Soy diets seem to increase bone strength in women

Soy protein found in food might counter the negative effects of menopause on bone and metabolic health, experts reveal in Bone Reports. And the team believes that soy protein might also have positive impacts on bone strength for women who have not yet reached menopause.

“The findings suggest that all women might see improved bone strength by adding some soy-based whole foods, such as tofu and soy milk, to their diet,” says Prof Pamela Hinton. “We also believe that soy-based diets can improve metabolic function for postmenopausal women.”

Researchers looked at the effects of soy versus corn-based diets on rats selectively bred to have low fitness levels. Rats were again divided between those with and without ovaries to mimic the effects of menopause. They compared the impact of the soy diet on bone strength and metabolic function to rats fed a corn-based, soy-free diet.

The tibia bones of the rats that were fed soy were stronger compared to the rats who were fed the corn-based diet, regardless of ovarian hormone status. And the soy-based diet also improved metabolic function of the rats both with and without ovaries.

“Bottom line, this study showed that women might improve bone strength by adding some soy-based whole foods to their diet,” Prof Hinton says. “Our findings suggest that women don’t even need to eat as much soy as is found in typical Asian diets, but adding some tofu or other soy, for example foods found in vegetarian diets, could help strengthen bones.”

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