Can a Plant-Based Diet Improve Hormonal Balance?

Author: Wendy Walrabenstein, PhD · Registered dietitian (Netherlands)
Medically reviewed by: Carlijn Wagenaar, MD, PhD
Last updated: September 23, 2026

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. There is no scientific evidence for this. On the contrary, a growing body of research suggests that a predominantly plant-based diet may be beneficial, particularly for hormone-related conditions.

One nutrient does deserve attention: your thyroid needs iodine to make its hormones. If you eat fully plant-based, make sure you get enough, for example through iodized salt or a supplement. Read more in Iodine on a plant-based diet.

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 clear when the plant-based diet is healthy and minimally processed. In contrast, an unhealthy plant-based diet, high in refined and processed foods, is associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes (2).

People already living with type 2 diabetes can also benefit. In a randomized trial led by American physician Neal Barnard, both a low-fat vegan diet and the standard diet of the American Diabetes Association improved blood sugar and cholesterol, but the improvements were greater in the vegan group. In that group, 43% of participants were able to reduce their diabetes medication, compared with 26% in the standard diet group (3). In a follow-up of 74 weeks, both diets led to weight loss, and in analyses that took medication changes into account, the vegan diet improved blood sugar control (HbA1c) and LDL cholesterol more than the standard diet (4).

Menopausal symptoms

Women who eat plant-based may also experience fewer bothersome menopausal symptoms. In a survey of peri- and postmenopausal women, vegans in the menopausal transition reported fewer bothersome vasomotor symptoms, such as hot flashes, and fewer bothersome physical symptoms than women who ate meat. Eating more vegetables and less meat was associated with fewer complaints (5). This type of study shows an association, not cause and effect, but clinical trials point in the same direction.

In a randomized trial, postmenopausal women who followed a low-fat plant-based diet with half a cup of cooked soybeans per day experienced a 79% reduction in total hot flashes after 12 weeks, compared with 49% in the control group. Moderate-to-severe hot flashes dropped by 84% (control: 42%), and 59% of the plant-based group became free of moderate-to-severe hot flashes, while the control group showed no change. Quality of life in the psychosocial, physical, and sexual domains also improved more in the plant-based group (6).

A larger follow-up trial confirmed these findings: moderate-to-severe hot flashes decreased by 88% in the plant-based group (control: 34%), and half of the participants in that group were free of moderate-to-severe hot flashes by the end of the study (7).

Breast cancer

In a study that followed postmenopausal women for an average of 21 years, long-term adherence to a healthy plant-based diet was linked to a lower risk of breast cancer. In contrast, an unhealthy plant-based diet, rich in refined grains, sugary foods, and sweetened drinks, was associated with a higher risk (8). This underlines that the quality of a plant-based diet matters.

Prostate cancer

For prostate cancer, another hormone-sensitive cancer, there is more research. In a large study of more than 47,000 men, eating more plant-based foods was linked to a lower risk of fatal prostate cancer. The association was strongest in men younger than 65, in whom a healthy plant-based diet was also linked to a lower risk of prostate cancer overall. In men aged 65 and older, no association was found (9).

Dairy also appears to play a role. Men with a high dairy intake (430 g per day) had a 27% higher risk of prostate cancer than men with a low intake (20 g per day), and about a 60% higher risk than men who consumed no dairy at all. The increased risk was mainly linked to milk, both whole and low-fat, and not to cheese or yogurt (10). In addition, men who eat more soy foods tend to have a lower risk of prostate cancer (11).

A plant-based lifestyle may also benefit men already diagnosed with prostate cancer. In a randomized study of 93 men with early-stage, low-grade prostate cancer, an intensive lifestyle program with a plant-based (vegan) diet, exercise, and stress management led to a 4% decrease in PSA levels (a marker used to monitor prostate cancer) after one year, while PSA rose by 6% in the control group. Blood from the lifestyle group also inhibited the growth of prostate cancer cells in the lab much more strongly (70% vs. 9%). None of the men in the lifestyle group needed conventional treatment during the study, compared with 6 men in the control group (12).

Conclusion

Whether it concerns insulin sensitivity, menopausal symptoms, or hormone-sensitive cancers, a whole-food, plant-based diet appears to have favorable effects on hormone-related health. Much of this evidence comes from observational studies, which show associations rather than cause and effect, but the clinical trials that have been done point in the same direction. The focus should always be on a healthy, minimally processed plant-based diet. If you have a hormone-related condition or use medication, discuss dietary changes with your doctor.

Want to Learn More? Interested in how plant-based eating can support your health? Explore our Past the Pain book and the Inflammation Practice Program for practical tips and evidence-based guidance.