The use of a lignan, which is a plant lignan, a metabolite thereof or a combination of both, for the manufacture of a composition for preventing or alleviating of symptoms relating to estrogen deficiency in an individual. Also disclosed is the use of a plant lignan capable of being a precursor for enterolactone or another metabolite of the plant lignan, for the manufacture of a composition useful for increasing the level of enterolactone or another metabolite of a plant lignan in an individual's serum, where the individual suffers from or is at risk of estrogen deficiency.
