Nov 5 / Star Khechara

Phytoestrogens: Nutritional Strategies for Hormonal Skin Ageing

Phytoestrogens: Nutritional Allies Against Hormonal Skin Ageing

As the understanding of skin-ageing becomes increasingly integrative, nutrition continues to emerge as one of the most powerful tools in professional skincare. One of the most exciting areas in this field is the role of phytoestrogens, naturally occurring plant compounds that can mimic or modulate the effects of oestrogen in the body.

For practitioners working with clients experiencing hormonally influenced skin-ageing, phytoestrogens offer a scientifically supported, plant-based strategy to protect, strengthen and rejuvenate the skin from within.

The Role of Oestrogen in Skin Health

Oestrogen is central to maintaining skin structure and function. It supports collagen synthesis, elastin integrity, dermal thickness and hydration, the pillars of youthful skin. Declining oestrogen levels, whether through natural ageing or hormonal shifts, are directly linked to:

  • Loss of collagen and elastin
  • Thinning and dryness of the skin
  • Reduced antioxidant defence
  • Impaired wound healing
  • Increased wrinkling and sagging


Research indicates that type I and III collagen can decline by as much as 30% in the first five years after menopause, highlighting how strongly hormonal balance impacts dermal ageing.

What Are Phytoestrogens?

Phytoestrogens are bioactive plant compounds structurally similar to human oestrogen (17β-estradiol). This similarity allows them to bind to oestrogen receptors, acting as mild natural modulators rather than synthetic replacements.

Rather than overriding the body’s hormonal pathways, phytoestrogens exert a balancing effect, supporting oestrogenic activity when levels are low and exerting anti-oestrogenic effects when levels are excessive. This adaptability makes them especially relevant in skin-ageing linked to hormonal decline.

Major groups of phytoestrogens include:

  • Isoflavones (genistein, daidzein, glycitein) – found in soy, legumes
  • Lignans (enterolactone, enterodiol) – found in flaxseed and whole grains
  • Flavonols (quercetin, rutin) – found in apples, onions, kale, citrus fruits
  • Coumestans (coumestrol) – found in alfalfa and clover
  • Stilbenes (resveratrol) – found in red grapes and berries

Isoflavones

Lignans

Flavonols

Flavonols

Stilbenes

Coumestans

The ability of phytoestrogens (in the present study, those from flaxseed most notably) to modify estrogen metabolism suggests a mechanism through which these compounds may be involved in both disease prevention and treatment strategies.
Menopause 2021

How Phytoestrogens Support the Skin

The decline in oestrogen that accompanies hormonal ageing is one of the most potent intrinsic ageing factors for skin. Phytoestrogens, particularly soy isoflavones, flaxseed lignans and red clover extracts, have been studied for their ability to restore many of these lost functions.

1. Collagen and Elastin Preservation

Soy isoflavones such as genistein and S-equol have been shown to increase type I procollagen production in dermal fibroblasts. They stimulate fibroblast activity and help maintain extracellular matrix integrity, a key process in preserving elasticity and firmness.

2. Protection Against UV-Induced Damage

Studies demonstrate that genistein and daidzein reduce UV-induced cell death in keratinocytes and prevent photoageing by upregulating superoxide dismutase (SOD), a critical antioxidant enzyme. This protects skin cells from oxidative stress and DNA damage.

3. Improved Skin Elasticity and Reduced Wrinkles

Clinical trials on postmenopausal women show that soy isoflavone supplementation improves skin elasticity and reduces wrinkle depth, supporting measurable, visible improvements in dermal texture and tone.

4. Anti-inflammatory and Antioxidant Activity

Phytoestrogens help downregulate inflammatory pathways that accelerate skin-ageing. Compounds such as resveratrol and quercetin modulate gene expression involved in inflammation, cellular senescence and oxidative stress, all major drivers of hormonal ageing.

5. Barrier Function and Hydration

Flaxseed (linseed), rich in lignans and omega-3 fatty acids, has been shown to improve hydration and reduce skin roughness, likely through enhanced lipid synthesis and hormone receptor modulation. Its phytoestrogenic activity contributes to balanced oestrogen metabolism, which supports epidermal integrity and smoothness.
The combination of a low-fat, vegan diet and whole soybeans was associated with reduced frequency and severity of hot flashes and improved quality of life in vasomotor, psychosocial, physical, and sexual domains in postmenopausal women
Menopause 2021

Beyond Soy: Diverse Sources of Skin-Supportive Phytoestrogens

While soy is often highlighted, phytoestrogens are present across a wide range of plant foods, giving practitioners flexibility in dietary guidance.
  • Flaxseed – among the richest sources of lignans, influencing oestrogen metabolism and skin hydration.
  • Fenugreek seed extract – shown in placebo-controlled studies to raise circulating estradiol, progesterone and free testosterone, offering additional support for hormonal balance.
  • Red grapes and berries – provide resveratrol, a polyphenol that activates sirtuins, improves DNA stability and reduces inflammation.
  • Apples, kale and onions – deliver quercetin, a flavonol that stabilises collagen and reduces UV-related enzyme activity (MMPs).
  • Alfalfa and red clover – natural sources of coumestrol, offering mild oestrogenic activity and antioxidant effects.


A well-balanced, plant-based diet therefore provides multiple forms of phytoestrogenic activity that collectively sustain hormonal equilibrium and support the skin’s structural resilience.

Mechanisms: How Phytoestrogens Communicate with the Skin

At a molecular level, phytoestrogens bind primarily to oestrogen receptor beta (ER-β), the receptor subtype most abundant in the skin. ER-β activation promotes:

  • Enhanced fibroblast proliferation
  • Increased collagen synthesis
  • Improved vascularisation of the dermis
  • Regulation of keratinocyte differentiation


Unlike synthetic oestrogen therapies, plant phytoestrogens activate these receptors selectively, avoiding overstimulation and maintaining a safer, gentler regulatory effect.

Professional Applications in Skin Nutrition Practice

For nutrition and skincare practitioners, incorporating phytoestrogen-rich foods into dietary protocols offers a safe, evidence-based strategy to address hormonal skin-ageing. These compounds can be positioned as part of a functional skin-nutrition plan, supporting clients who experience:

  • Accelerated ageing due to oestrogen decline
  • Dullness, dryness and loss of elasticity
  • Photoageing and oxidative stress
  • Impaired collagen synthesis post-menopause


When paired with a low-fat, plant-based diet, phytoestrogens may also enhance quality of life and provide broader metabolic and vasomotor benefits, further supporting skin vitality.

The Professional Advantage

For professionals, including dietitians, nutrition therapists and advanced skincare practitioners, understanding phytoestrogens adds another dimension to client care. Rather than focusing only on topical interventions or hormone replacement, professionals can use nutritional guidance to modulate oestrogenic activity naturally, achieving more balanced, long-term outcomes.

This integrative, evidence-based approach aligns perfectly with the growing consumer demand for nutrition-first anti-ageing and reinforces the principle that diet truly is the new dermatology.

References

  • Wylie-Rosett, J. (2005). Menopause, micronutrients, and hormone therapy. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 81(5), 1223S–1231S. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/81.5.1223
  • Buckinx F, Aubertin-Leheudre M. Sarcopenia in Menopausal Women: Current Perspectives. Int J Womens Health. 2022;14:805-819https://doi.org/10.2147/IJWH.S340537
  • Safabakhsh, Maryam MSPH; Siassi, Fereydoun PhD; Koohdani, Fariba PhD; Qorbani, Mostafa PhD; Khosravi, Shahla PhD; Abshirini, Maryam MSPH; Aslani, Zahra MSPH; Khajehnasiri, Farahnaz PhD; Sotoudeh, Gity PhD. Higher intakes of fruits and vegetables are related to fewer menopausal symptoms: a cross-sectional study. Menopause 27(5):p 593-604, May 2020. | DOI: 10.1097/GME.0000000000001511
  • Vegan Lifestyle Coach. (n.d.). Menopause. https://www.veganlifestylecoach.com/menopause
  • Messier V, Rabasa-Lhoret R, Barbat-Artigas S, Elisha B, Karelis AD, Aubertin-Leheudre M. Menopause and sarcopenia: A potential role for sex hormones. Maturitas. 2011 Apr;68(4):331-6. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2011.01.014. Epub 2011 Feb 25. PMID: 21353405.
    Jennifer D Brooks, Wendy E Ward, Jacqueline E Lewis, John Hilditch, Leslie Nickell, Evelyn Wong, Lilian U Thompson, Supplementation with flaxseed alters estrogen metabolism in postmenopausal women to a greater extent than does supplementation with an equal amount of soy123, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 79, Issue 2, 2004, Pages 318-325.

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Article by Star Khechara

Professional agehacker, author, speaker, founder of skin nutrition institute
About me
Ex-skincare formulator and beauty author turned skin-nutrition educator: Star distilled her 20+ years of skin-health knowledge into the world’s first international accredited skin-nutrition school to teach skin therapists, facialists, face yoga practitioners and estheticians how to help their clients feed the skin from within for cellular-level rejuvenation and vibrant beauty. 
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