Soybean Foods May Help Reduce Risk Of Osteoporosis During Menopause

A diet rich in soy protein and isoflavones may help protect women in menopause from osteoporosis and bone weakening, according to a recent study.

Researchers from the University of Hull found that soy protein and isoflavones work as both a safe and effective option for improving bone health in women during early menopause. In fact, according to researchers, the actions of soy actually appear to mimic that of conventional osteoporosis drugs.

Osteoporosis is a common condition in which bones become fragile and brittle from tissue loss. Due to loss of the sex hormone estrogen, bone loss occurs more quickly in the years after menopause. 

During the study, 200 women with early menopause were given a daily supplement that contained soy protein, along with 66mg of isoflavones or a supplement with soy protein for a period of six months. The researchers investigated changes in bone activity by measuring the proteins (βCTX and P1NP) in their blood.

The study results showed that women on the soy diet and isoflavones showed significantly lower levels of βCTX than just the soy diet alone--suggesting that their rate of bone loss was slowing, lowering their risk of osteoporosis. The same group also had a lowered risk of cardiovascular disease when compared to counterparts who only received soy.

In the future, researchers hope to investigate the long-term benefits of soy and isoflavones supplements to see if they touch on more than just bone health.

The study was presented at the Society for Endocrinology annual conference in Edinburgh.

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