The FemHealth Nutrition Podcast

In this episode, we dive into the buzz around cycle syncing and seed cycling — two popular trends in the women's wellness space. We’ll break down what they are, the theory behind them, what the research actually says, and practical tips for dietitians working with clients. Tune in to get the facts and learn how to separate hype from science!

In this episode, we’ll examine research on the relationship between soy and femaile fertility. Do phytoestrogens from soy help or harm female fertility? Let’s break down the science and highlight key takeaways for dietitians and healthcare professionals.

Check out the Women's Health Nutrition Learning Hub at whnlearninghub.com

References: 

Vanegas, J. C., Afeiche, M. C., Gaskins, A. J., Mínguez-Alarcón, L., Williams, P. L., Wright, D. L., Toth, T. L., Hauser, R., & Chavarro, J. E. (2015). Soy food intake and treatment outcomes of women undergoing assisted reproductive technology. Fertility and Sterility, 103(3), 749–755.e2. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2014.12.104

Rizzo, G., Feraco, A., Storz, M. A., & Lombardo, M. (2022). The role of soy and soy isoflavones on women’s fertility and related outcomes: an update. Journal of Nutritional Science, 11, e17. https://doi.org/10.1017/jns.2022.15

Gaskins, A. J., & Chavarro, J. E. (2018). Diet and fertility: A review. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 218(4), 379–389. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2017.08.010

Salsano, R., et al. (2019). To eat soy or not to eat soy: The ongoing look at phytoestrogens and fertility. Fertility and Sterility, 112(5).

Mitsunami, M., Mínguez-Alarcón, L., Florio, A. A., Wang, S., Attaman, J. A., Souter, I., Hauser, R., & Chavarro, J. E. (2023). Intake of soy products and soy isoflavones in relation to ovarian reserve. Fertility and Sterility, 119(6), 1017–1029. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2023.02.039

Jacobsen, B. K., Jaceldo-Siegl, K., Knutsen, S. F., Fan, J., Oda, K., & Fraser, G. E. (2014). Soy isoflavone intake and the likelihood of ever becoming a mother: The Adventist Health Study-2. International Journal of Women’s Health, 6, 377–384. https://doi.org/10.2147/IJWH.S57137

Chavarro, J. E., Mínguez-Alarcón, L., Chiu, Y. H., Gaskins, A. J., Souter, I., Williams, P. L., Calafat, A. M., & Hauser, R. (2016). Soy intake modifies the relation between urinary bisphenol A concentrations and pregnancy outcomes among women undergoing assisted reproduction. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 101(3), 1082–1090. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2015-3473

Mumford, S. L., Sundaram, R., Schisterman, E. F., Sweeney, A. M., Barr, D. B., Rybak, M. E., Maisog, J. M., Parker, D. L., Pfeiffer, C. M., & Buck Louis, G. M. (2014). Higher urinary lignan concentrations in women but not men are positively associated with shorter time to pregnancy. The Journal of Nutrition, 144, 352–358. https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.113.184820

Unfer, V., Casini, M. L., Gerli, S., Costabile, L., Mignosa, M., & Di Renzo, G. C. (2004). Phytoestrogens may improve the pregnancy rate in in vitro fertilization–embryo transfer cycles: a prospective, controlled, randomized trial. Fertility and Sterility, 82(6), 1509–1513. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2004.07.934

Shahin, A. Y., Ismail, A. M., Zahran, K. M., & Makhlouf, A. M. (2008). Adding phytoestrogens to clomiphene induction in unexplained infertility patients – a randomized trial. Reproductive BioMedicine Online, 16(4), 580–588. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1472-6483(10)60455-3

Find the Women's Health Nutrition Learning Hub at whnlearninghub.com 

In this episode, we’ll examine research on muscle changes during menopause. How much muscle mass is lost? Does it affect all individuals the same way? And most importantly, what interventions—such as exercise, protein, vitamin D, and creatine—are actually effective? Let’s break down the science and highlight key takeaways for dietitians and healthcare professionals.

Check out the Women's Health Nutrition Learning Hub at whnlearninghub.com

* Correction: Most experts agree that 1-1.2 g protein/kg body weight is what most women will benefit from in perimenopause and some may benefit from higher levels of up to 1.6-2 g protein/kg body weigh. 

**Not intended as medical advice

References:

Greendale, G. A., Sternfeld, B., Huang, M.-H., Han, W., Karvonen-Gutierrez, C., Ruppert, K., Cauley, J. A., Finkelstein, J. S., Jiang, S.-F., & Karlamangla, A. S. (2019). Changes in body composition and weight during the menopause transition. JCI Insight, 4(5), e124865. https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.124865​

Silva, T. R., Lago, S. C., Yavorivski, A., Ferreira, L. L., Fighera, T. M., & Spritzer, P. M. (2020). Effects of high protein, low-glycemic index diet on lean body mass, strength, and physical performance in late postmenopausal women: A randomized controlled trial. Menopause: The Journal of The North American Menopause Society, 28(3), 307–317. https://doi.org/10.1097/GME.0000000000001692​

Thornton, M., Sim, M., Kennedy, M. A., Blodgett, K., Joseph, R., & Pojednic, R. (2024). Nutrition interventions on muscle-related components of sarcopenia in females: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Calcified Tissue International, 114, 38–52. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00223-023-01157-1​

Lemieux, F. C., Filion, M.-E., Barbat-Artigas, S., Karelis, A. D., & Aubertin-Leheudre, M. (2014). Relationship between different protein intake recommendations with muscle mass and muscle strength. Climacteric, 17(3), 294–300. https://doi.org/10.3109/13697137.2013.829440​

Silva, T. R., & Spritzer, P. M. (2016). Skeletal muscle mass is associated with higher dietary protein intake and lower body fat in postmenopausal women: A cross-sectional study. Menopause: The Journal of The North American Menopause Society, 24(5), 502–509. https://doi.org/10.1097/GME.0000000000000793​

Erdélyi, A., Pálfi, E., Tűű, L., Nas, K., Szűcs, Z., Török, M., Jakab, A., & Várbíró, S. (2024). The importance of nutrition in menopause and perimenopause—A review. Nutrients, 16(27). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16010027​

Nahas, P. C., Rossato, L. T., Martins, F. M., Souza, A. P., Branco, F. M. S., Carneiro, M. A. S., Teixeira, K. R. C., Orsatti, F. L., & de Oliveira, E. P. (2019). Moderate increase in protein intake promotes a small additional improvement in functional capacity, but not in muscle strength and lean mass quality, in postmenopausal women following resistance exercise: A randomized clinical trial. Nutrients, 11(6), 1323. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11061323​

Seimon, R. V., Wild-Taylor, A. L., Keating, S. E., McClintock, S., Harper, C., Gibson, A. A., Johnson, N. A., Fernando, H. A., Markovic, T. P., Center, J. R., Franklin, J., Liu, P. Y., Grieve, S. M., Lagopoulos, J., Caterson, I. D., Byrne, N. M., & Sainsbury, A. (2019). Effect of weight loss via severe vs moderate energy restriction on lean mass and body composition among postmenopausal women with obesity: The TEMPO Diet randomized clinical trial. JAMA Network Open, 2(10), e1913733. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.13733​

Tan, T.-W., Tan, H.-L., Hsu, M.-F., Huang, H.-L., & Chung, Y.-C. (2023). Effect of non-pharmacological interventions on the prevention of sarcopenia in menopausal women: A systematic review and meta-analysis of ra