Phytoestrogens and Reproductive Health

Abstract

Phytoestrogens are nonsteroidal compounds produced by plants those have chemical structures similar to natural or synthetic estrogenic compounds. They have affinity to estrogen-specific receptors and thus exert weak estrogenic effect. Therefore, studies on the effects of phytoestrogens on reproductive health have been increased. This review article was prepared to determine the effects of phytoestrogens on reproductive health, known to have many physiological roles. Studies show that phytoestrogens (soy-isoflavones) should be approached with care in the newborn period, and may affect sexual dimorphic behavior (especially in girls) and developmental processes in later periods. At the same time, phytoestrogens may be associated with early puberty onset and early menarche in girls. Phytoestrogens may be associated with early onset puberty, may cause irregularities in the menstrual cycle in the premenopausal period, and may have positive effects in the postmenopausal period by reducing symptoms. In males, it was not found any effects of phytoestrogens on reproductive health. When the developmental processes of the mammals are taken into account, phytoestrogens have significant effects on the reproductive health, which can be regarded as positive or negative. Although human studies are limited on the effects of phytoestrogens, the results are similar to those of many animal studies. However, there are differences in methodological differences in the studies carried out, so inconsistencies can be observed in the results.