Soy has long been thought of as a magic bullet that helps dispel menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats, but a recent study on MedicalNewsToday.com says otherwise.

Researchers from UC Davis analyzed the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN), which collected data from 3,000 menopausal women. The researchers focused on 1,651 participants who have yet to experience hot flashes and night sweats in order to observe the effect of soy diet on the condition. Soy contains phytoestrogens, which are plant-based hormones commonly found in soy-based food that were previously considered as a "cure" for menopausal symptoms.

The researchers found that phytoestrogens have no effect on women at the onset of menopause, but other studies show varied results in post-menopausal women.

In the end, what matters is having a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle especially in your later years. Magic bullet or not, these will ease the discomfort that these hormonal changes may cause.

(Photo by Andrea Nguyen via Flickr Creative Commons)