veganism or not...)

ANYWAY so far none of you developped the same symptoms as mine lol so i guess i am over stressed maybe (i need to confess something..i had an accident with my car a few days ago, nothing too big but it is entirely my fault. i have been very upset about it because i have an antique car and pieces are hard to find.. especially when it is a french car and that i am in england lol plusss my dad who is a mechanic is ultra crossed with me and that really puts me down) waouuu i feel better lol.
I must admit i had no idea that stress and worry or tiredness could stop your cycle...
i would then say that it is not only my recent change of diet but also the shock and the feeling of guilt (lol) due to the accident.

anyway i am defenetely read more staff about all that and i thank you SOOO much for giving me your point of view and experience.

THIS FORUM IS ACE!

I have had some menstrual problems over the past year. At first, it was really aggravated by my weight loss. I don't eat much soy anymore (just a little soymilk and tofu) and I haven't seen any change, so I just have to think I'm more in tune with my body. I will agree that, since going vegan, my periods are far more regular.
If the female hormones in soy are bad for us, they can't be any worse than what we all used to consume in meat and dairy products. I would think that in a breakfast of eggs, sausage and cows milk one would consume far more hormones than in a glass of soymilk or a few ounces of tofu. I think a lot of this is anti-veg propoganda. We are a big threat to the meat/dairy industry.

ohh yes indeed. i've heard that big dairy companies might pay some scientists and writers to conduct research and study about soya and put the emphasis on the negative aspect and even do some false propaganda.
it is a big shame that nowadays everything has to deal with money and human beings have no respect towards each other.

i guess i am still consumming quite a lot of soya because i have recently turned vegan and it is a safety and easy way to feed myself but that eventually little by little i will be able to replace it by unprocessed food.

according to what you say, when women are not under contraceptive pill,loads of them don't have a very regular cycle. i haver stopped being on the pill something like 3 months ago, it was ok so far but well as i said earlier our body is not like a machine...it is not absolutely regular and stable.

so if you dont eat a lot of soya at all, do you replace it with special veg or fruit or peas (i mean that the proteins you find in soya where do you get them easily instead?)

i am reading lots of stuff about being vegan but i still need advice

thanks a lot

anne so

Mine have stopped dead, suddenly, for the first time ever...I'm freaking out - pregnancy is not the problem as the test was negative and it's not the menopause, neither am I underweight in fact I am chubby!
I am off to the quack next week to get checked out - I do eat loads of soya products!!!!!! *Sounds of someone freakin' out*

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Italhaya

i've been reading lots of stuff about soya and i remember reading something about the cycle and not consumming too much soya when you are about to be on (more or less) now i am just wondering:is that a big deal or my body just needs a while to adapt itself to that change of diet ( i have no idea if i consume too much soya, what's too much by the way??)

so if you have a minute and you want to relate your experience and tell me if you have been reading something about it, that would help so much.

thank youuuu

anne sophie

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Have you been restricting your calorie or fat intake?
Is there any chance you could be underweight at all?
This is a common cause of missing and extra light periods (as also can excessive exercising) and I have heard it can also cause stomach pain.
The pytoestrogens in soya are not exclusive to soya they can be found in other plants and I very much doubt they would cause periods to stop. They are not identical to female hormones.
If soya could do this I am sure the drug companies would have made use of soya in a drug.
As you know there is a lot of anti soya publicity out there.
If you are feeling at all unwell as well as no periods I suggest you have a chat with your GP or NHS Direct.

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Italhaya

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so if you dont eat a lot of soya at all, do you replace it with special veg or fruit or peas (i mean that the proteins you find in soya where do you get them easily instead?)
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There's a really useful looking page on protein on this Vegan Society page

I think you should be able to find quite a bit of info on this forum too if you use the search.

I just found this useful link about phytoestogens
(found in soya and some other plants)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytoestrogens

I generally believe that if you have to ask if you're eating too much soy, then you probably are.

