Can a Plant-Based Diet Improve Hormonal Balance?

You see it often on social media: weight gain or health issues are blamed on a “hormonal imbalance.” But what does that actually mean?

What Are Hormones?

Hormones are chemical messengers that regulate many processes in the body, including metabolism, energy levels, mood, and fertility. However, the term “hormonal balance” suggests a stable, ideal state—while in reality, hormone levels naturally fluctuate depending on age, sex, lifestyle, and health status. The real question is not whether your hormones are “balanced,” but whether they are functioning within a healthy range.

Do You Need Animal Products for Hormonal Health?

It’s sometimes claimed that animal products are essential for maintaining hormonal health. But this simply isn’t true. On the contrary—an increasing body of research shows that a predominantly plant-based diet may be beneficial, particularly for those experiencing hormone-related symptoms.

Type 2 Diabetes

Multiple studies show that people who eat more plant-based and less animal-based food tend to have better insulin sensitivity and a lower risk of type 2 diabetes (1,2). This benefit is especially evident when the plant-based diet is healthy and minimally processed. In contrast, an unhealthy plant-based diet is actually associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes (2).

Even people already living with type 2 diabetes benefit from a healthy plant-based diet. Research by American physician Neal Barnard found that both a healthy vegan diet and the standard diabetes dietary guidelines led to weight loss and improved blood cholesterol levels. However, the plant-based group experienced greater improvements in blood sugar control (HbA1c) and LDL cholesterol, especially when adjustments for medication were made. They also saw a greater reduction in waist circumference, and more participants could reduce their medication use (3).

Menopausal Symptoms

Women who eat plant-based diets also tend to experience fewer hot flashes and other physical symptoms during menopause. Higher vegetable intake was particularly associated with reduced menopausal discomfort. This is likely due to the role of oxidative stress and chronic low-grade inflammation, both of which can be improved through healthy lifestyle choices and more plant-based food (4,5).

One study showed that postmenopausal women who followed a plant-based diet rich in soy products experienced a 79% reduction in total hot flashes, compared to 49% in the control group. Moderate-to-severe hot flashes dropped by 84% (control: 42%), and 59% of the plant-based group reported no moderate or severe hot flashes at all, compared to none in the control group. Other symptoms—including night sweats and psychosocial, physical, and sexual complaints—also improved more in the plant-based group (6).

A larger follow-up study confirmed these findings, reporting an 88% reduction in moderate to severe hot flashes, with half of participants reporting no hot flashes at all by the end of the study (7).

Breast Cancer

Long-term adherence to a healthy plant-based diet has also been linked to a lower risk of breast cancer, reinforcing the importance of diet quality in preventing hormone-related cancers. Interestingly, an unhealthy plant-based diet—rich in processed foods, sugar, saturated fat, and low in fiber—was associated with a higher risk of breast cancer (8).

Prostate Cancer

For prostate cancer, another hormone-sensitive cancer, we know even more. A large study of over 47,000 men found that those who followed a healthy plant-based diet had about a 20% lower risk of prostate cancer compared to those who consumed less plant-based food (9).

More specifically, consuming high amounts of dairy (430 g/day) compared to low amounts (20 g/day) was associated with a 25% increased risk of prostate cancer—and those with very high intake had a 60% higher risk. This risk was most strongly linked to milk (both whole and low-fat), rather than cheese or yogurt (10). Additionally, men who consumed more soy products were also found to have a lower risk of prostate cancer (11).

Plant-based eating may also benefit men already diagnosed with prostate cancer. In a study of 93 men with early-stage, low-grade prostate cancer, those following a plant-based lifestyle program saw a 4% decrease in PSA (marker used to monitor the progression of prostate cancer levels) after one year, while the control group experienced a 6% increase. Furthermore, blood samples from the plant-based group suppressed cancer cell growth significantly more in lab tests compared to the control group. None of the plant-based participants required conventional treatment during the study, while 6 men in the control group did due to disease progression (12).

Conclusion

Whether we’re talking about insulin, estrogen, or testosterone, a whole-food, plant-based diet appears to have favorable effects on hormone regulation. Of course, the focus should always be on a healthy and balanced plant-based approach.

Want to Learn More? Interested in how plant-based eating can support your health? Explore our Plants for Health book and the Plants for Health lifestyle program for practical tips and evidence-based guidance.