Is a Vegan Diet Good for Menopause?

Vegan diets have gained popularity in recent years, with sources citing around 4% of Americans now opting for  this type of diet plan.^1,2

While there are many beneficial health claims surrounding veganism, a dedicated study explores its specific impact on middle-aged women experiencing hot flashes.³ This ongoing research around vegan diets begs the question— is a vegan diet good for menopause?

In this article we take a look at why experts think a vegan diet may help certain menopause symptoms and discuss how to make use of these findings to inform your own journey through perimenopause, menopause, and beyond.

Can a Vegan Diet Help During Menopause?

Veganism is the practice of abstaining from foods derived from animals or their byproducts, including dairy or eggs. A typical vegan diet usually incorporates plenty of plants, including fresh fruits and veggies, grains, and nuts.⁴

Now, the question we’re all here for— can a vegan diet help menopause?

The short answer is— maybe. A strictly vegan diet could possibly help women in menopause with reducing some of the symptoms they’re experiencing. That’s because research shows a vegan diet can help promote better weight management and reduces the intake of many types of inflammatory foods, both of which are risk factors for increased hot flashes, weight gain, and other common symptoms of menopause.⁵

It’s important to note that as with any diet, there are caveats. Just because veganism provides some health benefits, doesn’t mean that all vegan diets are created equal. – or are a cure-all for menopause symptoms.  (Consider the fact that potato chips are considered to be vegan, but most of us couldn’t —and shouldn’t— sustain ourselves on potato chips alone.)

Sarah Handzel, BSN, RN, says, “There are plenty of vegan diet options out there, but be careful. A well-rounded diet, regardless of whether it’s vegan or not, should provide complete protein sources, antioxidants and phytonutrients, and nutritional balance. Whole food vegan diets, which aren’t heavily processed, help ensure you’ll get all the required nutrients you need to stay healthy—the more variety you have in your diet, the greater nutritional advantages you’ll gain.”

In fact, the same body of research referenced earlier, shows veganism may help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular and metabolic syndrome, but it also warns it may carry the risk for micro and macronutrient deficiencies.⁶ This doesn’t mean going vegan is wrong. Those wanting to attempt a vegan diet should simply be mindful of getting the right amount of nutrients that are otherwise found abundantly in animal products, like protein, B-12, zinc, iron, and other nutrients and minerals.⁷

“For some, diets like veganism result in nutritional deficiencies, especially if the diet is extremely limited. Regular visits to your healthcare provider for blood work or other tests can help catch such deficiencies early, before they have any time to cause problems. Consistent monitoring also helps your provider determine whether you should alter your diet to include more foods or even take a supplement to make up for nutrients you’re not getting from animal products,” says Handzel.

A Vegan Diet and Menopause —How Can it Help Symptoms?

Now that we understand that what you eat while on a vegan diet matters immensely in terms of its health benefits, let’s explore what menopause symptoms a vegan diet could potentially help alleviate.

Hot Flashes

Hot flashes are of the most commonly reported symptom of menopause, with more than 75% of women experiencing these sudden, brief increases in body temperature during this transitional time.⁸

However, recent research may prove one specific version of a vegan diet is beneficial from those suffering from this common menopause symptom. One study found that following a low-fat, vegan diet that includes soybeans can lead to a decrease of menopausal hot flashes by as much as 95%.⁹

Here’s more on that study.

For 12 weeks, the research team examined 84 postmenopausal women, asking some participants to follow a low-fat, vegan diet that included a daily half-cup of cooked soybeans. Other participants were asked to continue with their diets as normal. The group of women who consumed a vegan diet with daily soybeans experienced a drastically lower number of hot flashes.¹⁰

But why, exactly?

Experts say it has to do with compounds in soybeans called isoflavones, which have direct effects on gut bacteria and inflammation.¹¹ These are also considered to be phytoestrogens, which mean they can have estrogen-like impacts in the body – so it’s always a good idea to check with your healthcare provider first before increasing the amount of soy you consume in your daily diet, just as a precaution.