Think of soy foods as a garnish, not a meal. Top your stirfry with a little tofu, or maybe a little soy milk with your cereal. Beyond that, it shows that soy takes up too much of your diet. Try to think starches and vegetables first, then a little bit of soy if you are so inclined.

I was going to post something similar to this until I saw it. Since going vegan my period has definitely been a little off.. usually I can predict it to the day or so.. lately it's been taking an extra week or a whole month off once and for the last week and a half I've been sure I was going to get it any second.. crying suddenly for no reason.. all the physical symptoms but nothing.. it'll only really be time for all this in a couple of days so I don't know. My soy consumption has been slightly increased since going vegan.. I do not eat tofu but I do have at least a cup or two of soymilk a day.. with cereal or to cook with..

I have a friend who says that since she started loading her diet with soy foods she has been totally period free.. that's going on a year now.

I've always assumed the phytoestrogen story was just a tactic by the milk industry but aside from the few of you here and the one friend mentioned I've heard more theories that such problems could be a attributed to soy.. I don't know what to think..

In Chinese medicine, there is a kind of herbal soup u can drink to regulate ur menses. It's call Ba Zhen Tang, made of eight different herbs. If you are interested, perhaps you can purchase from a Chinese medicine store. Just tell them u want to buy ingredients for making this herbal soup: 八珍 and ask them for the preparation method. If they sell u 八珍 pills, do check with them if there's any animal products. You can drink it after ur menses, don't drink it during menses. As for how it tastes.. my mum hates it, but I find it ok. Hope it helps.

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=Sarah=

I was going to post something similar to this until I saw it. Since going vegan my period has definitely been a little off.. usually I can predict it to the day or so.. lately it's been taking an extra week or a whole month off once and for the last week and a half I've been sure I was going to get it any second.. crying suddenly for no reason.. all the physical symptoms but nothing.. it'll only really be time for all this in a couple of days so I don't know. My soy consumption has been slightly increased since going vegan.. I do not eat tofu but I do have at least a cup or two of soymilk a day.. with cereal or to cook with.. ..

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haaa i see basically that is how i feel:bad pmt cramps but nothing more,normally i am regular. anyway i guess i am going to try to think veg and fruit and peas etc before thinking soy!!

Also if you have anaemia or other vitamin deficiences they can stop so it's worth getting a blood test.

thank you very much for this tip.ill have a blood test next week normaly

This is really interesting- ive been vegan since before I started my periods but ive never been regular, I have one every 4-6 months but ive had a few runs of 3 or 4 then nothing again. I eat loads of soya- milk at least, I usually get through a litre a day. Ive seen a doctor about my periods and their conclusion was that i probably had polycystic ovarian syndrome but until I was trying to concieve (I was 20 at the time so thats about 10 years off!) they wouldnt look into it any further...way to put my mind at rest!

I might go and see my dietician again some time soon and see what they think...

Suddenly irregular periods can be caused by all sorts; stress, diet, anaemia, sudden hormone fluctuations..
If they're usually regular as clockwork and haven't been for a few months it might be worth trying to cut down on soy/make time to relax/check your iron levels/check you haven't lost too much weight.
Ginger tea and Black Cohosh can bring on late periods apparently.

I have a question regarding going vegan, and health... probably because I don't know enough about it yet...

Recently, I made the decision to go vegan. I've been a vegetarian for about 7 years now, but also eating eggs and dairy. I've wanted to go vegan for awhile but didn't really feel that I could commit to it- but I pretty much just made the decision, now's as good a time as any, so that's what I'm doing right now. It's been about a week and a half, closer to two weeks now.

