Femarelle is a

dietary supplement A dietary supplement is a manufactured product intended to supplement one's diet by taking a pill, capsule, tablet, powder, or liquid. A supplement can provide nutrients either extracted from food sources or that are synthetic in order ...

that is a mixture of DT56a (a

tofu Tofu (), also known as bean curd in English, is a food prepared by coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into solid white blocks of varying softness; it can be ''silken'', ''soft'', ''firm'', ''extra firm'' or ''super f ...

extract) and flaxseed powder, that may act as a

selective estrogen receptor modulator Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), also known as estrogen receptor agonist/antagonists (ERAAs), are a class of drugs that act on the estrogen receptor (ER). A characteristic that distinguishes these substances from pure ER agonists ...

(SERM).Bedell S, et al. The pros and cons of plant estrogens for menopause. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2014 Jan;139:225-36. Review. EFS
Femarelle® and bone mineral density
Scientific substantiation of a health claim related to “Femarelle®” and “induces bone formation and increases bone mineral density reducing the risk for osteoporosis and other bone disorders” pursuant to Article 14 of the Regulation (EC) No 1924/20061 Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies. The EFSA Journal (2008) 785, 1-10] In 2008 an application was submitted to the

European Food Safety Authority The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is the agency of the European Union (EU) that provides independent scientific advice and communicates on existing and emerging risks associated with the food chain. EFSA was established in February 2002, ...

to market Femarelle with a health claim, namely that it can reduce the risk for

osteoporosis Osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disorder characterized by low bone mass, micro-architectural deterioration of bone tissue leading to bone fragility, and consequent increase in fracture risk. It is the most common reason for a broken bone a ...

and other bone disorders;Poluzzi E, et al Phytoestrogens in postmenopause: the state of the art from a chemical, pharmacological and regulatory perspective. Curr Med Chem. 2014;21(4):417-36.
PMC 3963458
/ref> the EFSA found that "the food/constituent for which the claim is made, i.e. Femarelle, has not been sufficiently characterised" and that " a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of Femarelle and increased BMD, increased bone formation, or decreased risk of osteoporosis or other bone disorders in post-menopausal women." Femarelle has been tested in small clinical trials. One studied its effect on the tissue lining the

vagina In mammals, the vagina is the elastic, muscular part of the female genital tract. In humans, it extends from the vestibule to the cervix. The outer vaginal opening is normally partly covered by a thin layer of mucosal tissue called the hymen ...

, another on relief of

hot flashes Hot flashes (also known as hot flushes) are a form of flushing, often caused by the changing hormone levels that are characteristic of menopause. They are typically experienced as a feeling of intense heat with sweating and rapid heartbeat, and ...

menopause Menopause, also known as the climacteric, is the time in women's lives when menstrual periods stop permanently, and they are no longer able to bear children. Menopause usually occurs between the age of 47 and 54. Medical professionals often d ...

, and another on the risk of causing blood clots, which is a risk of

hormone replacement therapy Hormone replacement therapy (HRT), also known as menopausal hormone therapy or postmenopausal hormone therapy, is a form of hormone therapy used to treat symptoms associated with female menopause. These symptoms can include hot flashes, vaginal ...

. While results were promising, the studies were too small and too short in duration from which to draw conclusions.

References

{{Estrogen receptor modulators Botanical drugs Dietary supplements Herbalism Phytoestrogens Selective estrogen receptor modulators

See also

References