Handzel explains, “Soybeans are an excellent source of isoflavones, which provide a variety of benefits like reducing inflammation and protecting cells from damage. This study suggests they also bind to specific estrogen receptors throughout the body, including within the gut. Together with an increase in gut microbiome diversity, this binding helps to stabilize estrogen levels, which are known to fall during menopause and cause symptoms like hot flashes. More stable levels of estrogen usually result in a decrease in the frequency and severity of hot flashes.”

This key information leads us to the next menopause symptom a vegan diet may help to manage—issues with gut health.

Gut Heath

“Gut health” refers to the status of your gut’s microbiome, a delicate ecosystem of bacteria, viruses, and fungi living within the digestive tract.¹²

Generally, a more diverse microbiome is a positive marker of good health. Newer research demonstrates that hormones, like estrogen, can help to maintain this gut health balance.¹³

Estrogen levels begin to dip during menopause, however, leaving women potentially more vulnerable to disruptions in their gut health, which can contribute to associated negative health outcomes, such as poor cardiovascular health, depressed moods, obesity and diabetes.¹⁴

Fortunately, not all hope for gut health during postmenopause is lost. Circling back to the recent study on the vegan diet and menopause, researchers found significant improvements in gut health based on stool samples taken from study participants who were on a vegan diet.¹⁵ Those whose gut health had improved as a result of their vegan diets with daily doses of soybeans were also a part of the group with significant decreases in hot flashes.

But why?

Research suggests soy-products rich in isoflavones can increase the diversity of gut bacteria, help to fight inflammation, and can work to stabilize estrogen levels.^16, Other clinical studies show similar results, with women who consume high amounts of dietary soy protein (20-60 mg per day) reporting fewer and less intense hot flashes and night sweats than those with soy-less diets.¹⁷ But as noted earlier, consuming soy may impact estrogen levels in the body, so it’s important to discuss this dietary option with your healthcare provider first, in the event you have concerns and to see if it’s right for you.

Is a Menopause Vegan Diet Plan Right for You?

So, is a menopause vegan diet plan something you should consider?

It really depends on your symptoms, goals, medical history, and whether or not a vegan diet makes sense for your lifestyle.

“Your needs are different from anyone else’s. Trying to follow extremely restrictive or overly complicated diets can be hard to maintain, and that might cause you to become frustrated and quit. The best diet you can follow is one you’ll actually stick to. When you can find a diet plan you enjoy, you’re much more likely to see long-term benefits,” says Handzel.

While incorporating more fresh fruits, veggies, and other staples of a vegan diet is generally considered healthy for most individuals, talking to a healthcare provider or registered nutritionist is recommended if you’re interested in attempting a menopause vegan diet plan or if you’re planning on making drastic changes to your dietary intake.

Resources

1. https://www.statista.com/topics/3377/vegan-market/#topicOverview
2. https://sentientmedia.org/increase-in-veganism/#:~:text=The%20latest%20numbers%20from%202023,hasn't%20increased%20at%20all.
3. https://www.healthline.com/health-news/menopause-low-fat-plant-based-diet-may-reduce-hot-flashes-promote-weight-loss
4. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/how-to-eat-a-balanced-diet/the-vegan-diet/
5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33252690/
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10027313/
7. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/vegan-defiencies
8. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/introduction-to-menopause
9. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965229923000894?via=ihub
10. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/can-a-vegan-diet-prevent-hot-flashes-at-menopause#Hot-flashes-and-the-gut-microbiome
11. https://www.healthline.com/health/gut-health
12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9379122/
13. https://www.everydayhealth.com/digestive-health/can-menopause-change-your-gut-microbiome/
14. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/can-a-vegan-diet-prevent-hot-flashes-at-menopause#Hot-flashes-and-the-gut-microbiome
15. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/can-a-vegan-diet-prevent-hot-flashes-at-menopause#95%25-reduction-in-overall-hot-flashes
16. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/dietary-factors/phytochemicals/soy-isoflavones
17. https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/supplement/soy