So basically, I have a question about going off of dairy and eggs... it's not something that's happened to me- yet, anyway- but I'm just curious about it. Is it possible, that by eliminating eggs and dairy from my diet, I could be affecting my menstrual cycle? I heard something about eating too much soy before your period, but I don't know how eliminating all animal products would affect me- or if it would at all. Dairy/eggs were the main reason I could go out to eat and always find something, and they were fairly big part of my diet. I've been replacing these with soy products lately. For the past 7 years I've been eating plenty of soy products, so it's not really an extreme diet change- I've just been eating more of it lately. I'm probably worrying about nothing... but I'm just curious about it.

thanks!

I can only imagine your menstrual cycle becoming more regular and painless, not anything bad. Although I STRONGLY advise giving up soy. If you've read about it then you know it is an anti-nutrient (prevents your body from absorbing nutrients) and acts as a horomone in your body. The soy could make your menstrual cycle irregular.

I know that when I consume soy I break out HORRIBLY, and when I eliminate it from my diet once again my face clears up within a week.

Other than that, yes, it will be a little more difficult when you eat out, but see that as a good thing! Not only will you be saving money, but you won't be eating so unhealthy anymore. When I go out to eat I always hit the salad bar, or order a baked potato with steamed broccoli, etc.
Do not feel discouraged, within a few weeks (its takes 21 days to make or break a habit) you'll see that you don't even miss dairy and eggs!! And who wants that cholesterol anyways?

Good luck!!

I found once I went vegan my periods were more regular, less painful and shorter. My PMT was waaaay better. This only improved when I cut down on soy.

When you talk about cutting down on soy does that include soya milk and tofu? I consume loads of it and suffer horredous PMS and painful periods. I wasn't aware of any problem with soya but I will cut down if it will help.

This must be an individual thing I think. Anyone who experiences problems would be sensible to experiment with cutting down on soy since it seems to have some quasi-hormonal effects.

I eat tofu etc (in moderate amounts) quite often, and don't plan to cut down because there's a theory that it may help with the menopause, which I must be due for soon as I'm 50. For the past few years I have been having regular and more or less pain-free periods for the first time in my life. :confused: But YMMV.

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Maisiepaisie

When you talk about cutting down on soy does that include soya milk and tofu? I consume loads of it and suffer horredous PMS and painful periods. I wasn't aware of any problem with soya but I will cut down if it will help.

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Yeah I have oatmilk instead of soymilk and try not to eat too many soy-based foods like tofu, processed mock meats etc

My periods went haywire when I went vegan - however, it was a total coincidence as a simple blood test showed I was anaemic and a course of iron pills and raw vegan iron sources sorted all that out, I am now back to normal.
I should point out that I have always been prone to anaemia even when I ate meat - more so then than now as we make a better effort now to eat iron rich food.

Hi. I'm not sure if this Post is still running. I have been a vegan for about 13 years. I am an extremely healthy person and exercise regularly, but don't overdo it. I drink about 4 - 5 soy drinks every week.
My menstrual cycle was totally normal until about 3 years ago. I got very bad food poisoning and lost 7kgs in 10 days. I then started having menopause symptoms - at the age of only 43. I managed to stop the symptoms, after using herbs from a naturopath, but now, at 46, blood tests show I am menopausal. I also had a bone density test which was normal.
I am now seriously questioning my vegan diet, for the first time ever. I am way too young to be menopausal, particularly as I was a "late-bloomer" when puberty came around. Some of the menopausal symptoms have returned, but not as bad as 3 years ago. What am I doing wrong? I know women with absolutely crap diets who are still menstruating normally at the age of 50+ !! Is it the soy milk? I take absolutely no vitamin supplements, and never had. I live on fruit, raw veges, nuts, avocado, oats, a bit of pasta, and not much processed foods. I never ever get viral illnesses, colds etc. My weight is normal. What have I done wrong? I don't believe it is genetic. The only thing I can think of is that my diet has screwed up my body. Any suggestions?

Hi Flaminglamborghini,
I'm for obvious reasons not an expert on menstruation, but B12 is essential for the formation of blood cells. There are lots of situations that can cause low B12 levels, and while vegans don't need to pay as much attention to eg. fiber, anti-oxidants, folate, fiber, vitamin C and phytochemicals as non-vegans, B12 is a vitamin we need to pay exxtra attention to - for the reasons explained in the thread I linked to above.

