Alternative Health Blog

In a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving 403 postmenopausal women, results indicate that long-term soy-isoflavone supplementation may attenuate whole-body bone loss. The women were randomized to 80 or 120 mg of soy hypocotyl aglycone isoflavones or placebo, plus calcium and vitamin D for a period of 24 months. At 1-year end, daily supplementation with 120 mg soy isoflavones was associated with a significantly smaller reduction in whole-body bone mineral density (BMD), but not regional BMD, compared to women supplemented with placebo. Thus, the authors of this study conclude, “Daily supplementation with 120 mg soy hypocotyl isoflavones reduces whole-body bone loss but does not slow bone loss at common fracture sites in healthy postmenopausal women.”    

Reference: “Soy isoflavone supplementation and bone mineral density in menopausal women: a 2-y multicenter clinical trial,” Wong WW, Smith EO, et al, Am J Clin Nutr, 2009 Sep 16; [Epub ahead of print]. (Address: US Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Research Service, Children's Nutrition Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA).