Abstract

ROJAS TOVAR, Gladys  and  RODRIGUEZ ACOSTA, Alexis. Secondary amenorrhea due to soybean lecithin ingestion . Rev Cubana Obstet Ginecol [online]. 2004, vol.30, n.1, pp. 0-0. ISSN 1561-3062.

Soybean is a legume originary from China. It has a high energetic density with an approximate value of 400 Kcal/100 g. It contains phytoestrogens, which are non-steroideal plant molecules, whose structure differs from the gonodal hormones, but with estrogen-like bioactivity, since they are capable of interacting with estrogenic receptors, showing agonist and antagonist activity. An unwanted effect of soybean lecithin is described. A 35-year-old sound female patient with regular menses (4/30 days) that did no take any oral contraceptives decided to take soya lecithin because of its nutritional, antioxidant and medical benefits. As a result, an amenorrhea of 3 months of evolution appeared accompanied by heats, insomnia, frontal headache from mild to moderate intensity, vaginitis (irritation and leukorrhea) and weight gain.

Keywords : Soybean lecithin; amenorrhea; antiestrogens; hypoestrogenemia.