Soy protein may help protect against the negative effects of menopause

Osteoporosis, decreased physical activity, and weight gain are serious health concerns for postmenopausal women. Researchers from the University of Missouri have discovered through a new animal study that soy protein found in food might counter the negative effects of menopause on bone and metabolic health. Moreover, the researchers believe that soy protein might also have positive impacts on bone strength for women who have not yet reached menopause. The results are published in Bone Reports.

The researchers studied the effects of soy versus corn-based diets on rats selectively bred to have low fitness levels. Rats were divided between those with and without ovaries to mimic effects of menopause. Prior research has found that these rats are good models for menopausal women. They compared the impact of the soy diet on bone strength and metabolic function to rats fed a corn-based, soy-free diet.

The researchers found that 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. Moreover, they found that 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,” said Pamela Hinton, professor of nutrition and exercise physiology. “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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