For women looking for alternatives to hormone replacement therapy, here’s good news: Eating more soy helps prevent the bone loss that happens all too often after menopause. I’d like to report on a landmark study that explores just how soybeans can benefit your bones in later years.
After menopause, when periods cease, women experience accelerated bone loss for about seven years. The rate peaks at five percent per year during those early postmenopausal years and then returns to baseline.
During the period of rapid bone loss, postmenopausal women are at increased risk for developing osteoporosis. The condition can lead to disfiguring fractures of the spine and wrists as well as life-threatening hip fractures. Women suffer 80 percent of the 1.5 million fractures related to osteoporosis that occur annually.
The National Osteoporosis Foundation estimates that half of all American women 50 and older will have osteoporosis-related fractures during their lifetimes.
The study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine last year, is the first to directly assess an association between soy consumption and fractures. It’s a collaborative effort of researchers from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., and the Shanghai Cancer Institute in Shanghai, China.
The study involved more than 24,000 women living in China who regularly consumed soybeans. Participants ranged from 40 to 70 years old and had no prior history of fractures or hormone use. All the women were postmenopausal, meaning periods had ceased for at least 12 months.
Researchers conducted face-to-face interviews with each participant. They collected data about each woman’s medical history and dietary practices over a period averaging 4.5 years.
The researchers observed that women who had the highest consumption of soy products reported the fewest number of fractures during the study. Then the scientists made adjustments for other variables that could affect the results, including age, major risks for osteoporosis, socioeconomic status, and other dietary and lifestyle factors.
In the end, the researchers concluded that soy foods may reduce the risk of fracture in postmenopausal women. Soy consumption may be “particularly beneficial” in preventing menopause-related bone loss during the 10 or so years after menopause when rapid bone loss occurs, the researchers added.
I think these findings are worth noting. After all, anything that slows the rapid bone loss in women right after menopause could make a big difference in preventing osteoporosis. It’s a breakthrough if soybeans really do help.
A number of other studies have linked soybeans with stronger bones. Some show that eating soy products leads to higher bone mineral density. That’s good because dense bones are less prone to break. Scientists have found that soy increases the body’s production of insulin-like growth factor, a compound that promotes the formation of strong bones.
Studies also show that soy consumption decreases bone breakdown. Research indicates that soybeans stimulate the production of a substance called osteoprotegerin in the body that prevents bone weakening and thinning.
Denser bones that don’t break down: I believe those are good reasons for women entering menopause to consider eating soy. Some of your options include soymilk, tofu, soy sprouts, fresh soybeans called edamame, roasted soybeans, whole soybeans, tempeh, miso and soy sauce.
The precise amounts of soy that are safe and optimal aren’t known at this time. Many authorities suggest one or two servings a day. Until long-term effects are known, talk to your doctor before eating large amounts of soy.
Contact Dr. Elizabeth Smoots, a board-certified family physician and fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians, at doctor@practicalprevention .com. Her columns are not intended as a substitute for medical advice or treatment. Before adhering to any recommendations in this column, consult your health-care provider.
2006 Elizabeth S. Smoots.
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