New studies show that isoflavones may improve cognitive function and protect against degenerative diseases of the brain, such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Rather than taking years, the benefits of adding soy to the diet can be seen in three months or less.

For example, results from the SOPHIA study (conducted in 2003) showed that significant improvements in markers such as "category fluency," "logical memory," and "memory recall" occurred after 12 weeks when postmenopausal women took 110 mg of soy isoflavones per day.¹

An additional study showed improvements in "spatial cognition" a week after participants added soy to their diet in high doses.² 

Further, scientists recently confirmed an increase in the frontal lobe functioning (the part of the brain responsible for executive functioning) in women who added only 60 mg of soy isoflavones to their daily diet for six weeks!³ After twelve weeks, the improvements were even more noticeable.

In addition to helping with cognitive activity, soy isoflavones may help protect nerve cells in the brain from free radical damage.⁴ One isoflavone in particular, genistein, works by preventing the release of a chemical that damages these cells.⁵