On another note... are we sure that the menstrual cycles of women living on meat/dairy/eggs and normally a good portion of junk food is a good/right/valid reference?

just be glad you're not like some woman I read about whose twin sister (both 18 years old) just had a baby whilst she was going through the menopause.

I think that it just happens to some earlier than others.

Hi. I think 46 is within the normal age range for reaching the menopause http://www.homehealth-uk.com/medical/menopause.htm. They say it does go by families, but I assume you're sceptical because your female relatives were older when they reached the menopause?

I doubt if it is diet-related. I've been vegan for about 14-15 years, am 51 and haven't experienced any recognisable signs of the menopause yet. But if you're worried about soy, maybe you could try cutting it out for a bit and see if it makes any difference to how you feel?

I am currently reading The China Study, and it is the author (T. Colin Campbell's) belief after doing very extensive studies that animal products lengthen our reproductive life, whereas in areas where few animal products are consumed (such as rural China), the average age for a girl to begin menstruating is 17, and the average age of menapause is much lower as well. This shortens the amount of estrogen we are exposed to throughout our lives, and the author believes that this is why countries such as China have vastly lower incidences of breast and ovarian cancer. So anyway, according to him, having early an early menapause is normal and desirable.

"We know the average age of menopause is 51, but menopause starting at the age of 40 is considered normal."

from
http://www.menopause-online.com/pmsormenopause.html

or google menopause at 40 for more of the same.

Hi. Thanks everyone for your feedback. It did occur to me yesterday, that perhaps people who eat animal products, lots of preservatives etc., DO start menopause later. Has anyone seen any research to this affect?

Also, my diet is very low in fat. Maybe too low? But I'm definitely not under-weight.

I guess I don't like mysteries, and don't like thinking I might have speeded up my life-cycle because of my diet.

As for B12, I have a book which says the symptoms of B12 deficiency include nervousness, mental slowness, unpleasant body odour, menstrual disturbances, pernicious anemia, and other low-immunity diseases. I have none of these, except for the menstrual disturbance. (at least I hope I don't have the unpleasant body odour). Cheers

Since going Vegan, the past 2 weeks (I know, not long) I had my period on time and for the first time in 20 years, without one single pain relief pill.
I'm normally crawling on the floor in agony, but this month...just mild pain.
I began vegan diet 1 week prior to period, so lets see how next month pans out.
I havent had soy products, just almond milk.

That's good news.

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I know women with absolutely crap diets who are still menstruating normally at the age of 50+ !!

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Again, pardon my ignorance, but (why) is it desirable to keep menstruating? From what I've heard, it can't be that fun? :)

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Korn

Again, pardon my ignorance, but (why) is it desirable to keep menstruating?

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My sisters would answer: It isn't.

I doubt if people think menstruation is desirable per se, but some people regard the menopause as a sort of milestone in the ageing process, and there are supposedly some disadvantages to being post-menopausal (like being more prone to heart problems). I wouldn't mind giving it a try though.

I have been vegan for about two years now and I have had no problems unless I use pill to postpone it for a few days. The second one after that is regular again. It is still painful, but not for hours on end, like I had when I was on a meat diet. One paracetamol will be enough to relief it if I want. I consume a lot of soya in the form of milk, yoghurt, tofu and tempeh as well as lots of iron rich foods, such as beans and wholewheat bread. I eat about five to six servings of fruit each day and spread my sandwiches with marmite and tahini for b-vitamins and zinc. In my pre-vegetarian life, I took pain relief pills and since I gave those up, it was like it all calmed down and they are not so heavy anymore. So in my case, the vegan diet works well for the hormonal processes in my body, not just this one. I think it is an individual thing and that some bodies are more sensitive than others.